Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
Oh rats, Lingfield has been frozen off, which means no jump racing today. I suppose we should all just be grateful we haven’t had more of such issues this winter but I’d worked myself into a bit of a lather over one of my picks there and now it’ll just be another thing to ponder on my deathbed: would that yak have won at Leafy? Chiz chiz chiz.
Anyway, we have plenty of all-weather action to tide us over, including a Wolves card which is surprisingly busy with interesting runners. First up is Tranquil Daze (3.30) in the sprint handicap and very popular at 2-1.
David Brown’s three-year-old didn’t show much in maiden races but suggested he can win one of these in his handicap debut around here in November, staying on into fourth after being green / keen. He’ll know more again and has been dropped 2lb, which allows him into this slightly lower grade. He’s well drawn to take a handy early position.
Adam Kirby is always worth looking for in winter al-weather races and he may have landed on a winning saddle half an hour later, when he’ll be aboard Dandy Flame (4.00). This one has improved for the switch to William Haggas from Jose Santos, while still being a bit frustrating. The extra furlong could prove decisive. Again, he’s popular at around 2-1.
You can get 11-4 about Born To Finish (5.00), which seems very fair, in view of his comfortable success last time, his first run since a breathing op. He’d dropped a fair way in the weights before that and I think he’ll have more to give under a penalty.
If you prefer bigger prices, 8-1 about Oriental Relation (4.30) isn’t bad. He’s three from nine at Wolverhampton and did well to win there from stall 10 last month. I’m not too fussed about his Southwell flops either side of that. He’s only 2lb higher today and much better drawn, which is important for this drop from six furlongs to five.
At Chelmsford tonight, there’s a sprint handicap in which the running styles of those involved suggests a pace battle. In the circumstances, 8-1 about Upavon (6.45) might be on the big side, considering he is the type to finish strongly from off that pace, provided he hasn’t blown the start as badly as he sometimes can. Blinkers go on for the first time in what looks like an attempt to prevent exactly that problem.
