Hi,
Please see my three tips for Thursday:
Whataboutwalt – 3.25 Taunton – 2m 3F Handicap Hurdle – 150/1 Paddy Power, William Hill & Betfair Sportsbook – 1 Point Each Way.
This race is dominated by Norley who won well last time out and escapes a penalty here. He is a worthy even money shot but is having his third quick run and that may make him vulnerable.
I like the chances of Whataboutwalt. He is a full brother to Ruaille Buaille who is a 138 rated mare with Willie Mullins. Unfortunately so far Whataboutwalt hasn’t shown that level of form but definitely has ability. It’s just at the moment he has been unruly at the start, ran green and recently has been too keen for his own good.
He showed ability in National Hunt flat races and during his maiden runs improved with racing postmarking in the 90’s three times, with a high of 97.
He moved yards this year and is now with a small new trainer Claire Harris.
In the three runs this season a tongue tie has been added with the hood and this combination seems to be getting him worked up and consequently has been running too keen.
Today I like his chances as he is now definitely fit, and the hood and tongue tie have both been removed. Now he has some experience I think this could be the making of the horse.
The other big factor is the ground, which is riding good/firm. He has run his best races on good/soft, but never encountered faster going and looking at his action the quick ground will be ideal for him.
He is racing off a reduced mark of 84 and with that postmark high of 97 then he is on a winning mark.
We also get the real advantage that Claire Harris is in sparling form. She has won 3 wins from just 13 races in her short career and in the last 14 days has had two winners and a second from just three runners! (she only has 4 horses!!).
Whataboutwalt steps up to 2m 3F today and his good sister has won over 2m 2F and 2m 4F (on good ground), so this trip and going look spot on for him.
He has to bounce back to form but there is a lot to like about his chances, especially the 150/1 price we can get with Paddy Power, William Hill and BetVictor who all offer 4 places in this 14 runner event!
At those prices we can get 30/1 for a place and we still have the possibility of a win.
I’m therefore recommending 1 point each way at 150/1 and I still think he is value at 33/1.
Seskin Flyer – 12.35 Thurles – 2m 2F Handicap Chase – 20/1 Sky, Paddy Power, William Hill (25/1 Bet365) – 4 places.
The 10 year old Seskin Flyer is in fair form with a close 5th (of 13 runners) last time out over todays course and distance.
That was his first run of the season, and we can expect some fitness improvement which should put him bang in contention here today.
Seskin Flyer really enjoys the sharp undulating Thurles track winning here once off 100 and placing a further 4 times from just 8 starts. His highest winning mark is 110.
He was a little out of form last year which saw his mark drop from 120 down to todays 104.
Now that he has shown a bit of form last time out, he can take advantage of his low mark and the good 5lb claimer improves his chances.
You can get 25/1 with Bet365, so grab that if you can. He is 20/1 with Sky, Paddy Power and William Hill and I’m recommending 1 point each way.
He is still value at 12/1.
Gorcombes Rascal – 2.55 Taunton – 22/1 William Hill & 25/1 Betfred (33/1 Bet365) – 1 Point Each Way – 3 places.
Jimmy Frost gets his fair shared of winners in the south west and Gorcombes Rascal looks ready to take a step forward in this 7 runner race.
Gorcombes Rascal is a bit of a moody horse and has two ways of running and in his 14 runs to date (4 Point To Points and 10 Hurdles/Chases) he has been pulled up 7 times!
This doesn’t read too well but he must be a stuffy horse who seems to really need his first run as 5 of these 7 pulled up efforts have been off a break.
He has some fair Point To Point form on goodish ground and his 4 novice hurdle runs looked only a means to get a handicap mark. As soon as he was given his mark he went straight over chases.
His first three handicap chases were on unsuitable soft/heavy ground and the 3 miles he tried once was too far for him (comments from the Trainer).
His standout piece of form was when he ran over 2m 4F over chases on good/soft ground where he came second off a mark of 74.
He runs today off 74 and has quick ground here for the first time under rules and I feel that will give him every chance in this small 7 runner handicap.
