Today’s ITV4 races, by Chris Cook
It’s a bit disappointing to see Beg To Differ (3.35) at the top of the market for Sandown’s Betfred Masters Handicap Chase, given that this youngster was allowed to start at 33-1 in the Welsh National last time. It’s not as though he won that day, after all, but his fourth place was a return to form after a couple of excusable flops and he could be a major force here.
Beg To Differ travelled powerfully over this course and distance last February, winning handily despite a couple of indifferent leaps. Thanks to his failure to score since then, he’s only 6lb higher this time and this seven-year-old should have plenty more to offer.
He comes from the Jonjo O’Neill yard that has been something of a puzzle for punters this season. O’Neill has had just one winner from 24 runners in the past fortnight but enough of them have run well to suggest Beg To Differ can probably show something like his best here.
Otago Trail is a likeable sort and has been given half a chance by the handicapper, who has left him on the same mark from which he was second in the Peter Marsh. He beat a dozen rivals handily that day and was bested only by Bristol De Mai, seen by some as a Gold Cup contender.
1.50 Sandown Buveur D’Air is a smashing beast but how can you take 4-11 about a chaser returning to hurdles on desperate ground, knowing that his jockey may look after him if things aren’t going well because this is a trial race before next month’s Festival? Irving has not usually thrived this late in the season but he’s been lightly raced this winter and may be helped by the addition of tongue tie and cheekpieces, making him a tentative alternative.
2.05 Musselburgh The first running of the Edinburgh National looks a good opportunity for Alvarado and one that he simply must seize if he’s to get into April’s Grand National, for which he is in danger of missing the cut. He runs off the same mark from which he was an excellent second in the Scottish National over on the west coast last spring and ran a big race at Cheltenham on his reappearance, just losing his position at a crucial stage in that shorter race. Paul Moloney has done well by him over the years but it will be interesting to see if the more attacking Paddy Brennan can get a good result out of the 12-year-old. Gonalston Cloud looks likely to stay on into a place.
2.25 Sandown There was no disgrace in a narrow defeat to Whisper at Cheltenham last time but it did look as though Clan Des Obeaux had the ability to beat that rival on those terms if things had unfolded a little differently. Top Notch will give him another serious test here but on balance there is probably still more to come from Paul Nicholls’ charge, who gets a useful 3lb.
2.45 Wetherby For some reason, Warren Greatrex has had just three winners over fences since midsummer but the Lambourn man seems to have a good prospect for that game in Missed Approach. A winning Irish pointer, he benefited from a wind op to score at Lingfield last month and can make his stamina count over Calett Mad, so long as the early pace is respectable.
3.00 Sandown It’s hard to hold his last-time defeat against El Terremoto, given that it took place in so much fog at Haydock that we have no idea why he lost or by how far. But he was beaten only by a couple of talented types, coped well with desperate ground when winning his previous race and may relish the extra distance here. This should produce a slow-motion finish and the others may struggle to match his resilience.
3.15 Musselburgh Bad weather has caused Drumcliff to miss a couple of possible targets since he seemed so unlucky at Kempton’s Christmas meeting, his handicap debut. Simonsig’s half-brother comes here in search of a decent surface which should allow him to prove his current rating rather lenient.
Saturday tips
Lingfield
12.50 Bookmaker 1.25 Byron Flyer 2.00 Pretend 2.30 Come On Dave 3.05 Decorated Knight 3.40 Hamish McGonagain 4.15 Appy Days
Musselburgh
12.25 Gaitway 12.55 Doubledisdoubledat 1.30 Project Bluebook 2.05 Alvarado 2.40 Bistouri D’Honore 3.15 Drumcliff 3.45 Wonderful Charm 4.20 Final Countdown
Newcastle
5.45 Indian Dandy 6.15 Jack Flash 6.45 Canford Belle 7.15 Touch of Paradise 7.45 Safe Voyage 8.15 Poppy In The Wind 8.45 Commanche
Sandown
12.40 Coeur De Lion 1.15 Grey Gold 1.50 Irving 2.25 Clan Des Obeaux 3.00 El Terremoto 3.35 Beg To Differ (nb) 4.05 Russian Service
Wetherby
1.05 Becky The Thatcher 1.40 West Wizard (nap) 2.15 Catamaran Du Seuil 2.45 Missed Approach 3.20 Only Orsenfoolsies 3.55 One Conemara 4.25 Oscar Mor
