The Haldon Gold Cup looks like a fascinating race this year with potential Grade 1 horses looking to kick their seasons off on the front foot.
Below, I voice my thoughts on the race with one further bet at Exeter to mention.
But first, a look back on last week.
Successes with Our Champ and The Real Whacker put the column in profit by 9.3pts (15% ROI) for November and 45.85pts since March 2024 (10% ROI).
So, let’s dive in.
2:25 Exeter – Djelo @ 5/2 with William Hill – 1pt Win
I’ll start this piece on the Haldon Gold Cup with a caveat.
How far Etalon can continue to improve is a big unknown, and his form of beating Martator (now rated 140) is solid, but the reason I’m leaving him alone is due to ground conditions (unraced on good) and the fact it’s his first run of the season as well.
He is a danger in my book, but Djelo has plenty of upsides that are hard to ignore.
He gets two pounds from JPR One, the now second favourite, yet his form is arguably better on paper.
On seasonal reappearance last year, he beat Master Chewy when getting two pounds in weight. Master Chewy went on to bolt up in the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase before nearly beating Found A Fifty in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices’ Chase.
In his next two starts, Djelo beat the subsequent winner Persian Time at Newbury before smashing up the now 145-rated Kandoo Kid in the Grade 2 Noel Novices’ Chase.
That win came on good to soft and the race was run just 6.77 seconds slower than average, so the ground was fairly fast.
He was disappointing at the Aintree Grand National Festival, but that was his seventh run of the season and it came after a respectable third in a hot renewal of the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Chase.
Venetia Williams hasn’t had too many runners recently, but of her four representatives over the last two weeks, Martator won and Galop De Chasse finished second.
That yard form is promising, and I think he’s the best horse in this race.
3:35 Exeter – Coco Mademoiselle @ 2/1 with William Hill – 2pt Win
I always try to find the big-priced value, but Coco Mademoiselle appeals the most in the penultimate race.
Only a few here are race-fit, notably Tightenourbelts, Tea Clipper, and Coco Mademoiselle, and while the former has a fair chased based on the form book, the stable form of Emma Lavelle is a worry.
The favourite, however, is trained by Dan Skelton who is in sound form at the moment (26% strike rate) and her run at Worcester 42 days ago will put on spot on for today.
The third, Weveallbeencaught, ran a solid race behind Lisnamult Lad at the Cheltenham October Meeting to frank the form as well.
She gets five pounds from Beachcomber and seven pounds from Tightenourbelts which looks good based on her form in the book.
Four starts ago, she gave seven pounds away to Springtime Promise – a subsequent Grade 2 winner – in a Huntington novice hurdle before she finished the season with a second in a valuable mares’ handicap hurdle at Ayr
From that race, Saylavee (3rd) beat the smart Zanahiyr over fences, Ottizzini (4th) bolted up at Ayr earlier this month, and Pink In The Park (5th) won a Listed chase yesterday.
Off 122, she can easily improve over fences and will strip fitter for her run in September.
