Hi,
Please see my two selections for Friday
Secret Wizard – 8.15 Dundalk 1m 2F Handicap – 25/1 Bet365 – 1 Point Each Way.
I put up Secret Wizard in July and he led, going well clear before fading in the final furlong to finish 5th of 14 runners.
His young 10lb claiming jockey, the Trainers daughter just went a shade too hard in the early stages and was 15 lengths clear at half way. She will have learnt a lot from that ride and I’m hoping from stall 2 draw today she gives Wizard another positive ride from the front but judges the fractions slightly better this time!
At 25/1 he looks a cracking each way bet, and we have to get involved.
I’m recommending 1 point each way at 25/1 with Bet365.
He is still value at 16/1.
Secret Wizard – 5.45 Gowran Park – 1m 1.5F Handicap – 40/1 Boylesports – 4 places – 1 Point Each Way.
The 8 year old Secret Wizard is a winner of 5 races off marks between 73 to 84.
His wins have been over 1 mile, but he has raced consistently over 1m 2.5F, placing numerous times off marks in the 70’s.
Secret Wizard lost his form last year and plummeted down the ratings, he is now trained by Paul Flynn and his daughter Ciara, who is a 10lb claimer, has been gaining experience on him this season.
Secret Wizard is running off the basement mark of 45 today, so with Ciara’s claim gets in here off just 35, so looks massively well handicapped.
I like him today as he looks to be running into form. His latest start was in a claimer where he was disadvantaged at the weights by the claiming conditions so ran well to finish 6th place only losing by 4 lengths.
A replication of that run in this handicap would give him a chance of victory and if he could slightly improve, then could win this decisively.
At 40/1 with Boylesports he looks far too big, and I therefore recommend 1 point each way.
He is still value at 20/1.
Samantha Sunshine – 2.35 Downpatrick – 2m 2F Handicap Hurdle – 33/1 Bet365 – 3 places – 1.5 Points Each Way.
The 7 year old Samantha Sunshine is a lightly raced horse having just the 6 runs over in Ireland for Trainer P J Rothwell.
In her maidens she ran two no shows when green and out for experience, but on her final maiden run at Downpatrick showed her first bit of form. Despite being dropped out at the start and with only minor assistance from the saddle she finished 4th and postmarked 83.
She was allocated an opening mark of 86 and on her handicap debut, was dropped out again but made eye catching headway, however it was all too late again finishing midfield.
On her second handicap run she was allowed to drop out in last 5 lengths off the back of the field and 15 lengths off the leaders. She was moving onto the back of the pack when a horse hampered her after unshipping it’s jockey and the jockey had to evade and push her along. Well this was the first time a jockey had ever asked her to race and all of a sudden, she was moving up the field on the inside and despite being hampered again was travelling well just behind the leaders 3 out. Unfortunately at the second last she took a hard fall and didn’t run again last year.
Samantha made her seasonal debut over 2 miles and was again dropped out and given a very tender introduction to gain her confidence. Well this certainly worked as she jumped well and made nice headway from the back, without any assistance from the saddle, staying on a never nearer 7th of 13 only losing by 13 lengths. She finished full of running and postmarking a respectable 76 in the process (off a mark of 82).
That run will have done her the world of good both in terms of fitness and confidence and it looks like today is the day connections are going for it as P J Rothwell has jocked up Hugh Morgan, who he has used multiple times before to win. She runs off the same mark of 82 and has already postmarked 83 at Downpatrick in her novice days when not given a hard time at all.
At 33/1 with Bet 365 3 places in this 15 runners, she looks a fantastic price and I really like her chances so am recommending a raised stake 1.5 points each way.
She still looks value at 14/1.
