Where there is an unknowable, there is a promise. - Thornton Wilder
All promise outruns performance. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
These two conflicting quotes on promise made me ponder the outcome of this years national hunt season to date. I for one believe that it has been an intriguing and breathtaking season so far, coupled with melancholy and sadness. However, we have never been so lucky to have such beautiful thoroughbreds in training and a sense of anticipation as we look towards the utopia of the Cheltenham festival is on the horizon. We have more clues to decipher through this weekend from Ascot and Haydock respectively.
I cant wait so on with the card...
It seems yet again that the ground will hold a very important role in how our selections perform and its a shame that this can really play into the strengths of some more than others. When this race comes around tomorrow I'm hoping that only a small percentage of precipitation has fallen. It may prove to be no PROBLEMA TIC though as David Pipe the trainer of quite a few winners in recent weeks and who trained Massini's Maguire to victory in this very race last year, may indeed have the answer once again here. Clearly drying ground would be a major positive to his chances but he is an out and out stayer who seems to have improved over the longer trip. PROBLEMA TIC is still running on a full tank having only two starts to his name this season, on his comeback run he needed that as a fitness sharpner but still managed to finish 5th in a very competitive race and last time out fell when travelling well enough. Consequently, I'm giving him another chance off the mark of 142 where I believe he can land a race of this stature, Big positives are trainer and jockey form,
15.15pm Handicap Hurdle 2m 3f 110y
Siding with another inform trainer here and the partnership with this jockey has always been phenomenal. Philip Hobbs and Richard Johnson can be a force to be reckoned with and I've always been a big fan of SADDLERS RISK. He lines up here in a race that could be his for the taking. He still holds quite alot of ability over timber and I still see him progressing and improving. SADDLERS RISK finished 6th in last years Triumph Hurdle and had a positive season if not winning many of his races last term. Still only five I believe he has scope to make further progress this year. His first start this year was quite a competitive and difficult handicap race and he was thrown in, certainly would of needed a sharpener for his fitness so I'm drawing a line through that form. If fit and well has an each way squeak. even if he is so high in the weights. Just think he still holds plenty of promise and today he may show us what he's made of.
15.50pm Betfair Ascot Chase (Grade 1) 2m 5f 110y
A race to really look forward to today. All six runners will be looking to cement a performance to savour as I'm siding with CUE CARD here. This time I'd like to see Joe Tizzard let him bowl along infront, and travel smoothly into his fences without trying to hold him up. I'm certain the 2m 5f trip around Ascot will suit him down to the ground. CUE CARD is still only 7 and has a great career in front of him so I see this race as a stepping stone to maybe winning the Ryanair at the Cheltenham festival. We know how could he potentially is by winning the Cheltenham bumper and last year running well behind Sprinter Sacre. He is all class but lets ride him positively.
Haydock Park
14.55pm Grand National Trial (Grade 3 Handicap Chase) 3m 4f
A really interesting race, this may indeed help to make your selections come April for the Grand National. CANNINGTON BROOK appeals today running of the same mark, is an outr and out stayer particularly on this ground and is in excellent form. Hailing from the Colin Tizzard yard once again I see a very big run on the cards. Proven over this trip has three wins to his name at the track ranging from 2m 4f to 3 miles and ticks all the right boxes. A great each way chance today.
All promise outruns performance. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
These two conflicting quotes on promise made me ponder the outcome of this years national hunt season to date. I for one believe that it has been an intriguing and breathtaking season so far, coupled with melancholy and sadness. However, we have never been so lucky to have such beautiful thoroughbreds in training and a sense of anticipation as we look towards the utopia of the Cheltenham festival is on the horizon. We have more clues to decipher through this weekend from Ascot and Haydock respectively.
I cant wait so on with the card...
Ascot 14.40pm Handicap Chase 3m
It seems yet again that the ground will hold a very important role in how our selections perform and its a shame that this can really play into the strengths of some more than others. When this race comes around tomorrow I'm hoping that only a small percentage of precipitation has fallen. It may prove to be no PROBLEMA TIC though as David Pipe the trainer of quite a few winners in recent weeks and who trained Massini's Maguire to victory in this very race last year, may indeed have the answer once again here. Clearly drying ground would be a major positive to his chances but he is an out and out stayer who seems to have improved over the longer trip. PROBLEMA TIC is still running on a full tank having only two starts to his name this season, on his comeback run he needed that as a fitness sharpner but still managed to finish 5th in a very competitive race and last time out fell when travelling well enough. Consequently, I'm giving him another chance off the mark of 142 where I believe he can land a race of this stature, Big positives are trainer and jockey form,
15.15pm Handicap Hurdle 2m 3f 110y
Siding with another inform trainer here and the partnership with this jockey has always been phenomenal. Philip Hobbs and Richard Johnson can be a force to be reckoned with and I've always been a big fan of SADDLERS RISK. He lines up here in a race that could be his for the taking. He still holds quite alot of ability over timber and I still see him progressing and improving. SADDLERS RISK finished 6th in last years Triumph Hurdle and had a positive season if not winning many of his races last term. Still only five I believe he has scope to make further progress this year. His first start this year was quite a competitive and difficult handicap race and he was thrown in, certainly would of needed a sharpener for his fitness so I'm drawing a line through that form. If fit and well has an each way squeak. even if he is so high in the weights. Just think he still holds plenty of promise and today he may show us what he's made of.
15.50pm Betfair Ascot Chase (Grade 1) 2m 5f 110y
A race to really look forward to today. All six runners will be looking to cement a performance to savour as I'm siding with CUE CARD here. This time I'd like to see Joe Tizzard let him bowl along infront, and travel smoothly into his fences without trying to hold him up. I'm certain the 2m 5f trip around Ascot will suit him down to the ground. CUE CARD is still only 7 and has a great career in front of him so I see this race as a stepping stone to maybe winning the Ryanair at the Cheltenham festival. We know how could he potentially is by winning the Cheltenham bumper and last year running well behind Sprinter Sacre. He is all class but lets ride him positively.
Haydock Park
14.55pm Grand National Trial (Grade 3 Handicap Chase) 3m 4f
A really interesting race, this may indeed help to make your selections come April for the Grand National. CANNINGTON BROOK appeals today running of the same mark, is an outr and out stayer particularly on this ground and is in excellent form. Hailing from the Colin Tizzard yard once again I see a very big run on the cards. Proven over this trip has three wins to his name at the track ranging from 2m 4f to 3 miles and ticks all the right boxes. A great each way chance today.
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