Paul Ferguson has two selections for us on Saturday including The Boss’s Dream in the Uttoxeter 16:30. Compare odds and bet.
Today’s renewal of the Betfair Hurdle looks as competitive as ever and there appears to be plenty of each-way value once looking past the top two in the betting, the five-year-old pairing of Calipto and Activial.
Regular readers of my work will know I’m a huge fan of Sign Of A Victory and, should the ground be no worse than good-to-soft (seems unlikely at the time of writing) I can see him running a big race under top-weight.
As easy a winner as you could wish to see earlier in the season at Ascot, he won a novice hurdle at the track last March and has the class to score off 149. At 12-1 or thereabouts, he would represent fair each-way value should the ground dry out a little overnight.
On Tour who finished second to Sign Of A Victory in a Ludlow bumper in November 2013, is another who warrants serious consideration, and he ought to handle the more likely conditions.
Evan Williams’ novice won a competitive Haydock handicap when last sighted in mid-November (race worked out well) and, though the drop in trip is a slight concern, it isn’t hard to imagine him travelling into the race really well. Another around the 14-1 mark, he too looks capable of going well.
At the prices, however, I can’t help but think Cheltenian (3:35) looks over-priced at 33-1 (some firms offering ¼ odds 5 places) and seems to have been somewhat over-looked.
Admittedly, he is the oldest horse in the field at nine, but he ran a sound fourth in last year’s race (sent off just 8-1) after which he was heavily backed to land the County Hurdle.
He has done little wrong since and travelled powerfully on his chase debut at Doncaster last month. Though he was beaten by 18½ lengths in the end by Josses Hill, Philip Hobbs’ charge looked a big threat up to two out and he might just have needed the run.
The former Champion Bumper winner has still had just the seven runs to date over hurdles, so is hardly fully exposed despite his age, and he looks too big at 33-1. I wouldn’t put anyone off splitting stakes with either On Tour or Sign Of A Victory, with the ground determining which rates the second selection.
Later on the card I’m looking forward to the return to action of Altior, but he faces several interesting types in the concluding bumper and it could be a fairly strong race. Therefore, the day’s other selection comes from Uttoxeter, where The Boss’s Dream (4:30) is fancied to land 3m novices’ hurdle that rounds off the action.
Neil King has enjoyed a fine strike-rate at the track this season, saddling 8 winners from 14 runners (6 from 10 over hurdles) and the seven-year-old is fancied to win at the Staffordshire track for a third time this season.
A dual bumper winner here in November, the son of Luso shaped with plenty of promise when runner-up on his hurdles debut at Catterick and improved on that to give the smart Out Sam a race at Ascot last time. The step back up in trip ought to suit and this game sort can get off the mark at the third time of asking over timber.
Saturday’s selections:
3:35 Newbury Cheltenian
4:30 Uttoxeter The Boss’s Dream
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