Busy Times Ahead
November 4th, 2022 | Marten's Current Racing Diary
Hi there!
It was good to see Bravemansgame back to something close to his best in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on Saturday.
The seven-year-old won his first four chases last season before ending the campaign finishing last of four, beaten 30 lengths by Ahoy Senor, at Aintree. The winner was made 11/10 to confirm that form on Saturday but he never looked happy, jumping erratically and coming home almost 40 lengths behind the winner.
This represented a turnaround in form of 70 lengths, suggesting more a case of Ahoy Senor underperforming than the winner improving.
Paul Nicholls has said from a while ago that Bravemansgame’s target is the King George, for which he is a top price of 5/2, a more general 9/4, alongside the mighty Allaho, with L’Homme Presse 8/1 and Galopin Des Champs at 10s.
Bravemansgame’s BHA mark will rise 4/5lbs to around 166 for this, but that will still leave him a few pounds adrift of the 177-rated Allaho and the 172-rated Galopin Des Champs.
If all four horses go to post for the Kempton highlight this would be a proper humdinger but the cynic in me reckons something will fall by the wayside. All bets are off at this moment in time!
I think the form of the closing race at Wetherby on Saturday could prove worth following. I liked the way that Rocky Man and Findthetime pulled clear of the third in this extended 2m 3f handicap hurdle, with the second running the winner to three-quarters of a length trying to concede 9lbs.
His trainer Nicky Richards has never made such a good start to a season and this son of Shantou can reward support in similar races before going chasing, a field in which I expect him to excel.
Moving on, and I am pleased to report that subscribers to the Daily Communiques for the Cheltenham Open Meeting will also receive, free of charge, my Market Insights preview of the early betting on the Thursday evening 10th November.
This publication is one of our best sellers, with a past record of well-backed winners. I may have something special from Ireland for one of the handicaps, with other bits and pieces for this three-day meeting.
Next week’s bumper edition of the Weekend Card includes my preview of the Champion Hurdle.
Please refer to the shop or ring the office for further details.
Bye for now
Marten
