Racing tips: Derrinross has the ability to overcome a mammoth layoff

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It was nice to see I haven't fully lost my mojo as No Cruise Yet came back a nice 9/2 winner (advised at 10/1). I was fairly certain that his handicap mark was on the low side on the back of his seasonal reappearance at Carlisle.

The opener at Haydock was won by a smart-looking type for Paul Nicholls. My selection Snake Roll looked like a horse who will be better over further, as he didn't quite have the tactical pace for the 2m trip. I'd be inclined to back him again when going up in trip, especially over fences. Benson finished as runner-up in his race, and that was a mighty effort as he came from the clouds once again. Unfortunately, he got going far too late, an extra furlong and I'm 99% sure he'd have won. Beachcomber was a non-runner in the last at Ascot, which was one of many on the day for Ascot with trainers constantly moaning about the ground, who'd have thought? 🤣

Cork 2:15

This could be one of the worst tipping selections of my life or I could be bang on the money. DERRINROSS was once a smart novice hurdler back in 2019, the problem is that we've not seen him since, so there's a huge doubt over his well-being/ability/fitness. Either way, if he retains anywhere near the level of ability he showed over hurdles back then, he should be far too good on chase debut.

This horse won a Grade 2 at Limerick back in 2018, beating some decent novices at the time. The time before that he beat a horse of Mouse Morris called Sams Profile who I'm sure a few of you will recognise the name, that horse is now rated 152 over hurdles, which puts it into context of how good Derrinross could've been if he didn't have the problems away from the track.

Normally I wouldn't be a fan of a horse making a return after 1346 days, especially when making his chase debut, but at the age of 11 he is extremely lightly raced and was a PTP winner before he even became a rules horse, so I think they are right to give him a chance to show he is still capable of mixing it. He must clearly be showing some good form on the gallops as I'd imagine they wouldn't let him anywhere near a track otherwise, hence the reason he's been away for over 3 years.

This isn't an amazing beginners Chase as they go in Ireland which can often have a couple of nice ones, so this looks like a nice opportunity for him to bounce back with a win. The odds are actually quite generous at around 4/1 and I think that makes him worth a bet. If he was touching 2/1 – EVS I would swerve that like a house on fire.

Exeter 3:00

I don't tend to tip too many crazy odds horses unless it's a big festival as they can be overpriced, but I will be giving a chance to MILANFORD in this competitive handicap chase.

Coming into this race with a 0 next to the chase wins from 6 attempts wouldn't fill you with confidence but he is still lightly raced over fences and has shown some decent form when trained by Ralph J Smith back in 2020. He hit the crossbar 3x for Ralph which includes a 2nd placed effort in a Grade 2 at Doncaster behind Hurricane Harvey. Looking back, that was probably one of the weakest Grade 2's I've seen, but the time before he gave L'Air Du Vent a good race who was rated 131 at the time, with The Mighty Don in behind (130 rated currently) and Eva's Oskar who is now rated 139.

After his two first runs over fences, he was given a ridiculous rating of 140, for obvious reasons his form tailed off as that mark was far too high, but he is now back on a realistic handicap mark of 120. He was dropped 6lbs for his seasonal reappearance run at Cheltenham where he was running over 2m 4f, which is a trip on the short side, he jumped well but was clearly lacking the fitness. I think the fact they raced him over 2m 4f a week ago seems like they had this Exeter race in mind all along and to run him over a trip far too short it would speed up his fitness as they go a much faster pace when running over shorter, and that it would set him up nicely for today's race which is a decent prize of £15,576 to the winner. He will run off a mark of 113 when you take away the rider's 7lb claim, and I think you can start saying he is well-handicapped at that point.

At prices of 40/1 I think he is worth a small chance.

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