Racing tips: 10lb Claimer puts Hitman Fred at top of the list

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Tuesday wasn't the best of days with one winner from two selections, with the winner being just under EVS.

Limerick Lace did win nicely in the end and I did think she would be tough to beat, and it looks like she'll progress nicely into the 130s without a problem. Triggered never really got going for whatever reason. Young Billy Loughnane never looked happy at any stage of the race. I knew the race was over from the first 50-100 yards of leaving the gate as he wasn't travelling at all. He simply didn't run to form and it was an off day.

Catterick 1:45

I don't know about you lot, but this kind of race is something I love and that is the Veterans' Chase races. There's something about seeing horses you've either bet on over the years or watched run on multiple occasions still running to a decent level at an old age.

Generally, I think it's best to go for the younger of the older horses, by that I mean the newly-turned Veterans. To run in a veteran race you need be 10 years or older, and the one which I have landed on is HITMAN FRED who is extremely lightly raced for his age of 10 and is in terrific form recently and could still be progressing, which seems a little ridiculous to say due to his age!

Rose Dobbin's chaser has only raced 9 times over the largest obstacles, and it has clearly suited since transitioning to fences as all five of his wins from his 21 career starts have been won over fences. Four of his five wins have been in his last six runs, which is an incredible strike rate. I tipped up a horse in the race he won recently and I was pleased with that win. He has been put up 4lbs by the handicapper for that success, but he gets a 10lb claimer on board today which means he is on a lower mark than he was when winning at Ayr, which must definitely put him in the picture to win this. I think the form of that race will work out quite well as the two Lucinda Russell horses who finished 3rd and 4th still look to have progress in them as they are still quite lightly races over fences and were deemed to be on good handicap marks that race.

I can see why the two horses around the same price at Hitman Fred are fancied. Midnight Moss went up 4lbs for his recent second-placed finish. That makes life tougher for him like it normally does for a horse who goes up without winning. He's in good form and I expect him to be bang there, but he got tired last time at Warwick which is a speedy/tight track, and on a more testing track he might be found out in the dying stages.

Sam's Adventure would be of major interest based on his last run, considering this race is probably deemed to be an easier race. He will stay this trip, that's for certain, but his record when shouldering big weights (11st 9lbs or more) reads PU, PU, 5, PU.

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