Paul Ferguson has three selections for us on Saturday; Magnifique Etoile; at Stratford, Rebel Rebellion at Chepstow and Cinders And Ashes at Aintree. Compare odds
All eyes from a Flat point of view will be on Doncaster today, where ante-post Derby favourite Camelot puts his tell reputation on the line in the Racing Post Trophy, but the jumps action steps up a gear and, in particular, there are cracking cards at both Chepstow and Aintree.
It’s a big day for Daryl Jacob at the Welsh track, where he takes seven rides for his new boss Paul Nicholls and his mount Rebel Rebellion (4:15) is the one to be with in the feature Totepool Silver Trophy.
The six-year-old will embark on his chasing career after today, but the trainer reports that this race has been a target for some time and a mark of 133 looks fair, with him open to plenty of improvement after just three starts over hurdles.
The slight negative is that some of the stable’s runners have looked in need of their first start of the season, but at 13/2 he can be backed each-way to ¼ odds and 4 places.
Nicholls saddles Master Minded up at Aintree and he should be up to giving Albertas Run 10lbs, but arguably the most interesting race aside is the concluding maiden hurdle.
Hazy Tom, who was impressive at Worcester in a bumper last month, and Awaywiththegreys, who also won a bumper at that track during the summer, are both well regarded, but at the prices I’d rather be with Cinders And Ashes (5:45) who has achieved much more in the bumper sphere.
Twice a winner over 1m6f in the first half of last season, he went down by a short head to Keys on New Year’s Day (with It’s A Gimme back in fourth), before finishing a highly creditable fifth in the Champion Bumper.
The son of Beat Hollow travelled really well that day and, along with winner Cheltenian, was last off the bridle turning for home. The four-year-old didn’t quite get home and was probably over the top when finishing mid-division behind Steps To Freedom here on Grand National day.
2m on decent ground around a tight track like Aintree could be right up his street and he may have more speed than his main rivals in a race that you should set the Sky+ for as it’s bound to throw up plenty of winners.
Charlie Longsdon, trainer of Hazy Tom, continues to send out plenty of winners and he has a couple of sound chances at Stratford, in the shape of Grandads Horse and Magnifique Etoile (3:50).
The former is on a roll but is short enough on his handicap debut, while the latter, who did us a good turn when bolting up in a Market Rasen bumper four weeks ago, is fancied to follow up on his hurdles debut. The four-year-old opened up at 10/11 with Skybet.
Over in Ireland, I had intended on putting up high-class bumper performer Jenari in the opener at Galway, but he was trading pretty short on the exchanges at the time of writing. However, if he does open up around the tissue price of 4/5, I think he is worth backing on debut for new owner J P McManus.
Saturday’s selections:
3:50 Stratford: Magnifique Etoile (10/11 Skybet)
4:15 Chepstow: Rebel Rebellion (each-way 13/2 Hills)
5:45 Aintree: Cinders And Ashes (3/1 Bet365)
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- AL FEROF won Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 10-1
- BENSALEM won Stewart Family Handicap 5-1
- BOBS WORTH won A Bartlett 15-8, 4/4 for year
- CAPTAIN CHRIS won Arkle Trophy 6-1
- FIRST LIEUTENANT won Neptune Investment 7-1
- (plus Grade 1 in Ireland 16-1)
- JAMES DE VASSY won Lanzarote Hurdle 8-1
- LONG RUN won King George 9-2, Gold Cup 7-2
- OSCAR WHISKY won Aintree Hurdle 6-1
- Peddlers Cross (Fighting Fifth Hurdle)
- Medermit (Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase)
- FINIAN’S RAINBOW (Maghull Novices’ Chase)
- WISHFULL THINKING (Manifesto Novices’ Chase)
