10.45am Catterick Monday jumps card gets go-ahead
Tony Paley: The National Hunt fixture at Catterick on Monday goes ahead as planned after a precautionary inspection. With just 0.5 millimetres of sleet and snow having fallen at the North Yorkshire circuit, conditions were deemed suitable enough for racing.
Overnight temperatures dipped to minus 1C but this was also not enough to force a cancellation. The going is soft, good to soft in places, with racing due to start at 2.10pm.
Monday’s best bets, by Chris Cook
The weights for the Grand National will be published on Tuesday, so I’ve had a crack at predicting what they may look like, below. There are published ratings for most of the runners and, although the senior handicapper has licence to depart from those for this race, he usually follows them, with the exception of those at the top of the weights, where he tends to compress the gaps between ratings a bit.
Irish horses that haven’t run in Britain for many months are tricky but usually get a mark a few pounds higher than their domestic rating. This is all ‘broad axe with a blunt edge’ guessing on my part but it should at least give us a rough idea of where various horses will stand after Tuesday.
There are some well-handicapped stayers in there who may miss the cut, unfortunately. Alvarado, who ran on into a place last year, could be out of the handicap if he gets into the race, while Godsmejudge and Portrait King seem to be too far down the list to hope of getting a run. Pity. Anyway, do use the comments to tell me what leaps out at you.
11-10 Don Poli
11-10 Carlingford Lough
11-10 Many Clouds
11-9 Silviniaco Conti
11-7 On His Own
11-7 Valseur Lido
11-6 Wonderful Charm
11-6 Gilgamboa
11-6 Foxrock
11-5 Ballynagour
11-5 Third Intention
11-5 Roi De Mee
11-5 Sir Des Champs
11-5 Lord Windermere
11-5 Wounded Warrior
11-5 Long Run
11-4 O’Faolains Boy
11-4 Rocky Creek
11-4 Sam Winner
11-3 Boston Bob
11-3 First Lieutenant
11-3 The Druids Nephew
11-3 Triolo D’Alene
11-2 Holywell
11-1 Rule The World
11-1 Home Farm
11-1 Houblon Des Obeaux
11-0 Double Seven
11-0 Shutthefrontdoor
11-0 Soll
10-13 Aachen
10-13 Buywise
10-13 Double Ross
10-12 Morning Assembly
10-12 Turban
10-12 Gooneylla
10-12 Unioniste
10-12 Cause Of Causes
10-12 Gallant Oscar
10-11 Onenightinvienna
10-11 The Last Amuri
10-10 Katkeau
10-10 Bear’s Affair
10-10 Ucello Conti
10-10 Vics Canvas
10-9 Ballycasey
10-9 Black Thunder
10-9 Pendra
10-9 Kruzhlinin
10-9 Just A Par
10-9 Hadrian’s Approach
10-9 Spring Heeled
10-9 Living Next Door
10-8 The Romford Pele
10-8 Mendip Express
10-8 Saint Are
10-8 Vieux Lion Rouge
10-7 Shotgun Paddy
10-7 Mon Parrain
10-7 Golden Wonder
10-7 Maggio
10-7 Thunder And Roses
10-6 Knock House
10-6 Le Reve
10-6 Bishops Road
10-6 Open Hearted
10-5 Present View
10-5 Perfect Candidate
10-4 Bally Beaufort
10-4 Rogue Angel
10-4 Seabass
10-4 Mountainous
10-4 Bob Ford
10-4 Benbens
10-3 Emperor’s Choice
10-3 Royale Knight
10-3 Broadway Buffalo
10-3 Splash Of Ginge
10-3 Pineau De Re
10-3 Corrin Wood
10-3 Ziga Boy
10-2 Gray Hession
10-2 Gas Line Boy
10-2 Milborough
10-2 Bless The Wings
10-2 Rivage D’Or
10-2 Operating
10-2 Mr Moonshine
10-2 Our Father
10-1 Night In Milan
10-1 Midnight Prayer
10-1 Dare To Endeavour
10-0 Competitive Edge
10-0 Paint The Clouds
10-0 Firebird Flyer
10-0 Summery Justice
9-13 Russe Blanc
9-13 Big Water
9-13 Ned Stark
9-13 Highland Lodge
9-13 Cogry
9-13 Alvarado
9-12 Benvolio
9-12 Dromnea
9-11 Rathlin
9-11 Amigo
9-11 Wyck Hill
9-11 Golden Chieftain
9-10 Indian Castle
9-10 Doing Fine
9-10 Standing Ovation
9-9 Ikorodu Road
9-9 Rigadin De Beauchene
9-8 Financial Climate
9-8 Seebright
9-8 Portrait King
9-7 Saroque
9-7 Tour Des Champs
9-7 Woodford County
9-6 Any Currency
9-6 No Secrets
9-6 Dark Lover
9-5 Godsmejudge
9-4 Harry The Viking
9-4 Aerlite Supreme
My focus on Monday is on Catterick, where Warrantor (4.10) is an appealing 11-2 to build on his Lingfield success in December, when he looked a useful, mudloving stayer. I’m not sure Another Hero (a half-brother to Back In Front, as it happens) will want as much of a test as this is likely to be.
Earlier, Jokers And Rogues (2.40) is worth a speculative punt on his first start for Kenneth Slack, who is on a 26% strike-rate in his second season with a licence. This horse is a longstanding maiden but he showed promise over hurdles at Wetherby last spring and has since left a yard that has managed one win in the past 12 months. The first-time tongue tie could make a difference. Alas, he’s on offer at half the 14-1 predicted by the Post’s betting forecast last night.
Tipping competition - a new week
Congratulations to fatfrank29, who secured his win last week with Silvergrove (3-1) to end on a score of +35, comfortably clear of Mulldog (+26) and 16heathermac01 (+23).
This week, thanks again to 32Red bookmakers, we can offer another £25 ante-post bet on any race (for which betting is available) at this year’s Cheltenham Festival. You can see 32Red’s Cheltenham markets here.
To kick things off, we’d like your selections, please, for these races: 3.00 Plumpton, 4.10 Catterick, 4.50 Wolverhampton.
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.
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!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
