Racing
Hereford betting tips: Steal A March looks set for a big performance
Syndicate Captain Steven Dowler returns after nailing the Place 6 at Newbury on Wednesday. His Syndicate would have had four winning lines but didn’t fill. He returns to tackle the Best Dividend Guaranteed Place 6 at Hereford. Steven thinks Steal a March is set for a big afternoon. Can he make it two in a row?
12.40 – Handicap Hurdle
We start off the afternoon with a weak looking contest and top-weight CHLOE’S COURT has shown up well on both starts this campaign, finishing third both times and was only just behind Truckers Cailin last time. She’s entitled to reverse the form on much better terms here and the form of her two starts have worked out very well as both winners of each race have won again since.
SPECIAL PRINCESS will find life tougher off this mark but she’s thriving at the moment winning her last two starts since returning from a long absence and her latest success was a very easy one winning by a comfortable nine lengths. She handles testing ground and stays three miles well so in all fairness she is a worthy favourite and she should make a bold bid to complete the three-timer for connections.
MASSINI’S DREAM returned from an absence to finish a fast close-up third last time out off this mark. The stable are not in great form at present but this mare is a model of consistency and has only finished out of the top three once in all completed starts over hurdles and showed she handles soft ground well last time out so if providing she doesn’t have the bounce factor on her second run back, I can see her running well again and maybe prove good enough to get her head in front in a wide open race.
Selections: CHLOE’S COURT, SPECIAL PRINCESS, MASSINI’S DREAM
13.10 – Beginners Chase
Dr Richard Newland is in red hot form (5 winners from 11 runners) this past week and he runs the very useful AARON LAD who was highly tried on chase debut at Cheltenham but was out of his depth and never figured. The 8-year-old drops down a couple of class for tomorrow’s event and connections have been very patient with him over fences so far.
Aaron Lad has a good record on ground soft or worse and Charlie Hammond takes off 3LB meaning Aaron Lad gets weight from Supremely Lucky here.
Selections: AARON LAD
13.40 – Novice Hurdle
Nicky Henderson and Nico De Boinville make a rare visit to Hereford with STEAL A MARCH who looks a warm order to get off the mark over hurdles at the second time of asking. This doesn’t look a strong race at all and this son of Mount Nelson was a fair fourth on his only start in a bumper before running a lovely race to finish fourth in a much stronger event at Newbury on hurdles debut.
Steal A March didn’t have much luck as his rider lost an iron at the first hurdle which put him on the back foot but he made steady progress thereafter without being given a hard time. The step up to 2m5f should unlock further progress as he is a horse with a lot of potential and will be very hard to beat for his powerful connections.
Selections: STEAL A MARCH
14.10 – Handicap Chase
I think this is the most competitive race on the card but the ground will play its part and I quite like BILLINGSLEY who will love the heavy ground being a dual novice hurdle winner on it back in 2018. This seven-year-old heavy ground lover was running a lovely race on his chase debut when taking a tired fall two out on his seasonal debut over 2m4f. The return to 2 miles tomorrow with that run under his belt on ground to suit will be much more to his liking and this race is by far much easier as the two horses who were in front of him last time out are rated 143+, so his mark of 117 looks lenient here which gives him every chance.
Ali Stronge is a quality trainer, who should be given more recognition and has his team in great form. He’s had two winners and two seconds from his last five runners and bottom weight BALGEMMOIS shouldn’t be overlooked today despite stepping up in class. He was a decent hurdler, who showed good form on all types of going and was well supported for his chase debut last time only to fall at the first when returning from an absence just seven days ago.
Selections: BILLINGSLEY, BALGEMMOIS
14.40 – Maiden Hurdle
Dan and Harry Skelton’s NORTHOFTHEWALL has done all of his racing so far in better company and has been getting closer to success of late. He’s reached the frame on all three starts this season in decent company and proved to us last time he handles soft/heavy ground. Today, Northofthewall drops down in class and although he’s 0-6 over hurdles, I can’t help but feel this is the easiest opportunity he has had and he is sure to be bang there at the finish due to this race being a very winnable opportunity for him to get his head in front.
Selections: NORTHOFTHEWALL
15.10 – Handicap Chase
We conclude with a rather substandard handicap chase. The formerly Colin Tizzard trained THE BROTHERS has yet to win in the UK but has generally been campaigned at a higher level mainly in class 4 company and ran respectable off higher marks than today’s mark without threatening to get in the winners enclosure. He was unlucky on stable debut over C&D in a class 4 off a mark 103 where he was bang there with every chance when hampered over the last fence, losing his place before rallying strongly to be a close up fourth place.
Despite being the outsider of the field, I think it is also worth chancing RUSSIAN SERVICE at huge odds. He hasn’t offered much the last twice since returning from a long absence but he is very well handicapped on old form and the first time tongue-tie goes on along with the refitted cheekpieces. His best form has come on ground with the word ‘heavy’ in the description and he drops down into class 5 company for the first time in his career here.
Selections: THE BROTHERS, RUSSIAN SERVICE
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