Thankfully, Gallant Lion was on a good handicap mark, and that got Jason Watson out of a hole.
Jason found trouble in running, and every avenue he tried saw the door slam right in front of his face. I did fear the worst when it happened the second time, but the horse still had enough under the bonnet to go for the inside run near the rail. He found the gaps at the right time and stayed on powerfully, and then fended off the late rival close to the line.
Redorange 3/1 (1pt) – Carlisle 2.33
I missed out on backing Redorange at Windsor after I tipped him up at York, and he was given a pretty bad ride. I believed that his hold-up style wasn't going to suit at Windsor, but I was proven wrong, and he was clearly well ahead of the handicapper.
Today, he steps up to a Class 1 company, but it doesn't look like the strongest of races. There are Class 1 performers, but they haven't been in the best of form, so I believe you can take a chance on Redorange. His hold-up style isn't going to suit Carlisle, but because I think he is in great form and is definitely better of better, he should be able to overcome this issue.
There should be a decent pace on offer, which should allow Redorange to weave through the field.
Champonie 2/1 (1pt) – Chester 4.05
Chester is a track that haunts me, as I always find myself backing horses who find trouble in running. With the past record of Champonie breaking away slowly from the gates, it's not an ideal place to start. However, if he can break to a decent level from stall 3, I think he is the one to beat.
He showed that he handled the track last time out on his handicap and turf debut. He was slow from the start and found himself running on towards the end. In hindsight, six furlongs is definitely his trip, as he was 2/2 on the AW at this distance. The return to six furlongs is a big positive, and if he can get a clear run, I think he will be able to stay on strong enough to win under the very in-form Boughey and Loughnane combination.
The two closest in the market would be a bigger threat to Champonie, but they are drawn in stalls 10 and 12. It is doable to get across from a wide stall, but you've got to use up a lot of petrol to get a prominent position, and it might hinder them in the final furlong, if they take that approach.
GambleAware