With the Cheltenham Festival over, eyes turn to the action on Saturday with my free Kelso & Newbury weekend tips.
But first, a quick word to Cheltenham. It was fairly brutal for the selections, but at least I’m not the only one.
Well, we started well! Jango Baie winning, Liam Swagger placing, and The New Lion winning had the column up by 6.65pts after eight races, but it all went wrong from there.
A few placed efforts from the ante-post bets – Heart Wood and The Big Westerner – were fine, but we finished the weak down by 16.35pts. Ouch.
It’s one of them. Cheltenham was hard, I made my judgements, put money on them, and lost. We move.
Let’s roll onto this week.
Free Kelso & Newbury Weekend Tips
2:05 Newbury – Beau Quali @ 9/1 with Betfred (4 places) – 1pt EW
I’m unsure why Beau Quali is drifting in the market as he looks to have a strong chance on his handicap debut.
On debut over hurdles, he finished second to Ben Solo and ahead of Peso, a subsequent Newbury winner. He shaped nicely that day when he potentially needed the outing, and he made a small mistake at the last.
After that, he went to Stratford over two miles and finished fourth. The winner, Mythical Moon, ran well behind Meetmebythesea at Doncaster in January before finishing a decent fourth off 120 at Newbury today.
The second, Sixmilebridge, won a Grade 2 on Trials Day and the third, Nowmelad, bolted up at Hereford on his next start.
His good form doesn’t stop there as on his next start, he ran behind Kietzheim at Kempton in a two-mile maiden hurdle. The fourth, Jack Hyde, has won twice since to frank the form.
This weekend is his handicap debut and his official rating of 118 could have him well-handicapped based on his form. The drift in the market is a worry, but that just makes him a better each-way bet.
2:25 Kelso – Singapore Trip @ 12/1 with William Hill (5 places) – 1pt EW
Singapore Trip finished third in this race last year off 109, and he returns to Kelso off the same handicap mark at a big price.
He ran a fine race at the track 12 months ago before winning a handicap at Perth on his next start off 110. He beat What A Johnny that day who has placed in two Class 2 handicaps subsequently.
The pair pulled well clear that day and Singapore Trip made a mistake at the last which allowed What A Johnny to close at the line.
As for his other bits of form, he finished third to Santos Blue at Wetherby before he improved 14lbs, and the fourth that day, Milldam, has improved 12lbs since.
Back to a course and distance that he has run well over before can bring him back to his best, and he’s a nice each-way price to find out.
3.15 Newbury – Rockstown Girl @ 12/1 with William Hill (5 places) – 1pt EW
Siog Geal is a worthy favourite, but she’s 3/1 and I’ll let her win at that price if that’s the case. She’s a nice horse, but the price has been missed.
Furthermore, Rockstown Girl is a worthy substitute at a bigger price based on her form this season.
When she came over to Chepstow in October, she beat Dameofthecotswolds by over two lengths. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ mare is rated 125 now having won two races readily, and she’s also run two fine races at Windsor behind Derryhassen Paddy and at Warwick behind Royale Margaux.
After that, Anthony McCann’s seven-year-old ran behind Potters Charm and Valgrand in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham.
She came down at the third-last that day, but she was travelling nicely. Who knows how well she would have gone that day?
After a pretty busy year, connections gave her a break after her Punchestown run in December, and she is a horse who goes well fresh as her Chepstow win came off a 64-day break. She also won her maiden hurdle at Tipperary after a 167-day break.
With Oakley Brown in the saddle to claim 5lbs, she can win off an official rating of 121 in what is a competitive contest.
