GG tipster Andrew Mount reveals his top 10 eyecatchers from the past week’s action, including three to take out of one race at Ayr from the weekend.
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DUBAI DAYS (fifth, 2m4.5f handicap chase, Ayr, Saturday, November 4th)
DUBAI DAYS finished a creditable fifth on his comeback in the Bet With Rails Bookmakers On Course Handicap Chase, staying on well to finish just under seven lengths behind the winner. He tends to come good later in the season, recording form figures from late February until the end of April of 1611131 (5-7), and is one to put in the tracker for next year.
FAMOUS BRIDGE (fourth, 2m4.5f handicap chase, Ayr, Saturday, November 4th)
FAMOUS BRIDGE tends to need his first run of the season and couldn’t justify strong market support in the With Rails Bookmakers On Course Handicap Chase, finishing one place ahead of Dubai Days in fourth. His record outside of his seasonal debut now reads 12U1P411 (4-8) and this outing should tee him up for another successful campaign.
MOUNT ATHOS (won, 7f handicap, Kempton, Monday, November 6th)
I backed ARATUS in the 7f racingtv.com Handicap in the hope of a pace burn-up and though 7-4 favourite MOUNT ATHOS was pressed for the lead he managed to make all anyway, beating my pick into second. James Tate’s four-year-old, gelded since his modest fourth at Thirsk in early September, now has form figure on Polytrack of 111 (3-3) and he’ll be a big player in the better all-weather races this winter.
MIDNIGHT RIVER (third, 3m Grade 2 chase, Wetherby, Saturday, November 4th)
Dan Skelton’s MIDNIGHT RIVER signed off last season with victory in the 3m1f handicap chase at Aintree on Grand National Day and the 10-1 shot made a pleasing comeback in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase, finishing a 23-length third of four. His record immediately following a win now reads 24FP303 (0-7), whereas his form following a defeat stands at 3111F71311 (6-10). He’ll be something to bet on next time.
MULCIBER (non-runner, 1m nursery, Newcastle, Friday, November 3rd)
I was looking forward to MULCIBER’s handicap debut, as his trainer Marco Botti has a great record when switching one from turf to Tapeta. He was only sixth to Sons And Lovers in a 7f Newmarket maiden last time but was 100-1 and the runner-up, third and fourth all won at the next time of asking. He was trading as favourite when with drawn with a self-certificate and is one to bear in mind when he does make his nursery debut.
REVE DE MAGRITTE (eighth, 7f handicap, Kempton, Wednesdsay, November 1st)
The five highest drawn runners in the 7f Racing TV Handicap filled the last five places, so it’s easy to forgive REVE DE MAGRITTE her 12-1 eighth of 12 from stall 10. Ed Walker’s four-year-old was caught wide, racing keenly as a result, and might do better back at 6f.
SAXONS LANE (second, 2m3.5f maiden hurdle, Hereford, Monday, November 6th)
SAXONS LANE showed promise when seven of 17 in a soft-ground Kempton bumper last spring and the 9-2 chance was popular with each-way thieves when he took on 8-13 favourite BALTRAY in the NAF Racing Best Turned Out League “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle at Hereford on Monday. Alan King’s four-year-old raced keenly, as he had done on his debut, and looked in big trouble after a bad mistake at the 7th flight. However, he recovered to finish a modest second to the jolly and will surely do better granted a big field/strong pace scenario, especially when handicapping.
SUPASPECIALAWESOME (seventh, 7f handicap, Wolverhampton, Tuesday, October 24th)
SUPASPECIALAWESOME was only seventh to Triggered in the 7f Best Racing Odds Guaranteed At BetMGM Handicap but was pestered on the front end in a race set up for the closers. VISIBILITY, best of the prominent racers in fourth, came out to win at odds of 9-1 when returned to Wolverhampton last week and Hugo Palmer’s three-year-old should find another race when facing less pace pressure.
VINTAGE FIZZ (second, 2m4.5f handicap chase, Ayr, Saturday, November 4th)
VINTAGE FIZZ, backed from 10-1 into 5-1, was narrowly denied in the 2m4.5f Bet With Rails Bookmakers On Course Handicap Chase, going down by just a head to Whodini. Jedd O’Keeffe’s six-year-old had jumped out to his left when only sixth at right-handed Market Rasen on his penultimate start and clearly appreciated the return to a left-handed venue. His record this way round in handicap company now reads 2118421312 (4-10).
WESTERN STARS (fifth, 1m2f handicap, Newmarket, Friday, November 3rd)
The pace held up in the 1m2f Betfred “Hat Trick Heaven” Handicap at Newmarket last Friday, with the 20-1 winner LAAFI making all from FIRST OFFICER (‘prominent’) and MEXICALI ROSE (‘prominent’). WESTERN STARS did well to finish just under six lengths back in fifth of the 15 runners after blowing the start. Jim Boyle’s four-year-old now has form figures of 231165 (2-6) for his current yard and is one to bear in mind for the start of next season when conditions are on the soft side.
10 To Follow – Andrew Mount’s Horses To Follow For The 23/24 Jumps Season
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