Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
Ugh, so we start the day with some bad news, which is that Annie Power is out of the Cheltenham Festival. Willie Mullins has confirmed the great mare has a leg injury from which she will not recover in time to compete in mid-March.
Now nine, Annie Power has not been seen since her 18-length victory at Aintree in April. Just a couple of days ago, Mullins was speculating about the possibility of running her in the Champion Hurdle against Faugheen.
It’s that time of year when horses can pick up untimely injuries or their trainers may finally admit that there’s no chance of them running to a high level in two months’ time. I remember one January when the favourites for the Gold Cup, the Champion Hurdle and the Stayers’ Hurdle were ruled out on consecutive days. Was that really 11 years ago? Tsk.
There are a couple of interesting runners at Catterick today, starting with Aminabad (3.05) in the novice chase. The market here is made by Two Taffs, who did OK on his chasing debut at Kempton and will surely win races over fences but comes from the Dan Skelton yard that isn’t doing brilliantly at the moment, with a strike-rate of 1/20 in the past fortnight. Skelton’s had four losing favourites in that time, which is not really what you want to hear if you’re backing a 2-9 shot.
At 5-1, Aminabad looks the one to profit if Two Taffs can’t make the necessary step forward. A Gigginstown cast-off, he showed ability at times for Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott, but not enough to stick in either of those stables.
He’s now with Patrick Griffin, who has a fair record with the chasers he sends to Britain. Aminabad showed some promise at Ayr last week before fading on his first start for five months. This sounder surface should help.
There’s been some support for Roxyfet (3.40), a 10-1 shot for the following handicap chase. From the Micky Hammond yard that’s been among the winners lately, he’s back down below the mark from which he won here in March. He stayed on late here a fortnight ago.
The nap runs at Ludlow, where Greyed A (2.50) is 2-1 for an amateur riders’ handicap hurdle. In James King, he might have the best jockey in the race. I think Dr Newland’s grey is still on a winning mark, despite his defeat last time. The step up in distance on a less taxing surface may help.
Tips for all today’s races:
Catterick Bridge: 1.25 Desert Point 1.55 Bankhall 2.30 Jaleo 3.05 Aminabad 3.40 Roxyfet 4.10 Moon Over Rio
Lingfield: 1.05 Washington Blue 1.35 Circulate 2.05 Gamrah 2.40 Miss Dusky Diva 3.15 Coillte Cailin 3.50 Winning Ways 4.20 Lightsome
Ludlow: 1.45 Ballymountain Boy 2.15 An Poc Ar Buile 2.50 Greyed A (nap) 3.25 Bise D’Estruval (nb) 4.00 Toberdowney 4.30 Castafiore
Newcastle: 4.15 Cavalieri 4.45 Frontline Phantom 5.15 Dusty Bin 5.45 Life Won’t Wait 6.15 Captain Dion 6.45 Magdalene Fox
