11.30am Moore pondering Tingle Creek prep for Sire De Grugy
Tony Paley: Trainer Gary Moore is undecided as to whether to give Sire De Grugy a prep run before his runner’s highly anticipated clash with Sprinter Sacre in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on December 6.
With Sprinter Sacre out last season after suffering a heart problem, Sire De Grugy was the champion at the two-mile chasing division, with success in the Tingle Creek and the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival among his victories. The eight-year-old had an operation at the end of the campaign to have bone chips removed and Moore thinks his charge could return to action better than ever.
“He’ll have an entry in the Shloer Chase [at Cheltenham on 16 November]. I don’t really want to go there if I can help it. If I can afford it [to miss the race] I will do,” the trainer told At The Races.
“He may have an entry in the Haldon Gold Cup [at Exeter on 4 November 4], but he might not go to either. He’d have to go, without a run, straight to the Tingle Creek. It wouldn’t be a worry at all. I can get him fit at home. He’s an easy horse to train.
“He seems a lot happier horse and a much sounder horse than he used to be. Perhaps they [bone chips] were aggravating him. He was never lame through them, but luckily we had him scanned and it proved up those areas.”
With Sprinter Sacre on course to make his eagerly-anticipated return at Sandown in December, a fascinating clash could be in store, something which Moore would relish.
“I’m looking forward to it. Obviously he [Sprinter Sacre] is a massive talent. It will be interesting,” said Moore.
11.25am More Of That on course for Newbury or Ascot
Last season’s World Hurdle hero More Of That, who was given the horse of the year award by Timeform in their recently published Chasers & Hurdlers annual, is likely to start off his campaign at either Newbury or Ascot.
Trainer Jonjo O’Neill has revelaed that the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on Hennessy Gold Cup day and the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot are under consideration for his runner’s comeback race.
“He’s come back in in great form, very strong. He’s a big horse and I just hope we can keep him right for the World Hurdle again,” O’Neill told At The Races.
“He seems in grand shape and I’m looking forward to getting going with him again. He’s a pleasure to have around, he’s not flash but always there at the end.
“We were thinking about going chasing, but he has a few little problems and that made our minds up as they try harder over fences, we thought it might be easier to keep him sound over hurdles.
“We were thinking of Wetherby but I’d say he might just take a bit longer so it will probably be Newbury or Ascot. He’ll tell us really, I’d like to go to Wetherby but if he’s not right he won’t go.”
Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
I’m not sure what’s got into the water but the tips on here over the past week have been somewhat above their usual standard. Since Wednesday, we’ve put up winners at 16-1, 9-1, 8-1 and 7-1, which isn’t bad from a total of a dozen tips.
Of course, that’s not including the rotten tv tips for Champions Day on Saturday, when I managed to get blanked, but who really cares about Champions Day, eh? Anyway, the surest way to end a losing run is to call attention to it, so the very best of luck to the poor yaks who are about to feature in this space.
Exeter stages today’s jumping and According To Trev (3.40) is interesting on his first start for David Bridgwater after leaving Nigel Twiston-Davies. This eight-year-old is on a career low mark, 15lb below what it was a couple of years ago when he was a promising novice hurdler in staying races.
He has started both his seasons strongly before losing his form, so this might be the time to catch him, even though it is a rather tougher assignment than he has usually faced at this time of year. He goes well on a decent surface, which he will get, so 8-1 looks fair to me.
Later on the card, I see the handicapper has opted to give Jonjo O’Neill’s Worthy Award (4.10) a mark after just two hurdles runs, which is allowed if the beast has finished in the first four both times. I think it’s a pretty risky thing to do in this case because Worthy Award looks to me to have plenty of progress in him and the 5-1 is fair.
Tipping competition, day two
Our winners so far:
Monday
Prince Gagarin 4-1
Seventh Sky 13-2
Madam Lilibet 7-1
And our leader is:
wiggy12 +12.50
... who had Seventh Sky and Madam Lilibet. Bulldawgggg and 15244 are on +10.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.40 Exeter, 4.10 Exeter 4.20 Wolverhampton.
This week’s prize is a pair of tickets to Sandown’s first jumps meeting of the new season on Saturday 8 November. It’s Gentlemen’s Day, with live music from Rockaoke (who offer you the chance to join in, apparently) and a best-dressed gent competition. You can read more about it and buy tickets 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 -3.
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!
Click here for all the day’s racecards, form, stats and results.
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
