Two win bets and an exacta were recommended in this column yesterday and all three suggestions were landed, including the exacta which paid a healthy £105.80 dividend for a £1 stake. Tomorrow is another day so let’s see if we can’t continue in the same vein. Flat racing action returns on Tuesday evening with the Penine Walk Derby, in addition to the My Way De Solzen Hurdle, which appeals as the best betting proposition.
The Penine Derby is up first and here Bluebird would appear to be a worthy favourite and should prove tough to beat. His most recent run in a top-tier event saw him finish down the field in the Danehill Derby but this run is easily forgiven as he encountered trouble in running there. His two previous efforts in Golden Races at 1600m+ on ground with cut have resulted in two victories and he should not be opposed. There may be some value in seeking the forecast, however. Likely types on what they have shown are Misameuse Nina and Lady Mary. While there is no doubt about the ability of this pair, both look likely to be happier on faster ground. Derniere Chance and Phoenix Maxie have no such concerns and should give Bluebird most to do.
A fourteen-runner field, like the one we have in the My Way De Solzen Hurdle, is never going to be a straightforward task to unravel but this one may not be as competitive as it first appears. Some of the entries here look speculative and below what you might normally expect for a Grade 1. Znow Man Mz possesses great cruising speed but never seems to get home at this level and can be discounted, leaving four or five serious candidates. Three of them, Warhead, Art Of War and Un Fruit de Russie have recent form together when filling the first three spots in the El Triunfo Hurdle on similar ground. Un Fruit de Russie is clearly at his best with some cut and although he performed with merit in the El Triunfo, is likely to finish behind the leading pair once more. There is very little between Warhead and Art Of War and chances are they will be closely matched again, with the result being determined by fitness and jockey strategy. We tentatively suggest that Art Of War can come out on top this time.
There is more to this race than just the three highlighted runners so far, however and there are a couple of others that could be taken into account in forecast bets. These are Jetlana Matmaille and especially, Catanzo Piet. Jetlana Matmaille comes into it based on her placed effort on heavy ground in the Full Moon Hurdle last season while Catanzo Piet may possess more ability than he has shown lately. Catanzo Piet looked a star in the making early in his career on very soft ground but has not repeated that level of performance in limited soft-ground opportunities since. He can be given another chance and should not be overlooked in place/forecast bets.
[slidingnote title=”Suggested Bets” type=”sntoggle autoexpand red”]
Bluebird (Penine Walk Derby) to win. Combine with Phoenix Maxie and Derniere Chance in an exacta.
Art Of War (My Way De Solzen Hurdle) to win. Perm with Warhead, Un Fruit de Russie and Catanzo Piet for a combination exacta.
[/slidingnote]
You can place a bet here. Betting is open to residents of UK and Ireland only.