Rizz was left with only one selection on Thursday because his other was announced as a non-runner.
Lady Pretender was rather disappointing yesterday. She weakened quite tamely before being eventually pulled up by jockey Ned Fox. That was Lady Pretending's first race back from a long layoff, and I think she is better watched next time out in the hope she comes on for the run.
My sole selection on Friday comes from the meeting at Ascot, which looks like a decent card as a whole.
Cairnzy's Tips
First Confession 2/1 – Ascot 12:20
For my sole selection on Friday, I've chosen to take a chance on Tizzard-trained First Confession, who contests in the opener at Ascot in a Class 3 hurdle race.
Despite there being only four runners, I found this to be an interesting little race. The current market favorite, Milan Tino, likely deserves to be the market leader, especially if he can rediscover some of his past form from last season. However, I didn't think the risk of betting on Milan Tino to recapture that form was worth it, especially given that he's priced at just over even money and hasn't shown much this term.
Milan Tino unseated his rider on his seasonal reappearance and then followed that up with another disappointing effort at the same course three weeks later, finishing a distant sixth and looking like a horse in need of the run. Of course, there's a chance Milan Tino will improve for that run, but I also thought he could be vulnerable to a less exposed runner, which ultimately led me to my pick First Confession who I think could be the horse to turn the market leader over.
We don't have a whole lot to go on when it comes to First Confession who has only raced the two times in his short racing career. One of those runs was a P2P victory on debut last year. My selection however ran a creditable race last month on his seasonal return, finishing third at Cheltenham in a Class 2 Novice hurdle race. Although soundly beaten into third that day, that contest looked hot for the grade and has reproduced some next time out winners, including the winner Potter's Charm who bolted up recently in the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett, turning over Dan Skeltons now 139 rated Valgrand. Gordon Elliot's Minella Sixo who finished second behind Potters Charm in the Cheltenham contest has since boosted the form when winning yesterday at Thurles.
Still completely unexposed in this sphere, I think First Confession could potentially progress past Milan Tino, and with the Tizzard string in good nick at present ( operating at 26% 9 wins from 34 runners ) he could have First Confession ready to strike at the second attempt.
Celtic Dino 1-30 Ascot 11-8…NAP….
This is the best novice hurdler I’ve seen this season.
Has to give 7 pound to a Henderson inmate but if he repeats his last run he is capable of that.
He won this race race by 14 lengths and the 2nd and 3rd have won since