Today’s best bet, by Chris Cook
For the first time ever, I was contacted last night by the owner of a horse that I’ve tipped. I was hoping for something along the lines of ‘You’re a shrewd one, this has been the plan since Magna Carta!’ Alas...
Mark Hodsoll got in touch through Twitter to ask: “Do you know something I don’t?” followed by a series of emojis suggesting that he was rolling around laughing. It’s hard to believe this is a good sign.
Hodsoll has had a thin time of it over the last couple of years with The Twisler (6.25), the only horse he owns, but there was serious ability there at one stage and I feel we might yet see it re-emerge, perhaps at Nottingham this evening. Back in 2015, when with Jane Chapple-Hyam, he won a Salisbury handicap off 79 and then followed up in a Listed race at Goodwood, blowing his rating to smithereens.
He went up 20lb for that and was forced into Cup races and major handicaps, at which level he was simply outclassed through 2016. He spent the winter with Roger Ingram, racking up another four defeats, and was then moved to Neil Mulholland, which, with respect to Ingram, counts as a trainer upgrade.
There was some limited encouragement from his first run for Mulholland, at Ripon 24 days ago. Trevor Whelan had to work a bit to get him to keep tabs on the rest, then he moved up quite powerfully while plotting the widest route around the bend and then ran out of puff.
He’d need to do much better here but that’s a distinct possibility, with first-time cheekpieces on and Tony Hamilton (1/1 for the trainer) up. He’s down into Class 5 company for the first time since he was a maiden and his mark is now 4lb below the one from which he won a handicap in 2015. He’s back up in trip to a staying distance.
All in all, I feel there is reason for hope and it seems I’m not the only one. The Twisler opened at 14-1 with Bet365 but no one else ever had him above 15-2 and 6-1 is now the best price on offer. I’ll take my chances.
(UPDATE: Hodsoll has got back in touch this morning with a more positive message, to the effect that a win would be no great surprise.)
Perfect Words (3.30) has a more obvious chance at Thirsk this afternoon and is 9-2 against 11 rivals. Marjorie Fife’s gelding had slipped to a beatable mark before winning twice in his last four and may still have something in hand under a penalty. He’s never won over six before but recent performances suggest he’s ready for it.
Eyreborn (5.00) is interesting at 14-1, with Keith Dalgleish’s horses going so well. On her debut for the trainer, also her handicap debut, her first time in a hood and her first run over middle distances, she showed something when plodding on into fourth at Hamilton. The useful Clifford Lee gets the leg-up this time.
Tips for all Tuesday races
Thirsk
2.00 Vera Drake 2.30 Placebo Effect 3.00 Nathalie 3.30 Perfect Words 4.00 Gaelic Wizard 4.30 Rosy Ryan 5.00 Eyreborn (nb) 5.30 Ticks The Boxes
Ffos Las
2.15 Fastnet Spin 2.45 Isle Of Man 3.15 Liva 3.45 Ancient Longing 4.15 Bianca Minola 4.45 Moabit 5.15 Prussian Eagle
Nottingham
4.55 Mamnoon 5.25 Hermana Santa 5.55 Perfect Clarity 6.25 The Twisler (nap) 6.55 Kyllang Rock 7.25 Sitar 7.55 Fantasy Justifier
Chelmsford
5.40 Jive Lady 6.10 Mimram 6.40 Oxford Blu 7.10 War Department 7.40 Mazzini 8.10 Golden Goal 8.40 Line Of Beauty
