Horse Antepost
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Have been waiting eagerly for the decs to come out for this race as there was one horse i was hoping would be among them and thankfully he is.
Most of the fancied runners will be those that ran at Cheltenham, the Grand Annual in particular. I backed Gardefort in that race at 33-1 so will have to have a saver on him at most less prohibitive odds this time but the one that interests me most is Dan Skeltons' Yorkist
Granted he is much more exposed than most but there were very positive comments about the horse on his first run for the stable at Ascot last October with Skelton saying "Yorkist is a horse I think has a big day in him. His form for Micky Hammond last year was good and he will love the ground at Ascot. I feel he can win a big race but whether that’s first time out, or second race out or whenever I just don’t know but I think he’ll win a good one. I’m really looking forward to getting going with him."
He was well backed that day and although he only finished 6th Skelton felt that they learned plenty about how to ride the horse and was very bullish next time in the Castleford Chase at Wetherby saying "I’ve had this race in mind for Yorkist for a good while. I’m really looking forward to running him. He should go well."
He won well and in my mind backed that up with an equally good performance at Doncaster when running 3rd to Upsilon Bleu and another of Thursdays rivals Double W's(who subsequently ran well for a long way in the Plate at Cheltenham) particularly as he raced wide most of the way and only gave way close home. It was also a time of year when Skeltons horses were still recovering from their annual flu jabs and they were going through a quiet spell. He was more guarded in his blog about his chances compared to Wetherby saying "He’s a bit of a quirky type too and it took that Ascot run for us to really get to know him but we know him now. I think he’ll run creditably. Whether the track fully suits him, I don’t know, and we won’t know until we race there".
Gardefort was fourth that day and went on to win at Wincanton before his good run at the festival and overall the race has a solid feel to it.
My gut feeling is this is the "big race" that Skelton alluded to having purposefully avoided Cheltenham to come here and at 20-1 with Bet365 is my idea of a knocking e/w bet in the race.
Most of the fancied runners will be those that ran at Cheltenham, the Grand Annual in particular. I backed Gardefort in that race at 33-1 so will have to have a saver on him at most less prohibitive odds this time but the one that interests me most is Dan Skeltons' Yorkist
Granted he is much more exposed than most but there were very positive comments about the horse on his first run for the stable at Ascot last October with Skelton saying "Yorkist is a horse I think has a big day in him. His form for Micky Hammond last year was good and he will love the ground at Ascot. I feel he can win a big race but whether that’s first time out, or second race out or whenever I just don’t know but I think he’ll win a good one. I’m really looking forward to getting going with him."
He was well backed that day and although he only finished 6th Skelton felt that they learned plenty about how to ride the horse and was very bullish next time in the Castleford Chase at Wetherby saying "I’ve had this race in mind for Yorkist for a good while. I’m really looking forward to running him. He should go well."
He won well and in my mind backed that up with an equally good performance at Doncaster when running 3rd to Upsilon Bleu and another of Thursdays rivals Double W's(who subsequently ran well for a long way in the Plate at Cheltenham) particularly as he raced wide most of the way and only gave way close home. It was also a time of year when Skeltons horses were still recovering from their annual flu jabs and they were going through a quiet spell. He was more guarded in his blog about his chances compared to Wetherby saying "He’s a bit of a quirky type too and it took that Ascot run for us to really get to know him but we know him now. I think he’ll run creditably. Whether the track fully suits him, I don’t know, and we won’t know until we race there".
Gardefort was fourth that day and went on to win at Wincanton before his good run at the festival and overall the race has a solid feel to it.
My gut feeling is this is the "big race" that Skelton alluded to having purposefully avoided Cheltenham to come here and at 20-1 with Bet365 is my idea of a knocking e/w bet in the race.
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Go on then I'll join you. I was looking for a low weight and stable in form. Like the fact he'll be a fresh horse after only 3 runs this season. Skelton on the Coral site gives it a chance.
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I like La Prezien in this.
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Thats the other thing Souldancer - the stable is flying. 11 winners (should have been 12 but for a last fence fall) and 10 2nds from last 40 runners is pretty hot.
Contrast that with the weekend Yorkist ran at Doncaster, he flagged up the current form in his blog saying "Some of the horses have run a bit flat following their flu vacs. There are no health issues at all, no dirty noses, no coughs, no bleeding, nothing at all to worry about...but some of the horses are travelling well to around two out and then seem to be feeling the effects of the flu vac and not quite finishing their races off as well as they can. It’s not unexpected either.Last year we had five winners in January, and this year we are on four, and then last year we felt the benefits of the flu vac and the quiet month, and had eighteen winners in February." That weekend he had 11 runners and no winners with half of them 1st or 2nd fav and some ran okay to be placed. Theres no doubt its a competitive race but hopefully the horse is primed to run a big one. |
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Astre de la course, festival winner on good ground, shapes as though sharp two miles will be his best trip. Last run behind gardefort been franked since. Plenty to like about this horse.
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In the absence of my initial fancy, I too will go with Astre De La Cour
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Yup I get the Astre De la Cour angle and looks like this has been the plan for a while, also like the booking of Paul Townend who is 1-1 for the stable in the past 5 years, so in the absence of Gardefort Ive had a saver on him at 15-2 just now.
Yorkist currently being backed into 14-1 |
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At 20/1 I'm happy to throw a few quid at Parsnip Pete. Has won this race before and loves this track. Does run the odd stinker but then again pops up at a price.
Dandridge, I'd imagine will go close as these fast run 2m Hcps are his ideal make up on decent ground. However, usually finds something to beat him. |
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Nice write up for Yorkist, good luck with that one. I'm finding this race fiercely competitive...
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Astre de la cour n/r?
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dandridge e/w
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Yep non runner
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Well done betilyerded, we got the 4th for e.w. Travelled well, bit short of room at crucial stage,but good run.
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Cheers. Was getting excited at one point but seemed to struggle to quicken on the dead ground and the mistake at the last cooked his goose. Think he could improve again on better ground, particularly as his mark shouldnt go up.
Upsilon Bleu is one to look out for from the Doncaster race given how well both Double W's, Yorkist and Gradefort have run. Probably be turned out at Ayr in couple of weeks as the owners love runners there. |