After a pair of winners on Wednesday, GG’s Lucky 15 tips for Thursday feature three selections from Stratford and one from Chelmsford’s evening card.
1.17 Stratford – KILWORTH (1pt win – 9/2 bet365)
Point winner First Candidate and Jamie Snowden’s useful bumper mare A Path To Ronda are strong candidates, but KILWORTH looks an interesting option against them. Emma Lavelle’s string have been going well of late and this five-year-old by Order Of St George was a point-to-point winner in her own right back in March. Making her rules debut in Ireland, she was fifth in a fillies and mares’ bumper at Tipperary won by a useful filly of Peter Fahey’s and the switch to Lavelle can also prove a positive, as can Harry Cobden’s presence in the saddle.
2.17 Stratford – TAURUS BAY (1pt win – 6/5 bet365)
Both Dan Skelton and Olly Murphy have potentially promising novices in this contest, though it is Ben Pauling’s charge who stands out most in TAURUS BAY. A purchase of Harry Redknapp’s for £155,000, the four-year-old is from a useful family, with Pattern quality flat form coupled with jumping pedigree, while he is by the multiple Group 1 winner Poet’s Word. He won his only point-to-point back in February, from which the runner-up won a maiden hurdle at Aintree at the weekend, so it looks more than likely that the selection is fairly useful. He could be one to make a significant impression this season.
2.47 Stratford – BE AWARE (1pt win – 7/4 bet365)
There are some proven handicap chasers against him to make this season, but BE AWARE is one who can make up into a better chaser than he was a hurdler. Dan Skelton won this race last year with L’Eau Du Sud and the similarities between that winner and Be Aware extend far further than them both being greys. Both had been very talented hurdlers without quite getting their head in front as much as they should, and each had gone off a single-figure price for a Cheltenham Festival handicap the previous March. L’Eau Du Sud was rated 138 a year ago while Be Aware, having faded at the conclusion of last season, is off 136 this year, though possesses some pieces of hurdles form which are at least comparable to his stablemate. If his chasing education has been smooth at home, it can reward followers on the course.
6.15 Chelmsford – COGNISANCE (1pt win – )
Evidently tricky to train with only four runs in her career at the age of four, COGNISANCE can still come good for William Haggas. The daughter of Sea The Stars won her first two career starts last season at Redcar and Kempton before fading to finish only sixth on her handicap debut at the latter venue. Down 3lb, and after a 379-day layoff, Cognisance was seventh of eight at Newmarket, but that would have been a competitive enough race for one off such a long absence, especially a filly with such little racecourse experience. Her early form ensures she is still one to keep track of and with a run under her belt, she should prove an entirely different proposition here.
GG Racing Lucky 15 Tips For Thursday 30th October