Both of our selections were very poor at Exeter on Friday. JPR One managed to win the big race and Skyjack Hijack put in a masterful jumping performance to win by 20+ lengths in his race.
Rizzel's Tips
Beau Balko 5/2 – Wincanton 1.09
This five runner field race over the Wincanton fences is an interesting race as you could easily give a chance to every horse lining up. It will more than likely come back to bite me that I've gone against my previous selection Killer Kane, but with how Paul Nicholls' runners have been settling into the new season, I think it's best to catch Beau Balko on his second run.
Paul Nicholls hasn't started the season as well as he'd have hoped, with many of his first time out runners, running well below par. For whatever reason, it seems that the majority of the runners from the Ditcheat yard is underprepared for their first run, but will be better off for their next run. Beau Balko was going well at Kempton, but faded very quickly when they turned for home, before slightly staying on again towards the end when getting a second wind.
For me, despite him being tired towards the end, I rate that as the best form in the race. That was a Class 3 (0-140), with some good handicappers in and around that level, which is a much better calibre set of horses than the others in the field have been competing against.
Wincanton is Paul's local track and he does tend to do very well at this meeting, with it being a target meeting for the yard, so I'm expecting a big run from Beau Balko who gets the steering of Ben Bromley, who is good value for his 3lbs in conditional jockey races like this.
Lord Baddesley 7/1 EW – Wincanton 3.30
The feature race of the day at Wincanton in the Badger Beer Chase which is a Class 1 handicap, and has been a race that Paul Nicholls has done extremely well in over the years. This year, he has one runner in the race with Mofasa being the ride of Harry Cobden. Despite the local trainer having a very good record in the race I've opted for last year's winning trainer with his runner Lord Baddesley.
Anthony Honeyball fields three runners, with Gustavian and Forward Plan taking their chances in this race. Both of those horses ran in this race last year and I even tipped up Forward Plan when he got tired just before turning for home when looking like placing at the very least. Since then, Gustavian's rating has come down and Forward Plan's has gone the opposite way after having a couple of good runs and grabbing a couple of wins during last season. For me, I'd still have reservations about him staying the trip on his first run of the season off a much higher mark than last year. On jockey bookings, Lord Baddesley is the horse to be on as Rex Dingle is on board, and he was on board last year's winner for Anthony Honeyball.
My selection is making his stable debut for Anthony after coming from Chris Gordon's yard. He is a 9-year-old, but a very talented horse on his day and I even tipped him up last season in a race at Kempton where he was attemping 3m for the first time. It didn't quite go to plan that day, with his jumping not being the best, but I remain with the same thought process that he is well-handicapped on some of his form and this trip shouldn't be an issue. It's interesting that Anthony Honeyball has gone straight for this race, especially over a trip which he is yet to be proven over, on stable debut. Rex Dingle clearly thinks he is the pick between him and Gustavian (Ben Godfrey rides Forward Plan).
Waxing Gibbous 12/1 EW (6pl) – Doncaster 3.45
I think it might be easy for punters to look past Waxing Gibbous in this race given she was a tad disappointing at Newbury on heavy ground last time out, but I think you can look past that and give her another chance.
David Menuisier has had a very productive second half of the season and Waxing Gibbous was nearly a beneficiary of that when finishing second at Haydock in the Class 2 Old Borough Cup over 1m 6f on good ground, finishing a close runner-up to Epic Poet, who was fourth in the Sky Bet Ebor which has been franked on numerous of occasions.
Last time out over half a furlong shorter than the Haydock race she was fifth, and didn't look as good as her previous race. However, that race was only two weeks after the Old Borough race, and chances are that the race at Newbury came too soon for her after she put in a big effort at Haydock on the back of a a short break of 73 days. I think connections spotted that she needs time between races and has since been given more time to recoup and go again for today's outing, which would've been a plan for the shrewd West Sussex brained trainer.
David has opted for talented apprentice, Sean D Bowen to do the steering and he takes off a very handy 3lbs. I firmly believe she is on a good handicap mark and you'll see a return to form now she has had time to recover, even over this shorter trip.
In December 2020 we sadly 
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Thanks so much EW Thief: had three of yours in a patent yesterday that all placed. Get in!