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WE'RE now well and truly getting started in the jumps season and today sees the return of some of the top top jumps horses.
I'm backing a jumps legend at Wetherby in the Charlie Hall Chase and I also have two horses that are fit and well and ready to run big races at Ascot at double-figure prices.
3.00 Ascot
The race that PERUVIEN BLEU won last week at Ludlow wasn't a fabulous race but I was interested in it because Banditry of Ian Williams was a well-backed favourite and I expected it to win given that Williams was in great form. Peruvien Bleu won and won well with Banditry clear in second place and the others strung out. Working on the assumption that Banditry was indeed well-handicapped I think Peruvien Bleu may well be ready for this considerable step up to Grade 1 level. He has gone up 8lb in the weights but I think he is still well-handicapped and has gone under the radar here. To make things even better SkyBet are paying 5 places for each way bets so I think we should try to take advantage of that.
3.15 Wetherby
The Charlie Hall Chase signals the start of the jumps season for many and is probably the first time we have seen top quality Grade 1 chasers lining up. Former Gold Cup winner Coneygree and jumps legend CUE CARD both take their chance and head the market with some good quality like Definitely Red and Bristol De Mai in the field too.
I don't believe for a minute that the Tizzards would be running Cue Card here if he wasn't in top shape at home and although he was disappointing in the race last year he did win in 2015 first time out. I think he really only has Coneygree to beat and although I absolutely love Coneygree I have to accept that there are question marks over whether he retains his old ability and whether he will be fit and well today given his injury problems and interrupted career since he won the Gold Cup. At the prices Cue Card is the clear and obvious choice for me.
3.35 Ascot
Gary Moore's current form is remarkable and ANTONY is one of his stable stars who has dropped to a nice mark just 4lb higher than his win in this race last year. There might be a little bit of bias on my part because I backed him last year but I think he is capable of something similar this time and with ground no issue I can see him going very close at a double figure price.
Recommendations
- 3.00 Ascot – Peruvien Bleu – 1pt each way at 20-1 with SkyBet (paying 5 places)
- 3.15 Wetherby – Cue Card – 4pts win at 3-1 with William Hill and Bet365
- 3.35 Ascot – Antony 2pts each way at 10-1 with Ladbrokes and Coral
