Back with a bang - 13/2 winner!

Did you miss me? Back with a 13/2 winner yesterday (advised on twitter and blog posted at 10am) when BLESS THE WINGS (SP 11/4) romped home.

What a tremendous days’ racing we have in store today with great meetings at Wetherby, Ascot and Ayr plus an interesting race in Ireland at Down Royal. The feature race of the day is the Charlie Hall chase at Wetherby and it’s cut-up a bit with only 6 runners going to post. My money will be on PLANET OF SOUND at 5/1.  Since he stepped-up to 3-mile chasing, he's been a revelation. His best performances are always when "fresh" and last season his 2nd in the Hennessey carrying 11:2 off a rating of OR158 was (IMO) one of the performances of the season. He followed that up with a good 3rd at Kempton, beaten only by course specialist Nacarat and the well-handicapped and improving Helpston. He was my main wager in the Grand National and led them a merry dance in that race losing the lead only 4-out after which Richard Johnson cantered him home safely. With just 11st on Saturday, and receiving 5lb from the 6yo favourite, it will take some performance to stop him winning. He has the best speed-rating by a mile (courtesy of that Hennessey 2nd) and the others – apart from the fav – look held. If Silviniarco Conti can win today then he’s a decent horse, but the odds are no reflection of his chance, he should be 7/2 and not 13/8.

The Grade 2 hurdle over 3m1f at 2:50 looks a cracker, and I couldn’t find the winner of this if I tried. That said, I do think CRACK AWAY JACK could be the surprise package in this race, he has untold potential.

At Ascot, Nicky Henderson has introduced some decent horses to chasing in the 1:25 so I’m expecting Hadrian’s Approach to run well. However, chasing is what ROLLING ACES is bred to do and he may be a different horse in this, his chase debut.   As a member of the White Diamond Racing syndicate, I’ll be watching Ted Spread with interest in the 2:35 as we’ve just bought his half-brother Phantom Ranch. If you are interested in shares contact Tom Castle at White Diamond Racing.

I'm expecting a big run from ACE HIGH in the 3:10. He should have come on a bundle for his recent run (the first in a year) and carries just 10st 2lb. 
Another that I'm looking forward to seeing is KALELLSHAN in the 3:45.  I first came across this horse when having a successful wager on him when he won at Sedgefield back in Sept 2009 beating a useful field. He should have followed-up a few weeks later when trouncing an even better field, but his jockey brought-about a calamitous mistake at the final fence. He was injured in that race and not seen again till the following July - had he not been injured I reckon he'd have been one of the better novice chasers of that season, certainly up to contesting the Arkle. On his return, he needed his first run to blow the cobwebs away and then won 2 hurdles in 4 days at the Galway Festival (that takes some doing), before again succumbing to injury. He was off the course nearly 2-years, returning in June 2012. With a new trainer in charge, he was coaxed back to fitness in 3 flat races during the summer before going on to win another hurdle at the Galway Festival this summer. He then won again on his next outing in a chase at Killarney. I thought he was OR150+ back in 2009 and, having won his last 4 races over the jumps (hurdles and chases), I'd say he's lost none of his ability. He looks to be 10lb well-in running off OR142.

So that’s it for today:-

Wetherby 3:25 PLANET OF SOUND @ 5/1

Ascot 3:10 ACE HIGH @ 5/1

Ascot 3:45 KALELLSHAN @ 6/1

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Thanks from Wayward Lad.