Nick Luck
Horse Racing Tips: Friday’s Best Bets from Aintree and Hexham
William Hill Ambassador Nick Luck picks apart the ITV Racing card on Friday, featuring the Haldon Gold Cup at Aintree.
Friday, Aintree
BARNPARK is the selection in the three-mile Novices’ Handicap Chase (1.15pm) at Aintree. He ran over an inadequate two miles on his stable debut, when a seemingly unfancied second-string behind a winning stablemate. However, there were glimpses of encouragement in the way that he travelled through the first part of the race, and particularly with the way he jumped throughout. A step up in distance should bring about a much better performance, and the stable jockey now rides. Bits of his form when trained by Gavin Cromwell make him quite attractively handicapped, and he could be horse of some interest in staying chases this season.
ALL IN YOU gets the vote in the two-mile Handicap Hurdle (1.50pm). This is a horse who has a big handicap hurdle in him at some point this season. He was very impressive one day at Sandown last year, he also probably would have won the Scottish Champion Hurdle, but he was badly hampered by a faller late on. He posted some very creditable efforts on the flat at the big festivals during the summer, notably at Royal Ascot and at York. A little bit of ease in the ground isn’t too much of a problem for him, but fundamentally, what appeals to him is this track as a relative test of speed.
In the Novices Chase (2.25pm), KLIMT MADRIK is the selection. Each of the three horses can be given a realistic chance, but the angle as far as the selection is concerned, is that he is likely to relish the step up in distance given the way he’s been finishing his races both over hurdles and on his chase debut.
I have got a sneaky suspicion that RUBAUD might win the Haldon Gold Cup (3.00pm) which has been moved to Aintree this year. He’s a horse for whom this might well be amore suitable test than Exeter would have been, and I can see him getting an uncontested lead in this small field, which makes him dangerous. Fundamentally, he’s a sound jumper, but in bigger fields he isn’t the heartiest, so this field size will suit him extremely well. He can get a bold ride from Sam Twiston-Davies, and he’s getting an awful lot of weight off JPR One who is without his usual jockey. Meanwhile Mirabad, who was a Grade 1 winner here last year, possibly needs a stronger and more contested pace to aim at in order to be at his very best.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE is the selection in the Handicap Chase (3.35pm), a race which is certainly much more competitive that the one Here Comes Georgie was successful in at Cheltenham last time. I could give a chance to Montregard and Konfusion, but the selection is a horse who is best caught fresh, comes from a stable in excellent form, and he looks well handicapped on a few pieces of last season’s form.
Friday, Hexham
In the three-mile Handicap Chase (1.35pm) at Hexham, WALK TALL gets the vote in a modest race. He is a horse who ought to improve for a switch to fences, a proper test, and a breathing operation. I think he can make the journey from Sherbourne to Hexham somewhat worthwhile.
RUBY ISLAND is the selection in the two-mile-four-furlong Handicap Chase (2.10pm). I am going to take the chance that she is going to prove fit enough first time out against rivals who have had the benefit of a run. She was pretty progressive last year and ended on a real high – if she maintains that improvement into this season, she could yet be ahead of the handicapper
TITANIUM RING is the selection in the Handicap Hurdle (2.45pm) at Hexham. The trainer has got his string in pretty good form and one or two of them have been running well fresh and this horse has a bit more to offer having progressed steadily last season. He doesn’t look unfeasibly treated and he has significantly more potential than most.
