Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
Oh God, here’s Black Narcissus again. I fancied her at 6-1 for a Wincanton race last month and fully believe she was about to win the thing when instead she opted to run out at the second-last.
Few things are more tempting in racing than to go in again with a horse that you feel ought to have won you some money the last time. But the mare’s back over hurdles today at Warwick and is now 12lb higher than her last success in that sphere, which was more than a year ago and achieved by a mere neck. This is a temptation I can resist.
Instead, I’ll go with Braw Angus (3.50), who stepped up on several novice hurdle disappointments to score on his handicap debut at Huntingdon a fortnight ago. A 9lb rise doesn’t seem unfair, considering the third horse in that 12-runner race was beaten 20 lengths and this extra half-mile really ought to help. He’s 7-2.
In Newcastle’s opener, there’s a chance that Tranquil Daze (2.00) can get a soft lead under Sean Levey, taking over from less prolific jockeys who have been aboard him recently. He lost a shoe when a bit disappointing last time. The step up in trip looks a positive step, given that he stayed on dourly at Southwell for his only success so far.
At Kempton, Red Caravel (6.45) has been well supported from 7-2 down to 15-8 to win a staying maiden in which the favourite is a one-paced sort who keeps getting placed. Red Caravel comes from the Richard Hughes yard that was slumping when he last ran in September but is now faring OK.
He’s bred to be a middle-distance type and ran as though he’d improve for this distance last year. He’s been gelded since we last saw him and improvement is on the cards.
Tips for Wednesday’s races, by Chris Cook
Haydock
2.10 Fairlee Grey 2.40 The Nipper 3.10 Buttercup 3.40 Sammy B 4.10 Sunny Ledgend 4.40 Cracking Find
Kempton
5.45 Broughtons Fancy 6.15 Sabador 6.45 Red Caravel 7.15 Saleh 7.45 Cultured Knight 8.15 Shalianzi 8.45 Krazy Paving 9.15 Just Over
Newcastle
2.00 Tranquil Daze 2.30 Codeshare 3.00 Wefait 3.30 Hamelin (nb) 4.00 Ticks The Boxes 4.30 Glorious Politics 5.00 Spirit Of The Vale
Warwick
2.20 Robbin’hannon 2.50 Multiculture 3.20 Towering 3.50 Braw Angus (nap) 4.20 Listen To The Man 4.50 Royals And Rebels
