William Hill Sites

Sports Vegas Live Casino Bingo Poker Promotions

Media And Support

Podcasts Betting & Casino Apps Help Centre
Sport

Nick Luck’s blog: One in the Scottish National looks hard as nails

1 year ago
| BY News Team

It’s the Scottish National and Nick Luck thinks he’s found one that could be thrown in

Read on for his thoughts on the five ITV races from Ayr and three from Newbury.

Ayr

HATCHER is an each-way play at 14/1 in the ITV opener at Ayr on Saturday (1.15pm). He’s not really had a race in his wheelhouse since October at Cheltenham, when he ran a really sound race behind Before Midnight from a five-pound higher mark. Provided the ground doesn’t deteriorate significantly, this strongly run two miles will suit very well and I’d expect him to have a lucrative spring campaign.

THE GOLDEN REBEL looks the likely one at 11/2 in the staying novice (1.50pm) in receipt of a stone (plus his excellent rider’s claim) from Dusart. He looked a smart prospect on his penultimate start, defeating Emir Sacree (winner since) and Flic Ou Voyou (run really well since) in fine style. Clearly a flat, left-handed track suits well, and his six-pound rise is not too steep.

BARRICHELLO seems too big a price at 11/2 in the Scottish Champion Hurdle (2.25pm). I’m not sure there’s enough signed on pace here for Milkwood or West Cork to be fully effective, especially given Onemorefortheroad has been ridden more conservatively of late. With that in mind, I’ve a feeling the handily ridden selection might get the run of the race. More pertinently, there are two bits of form (when beating Itsgoodtolaugh and Good Risk at All) that make his current handicap mark look very appealing.

DO YOUR JOB is a classy horse on his day and at 5/2 I’m not sure Minella Drama can give him five-pounds in the Future Champions’ (3.00pm). Michael Scudamore’s stable star has just one disappointing run at Donny on his card this season, and I can’t get out of my head how well he was travelling behind Edwardstone when a rather unlucky faller in the Henry VIII.

THE FERRY MASTER can make it another Scottish National (3.35pm) at 9/1 for the home team. An excellent fourth in what was arguably a better race last year, he shaped like the second best only to wilt a little late on. With a breathing op under his belt, and a better prep race, plus inexplicably being able to race off a lower mark, he seemingly has loads in his favour under the long-distance jockey par excellence Ryan Mania. At a huge price, I’ll also be having a little tickle each-way on the hard-as-nails FIDUX at 40/1 who is completely unexposed over a marathon distance and is well worth a try over it judged on his runs this year.

Newbury

RAINYDAY WOMAN can get back on track at 11/2 in the handicap at Newbury (1.35pm). Although she was beating up inferiors early in the season, the handicapper hasn’t really got a handle on her, and there are ways of reading her Taunton Listed win that suggest she must be competitive from 125. Her Lingfield run is easily excused: the stable was in the doldrums at the time and she had an irregular heartbeat.

BERMEO is no easy conveyance, but the stars might align for him at 6/1 in the Veterans’ race (2.10pm). There is a ton of pace on here: if they’re going quicker than Indy Five, they are going too fast, but there are plenty that might give it a crack, particularly in a conditionals’ race worth a few quid. The selection is a horse that needs plenty of driving, but will keep going if the mood takes him, and he is now looking wickedly well treated as he moves yards to Harry Fry.

LARGY G is a sporting each way selection at 40/1 against her favoured stable companion Speech Bubble in the Mares’ Final (2.45pm). She is 20lbs better for 16 lengths from their meeting here earlier in the season and, while she would never have been better than third, she was certainly capable of finishing a fair bit closer, and can run another nice race at big odds.

More Sport articles you may like

View all Sport