Newmarket 1.50 Handicap - 6 furlongs - Class 2 - 13 run - Good to Firm

 

Very early season for some of these after a winter break, a few have had AW runs and a couple ran at Doncaster a couple of weeks back. Up this stiff Rowley Mile climb out of the dip that race fitness at this stage of the season will undoubtedly be an advantage but not a defining one.

 

You could give decent chances to about half of the field here and I looked at Elmonjed the favourite for William Haggas who may need the run and who also runs without the Blinkers that seem to be a big benefit to him last season. Physique an ex Irish horse was an eyecatcher at Doncaster where the stewards looked closely at his run nut reading the valid explanation of the Jockey and excellent Trainer merely emphasised how quirky this horse can be and for that reason I will swerve it today. Woodhay Wonder and Trefor ran 1-2 on this Card last year and both start this season off considerably higher marks but can clearly be readied and both are significant dangers again. At bigger odds Vantheman who has won over 6 furlongs as a 2 year old but kept mainly to 5 furlongs since, ran very well first time out last season and is another not lightly discounted.

 

I do feel though that at this stage of the campaign that the race fit DARK THIRTY a Course and Distance winner here, winner at Doncaster a few weeks ago and who won this last season off a mark of 93, looks incredibly well in here off a mark of 89 and clearly ticks every box. ARAMRAM also from the Hannon yard has also got the benefit of a run, this time on the AW and clearly has a very strong e/w shout here.

 

For some small e/w punters to enhanced places if there is a lurker at a big price worth a small punt it is TWILIGHT ROMANCE who has the benefit of an AW run recently, a solid Turf form profile and the able assistance of Silvestre De Souza who will want to advertise his credentials on just this sort of horse at bigger market odds. (RJ)

 

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Southwell 4.25 Handicap Hurdle - Class 4 - 3 miles 1/2 furlong 10 run - Good

 

A very tight and competitive race where I considered My Gift To You who has mixed Chasing and Hurdling and who did OK but no more than OK over hurdles here last time, Act of Diplomacy, who return to Hurdles for the first time in almost a year off a very nice hurdles mark, UOKHUN, who was ultimately my second best rated, and who ran well in a class 2 Series final last time after a tidy win in this Grade at Hexham and For Gina, at bigger Odds who ticks all of the right boxes.

 

With the 10 runner though and a very compact market, I just feel that STRATTON OAKMONT who returned to form with a better run last time, who is creeping down the weights and who would normally be in better company than this is the best each way punt in the field. (Robin)