I'm sticking this up before Cairnzy's horse has run, so fingers crossed the Gosden horse delivers the goods and secures the win.
Rizzel's Tips
Entity Of Substanz 5/2 – Market Rasen 1.45
I'm typing my selections up well in advance as the mighty Red Devils take on Arsenal tonight so I'm going to be occupied watching the football in the evening, so the odds haven't been released yet, but I think Entity Of substanz will be a backable price as he has to carry twelve stone and prove that the step up to 2m 7f will suit.
I think you could easily back the Skelton runner blind for this contest as the money arrived for this lad on his handicap debut over 2m 3f at Haydock, which saw him finish 5th/13 and run a decent enough race, but considering he was 5/4F, I think connections were banking on him winning. It's interesting that Dan had opted to put him over another 4f on his second handicap start, and given that this hike-in trip comes quickly after his handicap debut when he was well-fancied, I think it's a safe bet that he will stay the trip, and stay very well.
This race has a few horses arriving with some good numbers next to their form lines, but they are hardly pulling up stumps and it wouldn't take much for an improver to come and blow them away and I think that is the Skelton horse, and I'm not concerned about the top weight he has to carry, if anything it'll play into our hands as I think we'll get bigger odds than normal.
Jikala 3/1 – Leicester 12.55
I am a huge fan of Venetia Williams and Charlie Deutsch. The trainer and jockey combination are a great partnership and the way that Charlie gets his mounts in a rhythm over fences is a pleasure to watch. Venetia is very good at getting horses ready after big breaks and when it comes to debuts over fences, that shouldn't be an issue either.
Jikala is making his debut over fences and is making his first start over fences in a weak enough race. His pedigree doesn't give the usual confidence that a lot of Venetia's horses do, but he is from a French background, and more often than not they are trained over fences at a young age, and Venetia is a master trainer so I'm expecting a big performance.
Not many of the other horses in the race, even those with experience over fences catch the eye. The Henry Daly yard has been firing in winners this season, so my idea of the main threat was his horse at the top of the weights.
Rare Clouds 14/1 (1pt EW) – Leicester 3.00
There is a good chance that there are some younger, more fresher and progressive horses in this race who could blow away my selection Rare Clouds, but on the off chance that's not the case, I think Rare Clouds is worth a shot, especially on his favoured heavy ground.
Rare Clouds hasn't tackled heavy ground on too many occasions, but every time (barring his last start on heavy over 3m) he has put in his best performances. He won at Wincanton on heavy ground over slightly further on the same handicap mark in January, so it goes to show he is on an attractive mark and when everything falls into place, he can win races.
The time away from the track isn't a huge concern as he has won on the back of a return and if he hasn't won, he has run well, so he evidently takes his breaks well and returns to the track in good nick. The yard has had a winner from one of their two recent outings, so they appear to be in good form.
