GG tipster Andrew Mount reveals his list of eyecatchers from the past week’s action!
Find out which runners he wants to keep onside below, alongside bet365‘s new customer offer of £50 in Free Bets when you deposit and bet £10.
FAMILY POT, won, 3m1f handicap chase, Hereford, Sunday, February 5th
The faster the ground the better where FAMILY POT is concerned, and he returned to winning ways with conditions to suit in the Hereford Racehorse Ownership Club Handicap Chase last Sunday. His chase record on officially good or faster going now reads 1311 (3-4), improving to 111 (3-3) on right-handed tracks only.
FAST BUCK, second, 1m7.5f handicap chase, Sandown, Saturday, February 4th
FAST BUCK set a fast pace into the wind and did really well to finish a one-length second to the patiently-ridden Third Time Lucki in the Virgin Bet Dolos Handicap Chase. The third and fourth also came from off the pace and he’ll be of interest next time.
FIDELIO VALIS, second, 2m handicap chase, Musselburgh, Sunday, February 5th
FIDELIO VALLIS ran well on his return from a break of more than 400 days, finishing second to Pay The Piper in the bet365 Scottish Champion Handicap Chase on his debut for Harry Derham. His record from February to May since leaving France for Britain now reads 1111112 (6-7) and he’ll surely go one better soon.
FLOWER OF SCOTLAND, 3rd, 3m7.5f handicap chase, Musselburgh, Saturday, February 4th
FLOWER OF SCOTLAND fared best of those to come from off the pace when third to Magna Sam (see below). This was a cracking effort on a biased track, and he’ll be very interesting when returned to Kelso where his record reads 111 (3-3).
GENTLEMAN DE MEE, won, 2m1f Grade 1 Chase, Leopardstown, Sunday, February 5th
There was no fluke about GENTLEMAN DE MEE’s victory over 1-4 favourite Blue Lord in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase and he’s now right in the mix for the Champion Chase next month. Since switched to fences, his record from February until the end of the season reads 1111 (4-4), compared to 52U4 (0-4) in other months. He’s disappointed on two of his three previous visits to Britain but failed to settle and jumped poorly in the first-time hood when tenth to of 22 behind Galopin Des Champs in the 2021 Martin Pipe and his Tingle Creek fourth to Edwardstone in early December came at a time of year in which he has yet to shine. His other performance on British soil came in between those runs, which saw him win the Grade 1 Maghull Novices’ Chase at the Aintree Festival last year.
MAGNA SAM, won, 3m7.5f handicap chase, Musselburgh, Saturday, February 4th
Course expert MAGNA SAM, ex-Sophie Leech, made a winning debut for Alastair Ralph in the bet365 Edinburgh National Handicap Chase. The 22-1 shot, like 11 of the 13 winners at this two-day meeting, raced up with the pace and might be one to avoid if changing venues next time, as this was clearly the plan. His course record now reads 111 (3-3), compared to form figures at other tracks of 01PPF6PP53P (1-11).
MARWARI, sixth, 6f handicap, Southwell, Thursday, February 2nd
This winter (since 1st November 2022), it’s been very difficult to win a big-field 6f-1m handicap at Southwell from a double-figure stall, with only one horse from 88 qualifiers scoring. Course expert MARWARI was up against it from stall 12 of 12 in division one of the 6f Huge Daily Boosts Only At BetUK Handicap last Thursday and his 5-1 sixth of 12 is safely ignored.
MAX DYNAMO, won, 3m2f handicap chase, Chepstow, Friday, February 3rd
MAX DYNAMO did my daily ‘best bets’ column a good turn when scoring by 25 lengths at 14-1 on his first run since last April. The veteran returned from a similar break to score at Wincanton at about the same time last year and duly followed up at the same venue. He’ll be hard to beat next time, even after the handicapper has a say.
PINK JAZZ, won, 1m handicap, Kempton, Saturday, February 4th
PINK JAZZ usually goes well at this time of year and a change of tactics (cynics would say ‘and the application of large amounts of cash’) saw the 7-2 joint-favourite bolt up by six lengths from the front in a fast time. He’ll be heard to beat in the 8.30 at Wolverhampton on Saturday night.
SAMUEL L JACKSON, third, 2m7f handicap hurdle, Exeter, Wednesday, February 1st
SAMUEL L JACKSON always needs his first couple of runs each term and ran a blinder third-time out to finish a 40-1 third in division one of the 2m7f Virgin Bet Handicap Hurdle, his first run over timber since December 2020. This will put him spot on for the Devon National later this month, a race he won in 2021.
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