Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
I concede that some speculation is involved in making the case for Man From Seville (2.35) at Market Rasen today but I was surprised to see him chalked up at 16-1 and am stunned that he’s now out to 25-1. There’s fairly clear potential for him to be better than we’ve so far seen over obstacles but the market has him as the outsider of 12.
He’s by no means the selection I most fancy today but I’ll have an interest at those odds. This chestnut, three times a Flat winner with Sir Mark Prescott but now with Fergal O’Brien, makes his fences debut today and is in handicap company for the first time since being sent over obstacles.
His ‘winter game’ experience is confined to three starts over hurdles early this year. He badly needed his first run after two years off, won next time and then looked in need of some more time off when last seen in March, in conditions that put rather too much accent on pace.
His Flat form suggests an opening mark of 120 in this sphere should be fair, while it looks lenient in light of the subsequent wins of the fourth and fifth horses from his Southwell race. Perhaps he’ll need this run but I’m happy to take that risk, in view of the way O’Brien’s yard is tanking along at the moment. He was one of several horses the trainer took to work in Lambourn back in September and was reportedly working and schooling well at that time.
The first-time tongue tie and extra half-mile are also possible sources of improvement. Man From Seville is owned by the Ruckers (State Of Play, Alvarado), so I dare say the plan is for him to be a running-on fourth in the Grand National one of these days.
At Wincanton, I like the look of Lettheriverrundry (2.50) at 7-1. This McManus-owned six-year-old is another making his chase debut on his reappearance for a trainer, Brendan Powell, who has been among the winners recently.
He took time to find himself over hurdles last winter but was getting the hang of it by spring and ended on a high note, hacking up at Rasen, admittedly in a soft race. His rating only went up by a couple of pounds and there should be plenty more to come. A bumper winner, his physique suggests fences should be within his compass.
I have a couple of fancies at Chelmsford this evening. Geraldine (4.40) is the only previous winner in her nursery, having quickened nicely to score at Kempton. There might still be plenty of give in her rating and she’s fairly priced at 9-2.
Encore Moi (7.00), a Marco Botti three-year-old, is on a bit of a tear after narrow wins here and at Kempton. Another small rise in the ratings gives her every chance of the hat-trick at 5-1, assuming the blinkers continue to help.
