Lingfield - Friday 31st January 2025

 I gave myself Friday off but we have a big day of racing at Lingfield on Friday. 

14:45, Surrey National Handicap Chase

Passing Well 7/1, 1pt each-way (4 places)

This is a decent renewal of the Surrey National but I like the chances of the consistent Passing Well. I've always liked this horse since I saw him as a novice hurdler. He's always threatened to win a decent race over fences and has been plying his trade over shorter with frustrating results over the past couple of years. He is a course winner however, and that is a big plus as not all horses take to Lingfield. But what I really like is how completely unexposed over this trip he is. He stayed on over 3 miles at Wincanton latest and with Gavin Sheehan back in the saddle I can see him popping along in rear before coming with a late run. He is a solid jumper as well which will be needed over a marathon trip round the Surrey track. 

Kempton - Wednesday 29th January 2025

 The weather has claimed jumps racing in England on Wednesday so we turn to the all weather. 

Kempton
19:00, Try Unibet's New Improved Acca Boosts Handicap

Al Ameen 10/1, 1pt each-way (4 places)

This is just about the most competitive handicap of the night and I fancy Al Ameen to run well at his odds. He's well drawn in stall 5 and comes here off the back of an 84 day break which looked needed as he had a busy time of it between April and November. He's gone well after a break in the past and Kempton is his favourite track. He's 2 pound lower in the handicap here than when sent off 3/1 favourite over course and distance in October. He was unlucky not to go close to winning that day and should be there or thereabouts here. 

Ante-Post, William Hill Newbury Handicap Hurdle (08/02/2025)

 Newbury, William Hill Handicap Hurdle (08/02/2025)

Navajo Indy 14/1, 1pt each-way (4 places)

The weights are out for the richest handicap hurdle in the country and it looks like being another uber competitive renewal. I expect the weights to bump up a bit here as it's unlikely that top-weight Burdett Road will run and I also doubt that Brentford Hope or Gordon Elliott's Kala Conti will take up their engagements. The prospect of being top weight may put off Jeremy Scott from running Golden Ace too so there's every chance that Iberico Lord could end up with the big burden. With this in mind it may pay to look a bit down the weights. Secret Squirrel jumps out of the page and will have his share of supporters to follow up his win from Windsor last time out but there must be a worry that the track that day really suited him and the last few times he's run on more demanding tracks he's not quite seen it out. An even bigger worry could be the possibility of pretty sodden ground. It's not stopped raining for the past few days and with plenty of tracks being abandoned for waterlogging and plenty of rain about over the next week or so I think it's quite likely that conditions for Newbury in 12 days time could be testing. It's also worth noting that the race has not been won by a horse older than 7 since the 9 year old Geos won for Nicky Henderson in 2004. In recent year's it's also been won by quite unexposed types with plenty of novices claiming the race, in fact 9 of the last 15 winners have been novices. I quite fancy a novice here to keep up that trend in the shape of Tom Symond's 6 year old Navajo Indy. This son of Nathaniel has had 2 wins and a second from his 3 runs at Newbury. His first go was in a bumper, which he won and then built on that when finishing second to the now 137 rated Be Aware here over hurdles in January of 2024. On his latest visit to the Berkshire track he won a decent renewal of the Gerry Fielden off an 8 pound lower mark. Considering the bare form, his new mark of 128 really shouldn't be beyond him, especially considering his age and profile. He finished 4th at Windsor last time out but it's worth noting that he was last going into the final bend and nothing finished better. He looked to really dislike that tight track (also underperformed round the bends of Fontwell in the past) but nonetheless the run showed he's in good heart and will hopefully have put him spot on for this race which by all accounts has been the plan since his victory here in November. He looked to relish the track that day as the long straight really suits this strong stayer and more importantly he really enjoys soft ground, which I think he is likely to get. He's consistent, tough, at the right end of the handicap and fits a lot of the trends. He's 14/1 now and I can see those odds contracting throughout the next week if the rain keeps up. 

Chepstow - Tuesday 28th January 2025

 Well Hereford was off and there's an inspection at Chepstow tomorrow. If it's off then so be it and the powder is kept dry which is no bad thing with Cheltenham on the horizon. 

Chepstow
15:17, Join Fitzdares At fitzdares.com Handicap Chase

Bampton Star 7/1, 1pt each-way (3 places)

It's going to be attractional conditions at the Welsh track and that will be right up Bampton Star's street. He was twice a winner on very bad ground last season and returned from a length absence to finish third at Exeter on New Year's Day in a hot race won by Katate Dori who has gone in again since. Usual jockey Lorcan Williams is back on board here and his mount here is a proper stayer who should be suited by the demands of Chepstow. He came on for his seasonal debut last year to win at the second time of asking and I'm betting he'll do the same again this time around. 

Hereford - Monday 27th January 2025

 Another frustrating weekend comes to a close. It's been a real up and down month, with some proper good days and a couple of real downers, none of which were more tragic than Foward Plan fatally falling when looking like the probable winner in at Doncaster on Saturday. I look to Hereford on Monday to start off the final week of January and hope it passes it's 7.30am inspection. 

16:30, starsportsbet.co.uk Handicap Hurdle

Dash On Ruby 5/1, 1.25pt each-way (4 places)

I think this trip is what this mare really needs these days. It's amazing to think that she is still yet to win a race but thing's haven't always gone her way over the years and she suffered an injury which put her off course for 568 days. She made her comeback at Chepstow in October where she finished well down the field but she was entitled to do that after such an absence. She stepped up markedly on that 26 days ago however, when she finished third at Exeter on very heavy ground over this sort of trip. She travelled like the winner in that race until making a bad mistake up the home straight which cost her any chance of winning. She's entitled to improve on that again and she is now racing off a 2 pound lower mark (officially rated 94) than when second at Chepstow in April 2023 behind a horse who is now rated 118. 

Doncaster - Saturday 25th January 2025

 I will be at Cheltenham for trials day however, history has proven that it is a very tricky days racing so I've had just one bet at Doncaster in the big handicap chase of the day.

15:15, Virgin Bet Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase

Forward Plan 11/2, 2pts each-way (5 places)

Anthony Honeyball's nine year old finished a close second in this very race last year and I fancy this has been the plan again. He was unlucky not to win it that day and comes here in decent nick after finishing third again at this track last time out. I still believe he is up to winning from this mark but connections have enlisted ten pound claimer Chad Bament do to the steering which brings his weight right down. It's a big field, which he will love and I fancy that he will be coming home fast. 

Sandown - Friday 24th January 2025

 It's Sandown's first meeting of the year after the cancellation of the Veteran's Final card and it's a pretty trappy affair. 

14:25, Arthur Gregory Centenary Celebration Novices' Limited Handicap Chase

Helnwein 11/8, 2pts win

I'm not normally one for tipping favourites but Alan King's classy novice should really be getting off the mark over fences here. He put up a huge effort to win a big field hurdle here last March and looked like he has a decent future in this field when second on chasing debut at Warwick in November behind a good mare who has won again since. He disappointed as favourite at Windsor in December but nothing about that race went to suit and now back at a track that will play to his strengths he will take all the beating. 

///

16:10, Paul Sadgrove Dads 'N' Lads Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Authentic Legacy 5/1, 1pt each-way (4 places)

Gary Moore's five year old has some pretty decent hurdle form for this standard to his name having been dismissed by some decent animals early in the season. He ran a good race on handicap debut at this course in December when he finished third. The ground here will be a bit better than last time which I think should suit but more importantly, this step up in trip is going to be in his favour. I like how connections have decided to come back to this track and Freddie Gordon is claiming a handy five pounds off.