Yarmouth is the latest Flat course to bring down the curtain on its 2016 programme and while the track’s first full season since 2013 has not passed entirely without incident – such as the false patch of ground that caused a couple of races to be abandoned last month – overall it has been a welcome return to form.
There are eight races on the card this afternoon, the most interesting and competitive of which is the six-furlong handicap at 3.50. Menai, who was also declared at Newcastle but heads to East Anglia instead, is the favourite to follow up an easy success at Windsor last week but this looks like a more difficult race on paper and Harwoods Volante may be worth a small bet to end a run of four second places in five races with an overdue success.
David O’Meara’s runner gives weight to the field but on ratings there is only 5lb between the top 12 in the list and Harwoods Volante has been running well in better races than this. His “seconditis” may be a worry for some but Frankie Dettori is booked to ride and looks like the right partner to get the job done.
Colourbearer (4.20) has yet to record a win on turf but he is thrown in on his all-weather form and it could be a chance worth taking at around 11-2 on the same card.
At Exeter few will be wading in to support Old Guard (4.10) at short odds after his unfortunate start over fences last time out, when he was pulled up after the first fence. Paul Nicholls’s runner is one of the best hurdlers to be sent over fences this season and he brings a sprinkle of glitter to the card, where Fact Of The Matter (3.10) should also go well and is a much more acceptable price.
Curriculum (8.10) looks to have a very acceptable mark for his handicap debut at Kempton Park following an emphatic success when returned to an artificial surface from turf last time out. He could prove to be the best bet of the day, while Funding Deficit (3.00) has a fair chance on his old all-weather form if he takes to the Tapeta at Newcastle.
We are no longer able to continue with competitions every week but they will still run in the biggest weeks (Cheltenham, Aintree, Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood and maybe one or two others, as well as the Christmas quiz).
We’ll still have a Talking Horses each day for tips, analysis and news, so we very much hope you’ll join us to chew over whatever racing happens to be going on and post your tips or racing-related comments below.
