PANDORAMA is Festival bound!

In today’s blog:-
Today’s horseracing

There were no selections on the blog yesterday.
The big news was that Paul Hanagan won a couple at Southwell, and that just about sealed-it for the jockeys championship. I expect that as I write this, Richard Hughes is already jetting over to the USA for the Breeders Cup series this weekend.

That means the blog is now only 3.90pts down for November.

Today’s horseracing
It’s a proper day’s jump racing this Saturday with 3 meetings at Wincanton, Sandown and Kelso. However, for many the main focus will be on Down Royal where Kauto Star makes his seasonal reappearance. My main focus at that meeting tho’ is on the next race and the return of unbeaten chaser PANDORAMA. He was last seen beating subsequent RSA chase winner Weapons Amnesty, and I reckon this horse could go right to the top of chasing’s tree. The Irish had 3 of the best novice chasers last season in Pandorama, the ill-fated Citizen Vic, and Weapons Amnesty; and the latter was probably the weakest of them and he was still better than anything we had this side of the Irish Sea. As such, I reckon PANDORAMA is a lot better than Paul Nicholls horse The Nightingale, and it may be Osana who gives the selection most to do. Odds of 11/4 PANDORAMA look very interesting.
At Wincanton, we have the Elite Hurdle and this will answer a lot of questions about the potential of Champion Hurdle challenger Australia Day. If he is the real deal, then he’ll win this. Also at Wincanton, there is the Badger Ales Trophy (h’cap) over 3m 1f & 110 yards. This is a great race for finding future winners as it is always a true test of a staying chaser. The Package was 3rd in this last year, but he never really went on improving and on OR147 (was on OR129 last year) he could be weighted out of it. Paul Nicholls Meanus Dandy looked in the handicapper’s grip LTO and off a 2lb lower mark in a race Nicholls always targets, he will be better prepared this time. But he will need to be to hold off I’MONCLOUDNINE. This one ran a career-best LTO and has yet to stop improving. A course winner, the trip and going are right for him, and he has the jump-jockey of the moment riding – Dougie Costello. Previous blog selection OUZBECK will relish the stamina test, but he may not be able to peg them back as he’s a back-marker early-on in his races. Forest Pennant is another interesting runner from Paul Nicholls, but I fear he’s another on too high a rating. Believe it or not, but when I wrote this on Friday evening I’MONCLOUDNINE was 12/1. This morning he’s 7/1 and the value has gone. As such, I’m not recommending a wager on this race, tho’ Forest Pennant at 18’s with Vic Chandler is tempting as an eachway punt as you know the horse will be fit.
There’s nothing tempting at Kelso, but there will be some interesting racing there.
At Sandown, in the class 3 chase over 20f at 2:20, I was going to recommend DOUBLE DIZZY who was 2nd in this race last season, as he will have come on for his recent run and has clearly been aimed at this. But, at just 3/1 (due to the withdrawal of Qianshan Leader) there is no value in his odds.

Selection:
Down Royal 3:00 PANDORAMA, 2pts win @ 11/4 (Ladbrokes & Will Hills)

And yet another plug for a blog that is in the winners this week: Sprinterstogo (“The Laird”) gave his 4th successive winner of the week in NOBLE STORM @ 8/15 following winners at odds of 100/30, 8/1 and 5/1.

If anyone has a blog they know of that is paying dividends, then give it a plug and spread the word (and the wealth).

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Thanks from Wayward Lad