Quentin Collonges, ran a great race to lead all the way (JUST) to win advised at a nice price of 12/1 and 2 points win. Cockney Trucker lust got collared for what would have been an unbelievable day, but still 27 points profit can’t complain.. Hopefully this is a renewal of form in time for Cheltenham..

2:55 Doncaster

Quentin Collonges looks to have been given a decent chance by the handicapper here. He was poor in his last run, but not so bad first time out this year over this course. He has 2 previous wins here and will like the good ground tomorrow. If his jumping can improve he will be in with a great chance here on Minimum weight. He has been better after a small break before, and this is only this 3^rd run this year. 12/1 looks a nice bit of value and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go of at 7/1or less.

2 Points win 12/1 various

3:30 Doncaster

Cockney Trucker also looks to have been given a decent chance by the handicapper here. He has been a very consistent hurdler until this year, but back here on decent ground of what looks a great mark, with Tony McCoy up the 20/1 with Paddy Power surly won’t last long. If he is to get into any Handicap at the festival he will need to get a win here.

1 Point EW 20/1 Paddy Power

2:40 Newbury

Idarah is a purely gut feeling selection. He has liked decent ground in the past and this veteran’s race which hopefully will be run at a slower pace could well suit him in this step up in trip. He is just about down to his last winning mark from earlier this year, and looks worth a min bet at a very decent price.

½ Point win 20/1 Various

3:50 Kempton

Going to go with one of the big outsiders here in Hectors Choice, he was second in this race last year of 1lb higher, and won a very decent race at Cheltenham of only 1 lb lower. He is clearly a good ground horse and it looks as if he’ll be getting that tomorrow. He has had a prep race over hurdles on unsuitable soft ground lately and should strip fitter for that run. Hopefully this race has been the plan after last year’s good show and 55 win 10 place on Betfair looks huge.

1 Point win @ 55 1 Point place @11 Betfair

3:50 Kempton

What a Friend, looks to have been given a small chance by the handicapper here, especially considering his run this time last year in the Denman Chase. He had one poor run at Aintree last year after falling in the Gold Cup and that is the reason for his big price here. He has a very decent record fresh and loved better ground. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he can stay on into a place here and 33/1 looks decent value.

1 Point ew 33/1 Various

Newcastle 2:55

Our Island, is one I was going for a couple of weeks ago before he was a nun runner and this race could well be ideal for him. It looks a weaker race than what he has performed well in for the last year or two and is down to his lowest mark ever. He actually looks the most likely winner to me and as such I’m surprised to see him 6^th in the betting at 10/1. He has had 2 very decent runs in the Welsh National of higher marks and the trip and ground will be of no difficulty to him.

2 Points win 10/1 Various

3:20 Chepstow.

Cornas, has a very decent record fresh, and in my view has been dropped a generous amount for his poor run in April last year. Other than that run he was a model of consistency during the year and despite not running this year he looks a big price here at 12/1.

1 Point win 12/1 with Bet365

Warwick 3:50

I’ve been watching Escortmen lately expecting to find a race to suit of his current mark. He was a good 3rd last time over c&d having travelled well and despite a few ropy jumps he finished his race well behind 2 good improving horses. He was also 4lbs out of the handicap. Back here on slightly better ground in a similar race, if he can improve his jumping a bit he looks to be in with a shout here. He looks great value at 22/1 and worth and EW bet.

1 Point ew 22/1 Various

Now that the Corbally Ghost is a non-runner, I really like DeValira for this race. It is more of a process of elimination here as i don’t fancy anything else. He has generally been better after a run back after a break, and he looks to have found an ideal race here. 7/1 in this looks a significant overprice and well worth a bet considering the opposition, as he won’t have needed to recover that much of his old form to take a hand here.

2 Points win 7/1

3:40 Carlisle

Had a quick look at this race this morning and Roseneath stood out a mile as an outsider with a bit of a chance here. He was terrible after his season opening win last year of this mark, but his record fresh in the last year or two is 112. I’m sure he should be ready for today with that record and he looks a huge price at 23 on betfair at the moment. Considering how easy he won last year n his first run back it does look value.

1 Point win Betfair 23

Two decent winners in yesterday with 2 Points win on Across the Bay at 10/1 and a great 4 points on Cue Card at 11/4.

Across the Bay produced a resolute display to stay in front all the way to the line, and Cue Card benefitted from a blunder by Captain Chris to run out an Easy winner.

Overall it resulted in a great 26 Point Profit

2:40 Ascot

Anyone that has seen my selections for a while will not be surprised that in going with Tatenen here. I’ve selected him both times he won on this course and at decent prices each time. He is a powerful traveller on his day and is only 1lb higher than his great win over a shorter trip here last year. The ground is a bit of a worry, but he has some decent soft ground form in his earlier days. We will know our fate early here as if he is jumping for fun and stretching the field out from the start we could be on to a good thing.

2 Points win 8/1 Various    

Haydock 2:20

Across the Bay sticks out here as the 2^nd highest rated in the race with very good soft ground form and good form this year. He is possibly a bit of value after understandably not staying in the Welsh National with a big weight. This should be far better race for him and 10/1 looks a few points too big, I have him more of a 6.1 shot here.

2 Points win 10/1 Stan James

Ascot 3:50

I think Cue Card has found an ideal Grade 1 chance. He won’t have to be held up as much as he was in the King George which wreaked his jumping and although he would be better on a better surface, I think he should be a shorter price favourite here. Captain Chris ran a great race in the King George but was all out and didn’t travel as well are Cue Card for most of the way. Finians Rainbow and Gizao  really like better ground and haven’t shown anything on Soft. It all adds up to 11/4 looking value and I can resist a decent bet at that price.

4 Points win 11/4 Various

Haydock 5:10

Vic Venturi has numerous times in the past come back from poor runs to race above expectations, particularly in the Bet365 Gold Cup behind Tidal Bay of a mark of 137 only 11 months ago. If his last run has put him right he could well get competitive here getting weight form some of the principals and with a good claimer up. 24 on Betfair looks a decent price

1 Point win 24 Betfair

2:45 Haydock

Neptune Equester has some good winning for over c&d and had a nice run out win for a seasonal opener in a hurdles race on boxing day. He could be ready for a decent performance here today and at 22/1 he looks the value of the race. He should handle the ground and trip and hasa decent looking racing weight.

1 Point ew 22/1 Bet Victor & Stan James

Betfair Hurdle Newbury 3:35

Princeton Plains looks huge value in this race tomorrow going on his very decent form in these types of races over the last 18 months. He was an eye-catching 6^th in the Ladbroke at Ascot last time, when having to race wide all the way and pushed even wider into the straight. He is much better off with the winner and 40/1 with 5 places looks a great price considering his liking for this type of race. He has been 5^th and 6^th in the Galway Hurdle as well. He looks to travel well in that Newbury race all the way and if he can find a better passage this time he will outrun his odds here.

1.5 pts EW 40/1 5 Place Bet365

I have to have a small win bet on Punjabi here at 30 on Betfair, he is well in at the weights if he can reproduce any of his old form, and at 10 should be still capable of a good show. He could well be dangerous around here with only 10:07 to carry on half decent ground and this could well have been a plan for him since they brought him back. He is worth a shot at that price,as most of us will be kicking ourselves if he wins here of that mark.

1 Point win 30 betfair

Lastly I’m going for one of the complete outsiders in Into Wain, how just failed to get to Petit Robin in a decent handicap and Sandown and then looked not to stay in heavy ground in the Ladbroke. He is 120 on Betfair and looks the best of the huge outsiders and he’ll be worth a tiny bet at those odds.

½ Point win Betfair 120

1:50 Newbury

Sivola de Sivola looks to have the best form in this race, and is proven on this mark. This test should suit him and even though it didn’t look that great at the time the form of his last race at Cheltenham has worked out well and in my view he should be favourite here.  The 10/1 with stan James looks a couple of points too big and worthy of a 2 point bet.

2 Points win 10/1 Stan James

1 :30 Warwick

Kells Bells looks great value in this race, she is the highest rated and although she ran into some smart opposition last time, this is a lesser race and she could well get back to form here at what looks a great price of 6/1 in Coral & Betfred. She is out to this price because of another Henderson runner who although could be in the upgrade would still have to improve a good bit to get to her level.

2 Points win 6/1

2:05 Ffos Las

Tiger O’Toole stands out at a huge price as a decent bit of value here. He has been pretty good over fences particularly when second to Fingal Bay over this trip on soft ground. He is a capable hurdler and even though he is 4 lbs out of the weights he can be a rugged stayer on his day and could well run into a place here at what looks a big price 33/1.

1 Point win Betfair 40 1 Point place 8.4

2:40 Ffos Las

Our Island has been a very consistent horse in these types of races for the last year or so. Last time out he was 5^th in the Welsh National and previous to that a decent 3^rd in another testing event. He is out of the weights here but seems to me to have a great chance of staying onto a place at least.

1 Point EW 16/1 Generally