11am Simonsig set for return in the Peterborough Chase
Tony Paley: Simonsig, the 5-1 ante-post favourite for the King George Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, has been earmarked to return to the track at Huntingdon next month.
The 2013 Arkle Trophy winner at the Cheltenham Festival, missed last season due to a splint injury, but trainer Nicky Henderson said the eight-year-old will be aimed at the Grade Two Peterborough Chase on December 7.
He told the Daily Mail: “The Peterborough Chase is what we are looking at. It would be a nice race for him. We have kept him on the go. It was only a splint, you don’t put them away for that. He wasn’t doing anything serious but he was walking and trotting throughout last winter.”
Simonsig went unbeaten in three starts over fences before he was forced on to the sidelines.
Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
Gosh, Peintre Celebre has officially attained the status of old man, having been retired from ‘covering’ duties at Coolmore to make way on their roster for Kingsbarns. I could wish they’d found a bigger name to replace him with (I’m sure they do, too) because his winning performance in the Arc was the classiest I can remember.
You can watch it here, with the bonus of Sir Peter O’Sullevan calling his final Arc, the month before his retirement. I think, if he could have his time again, he might try harder to make it clear that he was not saying ‘Pant Celeb’.
Peintre Celebre’s best progeny were Byword, the Prince of Wales winner, and Pride, who won Group Ones in three countries and salted away £2.1m. More recently, Peintre Celebre made a significant contribution to the result of Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup, as the damsire of the first and second. He’ll see out his days at Castlehyde Stud in County Cork and very agreeable I hope he finds it.
By the way, O’Sullevan fans might also enjoy this link, which I’ve just stumbled across .
In Towcester’s opener, I’m intrigued by Boherna Lady (1.10), fairly priced at 11-4 with a 7lb penalty for what she did to 10 rivals at Worcester last week, pulling eight lengths clear despite racing wide for much of the race. That was her first run for Fergal O’Brien after leaving Denis Hogan in Ireland but Hogan must have done the work because she ran for him just 20 days before the Worcester race.
Her Irish form shows flashes of ability but nothing like what she did last week. How then to account for the improvement? Well, it was her first try at three miles and the addition of Paddy Brennan can make a difference to a horse.
If distance matters to her, the step back to two miles five furlongs today could be a concern but of course Towcester puts a pretty serious accent on stamina. I think she can go in again.
At the other end of the card, Biretta (4.10) has got to be worth a look at 4-1 for the bumper. She’s a half-sister to a couple of winners, including a Group winner in Norway, and comes from the Marcus Tregoning yard that has ended the Flat season well.
Tregoning has had no luck with a handful of attempts in hurdle races but he is unbeaten in bumpers after just one previous try, when Asker hacked up by 11 lengths at Worcester in 2011. The jockey that day was one Anthony McCoy, who was booked for Biretta today but has now given up the mount because he is still feeling the effects of recent injuries. Ryan Mahon takes over, which may give us a better price as off-time ticks around.
Tipping competition, day four
Our winners so far:
Monday
Comeonginger 11-10
Saint John Henry 9-1
Protectionist 7-1
Tuesday
God’s Own 8-1
Gas Line Boy 7-1
Hurry Home Poppa 6-1
Wednesday
Captain Scooby 8-1
Georgian King 12-1
Smart Exit 8-1
And our leader is:
dean055 +27.10
... despite a winnerless Wednesday. JahLion (+13.10) has moved into second, thanks to Georgian King, also found by goofs (+4) and kingklynch (+6.10). Nobody had Captain Scooby, while only millreef (+0) got Smart Exit.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 2.40 Towcester, 3.20 Fakenham, 3.30 Musselburgh.
This week’s prize, with Cheltenham’s November meeting just 11 days off, is a copy of Cheltenham Et Al, The Best Of Alistair Down, a newly published collection of the best columns by the Racing Post man who sadly no longer adorns our screens on Channel 4. The book is “by turns moving, uplifting and laugh-out-loud funny,” says the blurb. If you don’t win, you can buy a copy here.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today, but you will start on -9.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
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