Racing tips: The unexposed Monte Igueldo can make it 2/2 as a Chaser

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My main fancy of the day for Sunday was a NR, happening at around 10 am this morning. Frustrating to see, especially for a horse who hasn't been on the track for 1300 days. Hopefully, he is okay and it's a problem with the ground and he will make an appearance soon.

Milanford was my outsider hope at Exeter. He finished 7th, and jumped well but lacked the gears and flat speed for the others ahead of him, which saw the winner do it easily. I'm a lover of jumps racing, I prefer it to the flat, but this start of the new season hasn't gotten off to a great start. There are small fields and abandoned meetings, and the low sunlight makes half of the races into bumpers rather than obstacle races. That happened at Exeter where they jumped 11 over 3m, which is hardly anything.

Musselburgh 2:30

Whenever the Irish send a runner over to Britain you have to give them major respect as they don't tend to get it wrong, and they are willing to pay the travelling expenses for the horse to run and potentially win a small prize, so they will more than likely have to win to make a profit. Benefit Run is the runner from Ireland in this race, and at the age of 10 he is still able to run good races, but I do think he is beatable even with Brian Hughes being a noticeable jockey booking.

I am giving a chance to MONTE IGUELDO. Personally, I think he is probably on the short side but I can see why. He has the unexposed lightly raced chase profile which we all love, especially when going against the older more exposed types.

For me, I don't think he jumped particularly great at Huntingdon on chase debut, but for him to win in the style he did after making some mistakes, including one really bad one, shows the engine he has and how well-handicapped he was. The handicapper hasn't given him an easy time of things for this, putting him up 7lbs, but that still might not be enough. With that experience under his belt, I hope his technique and confidence over fences will have improved as if he has a clear round of jumping he should be tough to beat, but that is a big if.

I wouldn't say the rest of the field is particularly well-handicapped, so based on that I will be backing Monte Igueldo.

Ludlow 2:10

Considering LANGLEY HUNDRED won at Exeter a week ago in a conditionals-only race, meaning he carries no penalty or goes up in the handicap, surely he is the one to beat and the current price is too good to pass up on.

Elizabeth Gale is a 10lb claimer, clearly lacking the experience of some of the others in today's race but from what I saw, she looks like a competent rider who knows what she is doing. That's hardly a surprise being with the Phillip Hobbs stable which has used some very good jockeys over the years, including multiple champion jockey, Richard Johnson. Tom O'Brien is another very talented jockey who has been used in more recent times.

I think the step up in trip worked a treat at Exeter and I think the form of that race could be fairly useful for the grade. The runner-up was strongly fancied in the market under a very good 7lb claimer, due to the market confidence and the fact he was only beaten by a short head I think it will work out well, with the front two pulling 14L clear, which is generally a good indicator you have two well-handicapped horses on your hands.

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