This 4yo by Outstrip has run three times in his life and showed up well in all his runs. Ed Walker's inmate is lightly-raced and is the one member of the field open to improvement, so go E/W.
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24/01/21 – 1st 15-8 – Zayriyan – Ali Stronge – Lingfield Park
Zayriyan is now without a win in 36 career starts and always seems to find new ways of getting beaten. Often it's a slow start, but when he gets that right he can run into trouble as happened last time when he was third at Chelmsford. Our biggest problem today may be getting out of…
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23/01/21 – 1st 5/1 – Serious Ego – Nicky Richards – Haydock
Serious Ego doesn't have the greatest win ratio, especially his 1-16 with Gordon Elliott but he has been pretty consistent for me and ran his best race last time on comeback. I hope they go off hard in this race as I think that will give him his best chance if everything falls right for…
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23/01/21 – 3rd 5/1 – Gortroe Joe – Fergal O’Brien – Taunton
Gortroe Joe is in fantastic form and that's because we've got his head right. He also probably has one to beat so it might just be a day of hitting the crossbar if our luck's out. Let's hope it's in!
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23/01/21 – 1st 14/1 – First Flow – Kim Bailey – Ascot
This is his Champion Chase or Gold Cup moment. First Flow deserves to be here as he has won his last five and I really will be over the moon if he could be placed. He will have the ground in his favour but is he really up to taking on the best two-mile chasers…
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23/01/21 – 3rd 18/1 – Just Your Type – Charlie Longsdon – Haydock
I had considered running Just Your Type over hurdles too but kept him to fences and he's wearing first-time blinkers also. He has the ability to go well, stays and doesn't mind the ground. It's up to him.
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23/01/21 – 1st 2/1 – Silver Hallmark – Fergal O’Brien – Haydock
Silver Hallmark is a very nice horse and he's in good form. There's one obvious one to beat and if he does we'll have a smart animal on our hands.
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23/01/21 – 2nd 9/2 – Marown – Nicky Richards – Haydock
Marown is a grand horse and he's done nothing wrong so far. This is a big step up in class but you have to dip your toes in the water at some stage. I'm sure he won't let us down.
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23/01/21 – 1st 7/2 – Stellar Magic – Ken Pitterson – Taunton
This half-brother to winners over jumps won well over C&D last month on heavy ground. I see no reason why he should not take a step forward and a big run should be forthcoming.
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23/01/21 – 2nd 4/1 – Alaphilippe – Fergal O’Brien – Taunton
Running here will qualify Alaphilippe for the EBF Final at Sandown but today's task under a double penalty looks tough. To be fair we do not know quite how good he is but on official ratings he has a fair bit to find trying to give 10lb to a horse rated 2lb higher. It would…
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22/01/21 – 1st 10/1 – Petite Ganache – Nicky Richards – Musselburgh
It's just not been happening for Petite Ganache the last couple of times so we're switching him back over fences. He's schooled nicely and now I'm trying him in blinkers. He has the ability so let's hope they help him concentrate - if so he would have a decent chance.
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22/01/21 – 2nd 4/1 – Kitty Hall – Nicky Richards – Musselburgh
If we'd have had a half reasonable winter I think we might have had a good campaign with Kitty Hall and maybe it's not too late. She disappointed on her comeback but back to two miles she can run a nice race.
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22/01/21 – 2nd 3/1 – Bullion Boss – Nicky Richards – Musselburgh
Bullion Boss won okay up there the last time. He's a horse you have to drop right in and ride for luck and hopefully back there over a half-mile shorter trip he can cope with the 8lb rise.
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– Equilateral – Ken Pitterson – Meydan
He won this race last year with a convincing victory and returns to defend his title. Charlie Hills's representative runs off a 5lb lower mark and has an outstanding record when fresh. The booking of Frankie Dettori clearly takes the eye.
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21/01/21 – 1st 4/1 – Twojayslad – Ian Williams – Ludlow
Twojayslad won at Doncaster and should go well again but I wouldn't want the ground to be too tacky. They've had plenty of rain at Ludlow so hopefully they will go through it okay.
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20/01/21 – 1st 2/1 – Fine Casting – Ben Pauling – Newbury
The form of Fine Casting's second at Warwick looks pretty strong and I think it will take a decent newcomer to beat him. For a bumper horse he has plenty of speed.
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20/01/21 – 1st 13/2 – San Juan – Shaun Keightley – Southwell
I was very surprised to see the money for San Juan overnight - it certainly wasn't from anyone connected with the stable. Until we get his suspect wind sorted I think he'll struggle to win a race and while this is a very poor contest he didn't progress from his second to third run.
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– Fine Casting – Ben Pauling – Newbury
20/01/21 - 1st 2/1 Original quote: "The form of Fine Casting's second at Warwick looks pretty strong and I think it will take a decent newcomer to beat him. For a bumper horse he has plenty of speed."
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20/01/21 – 2nd 11/1 – Tequila Blaze – Fergal O’Brien – Newbury
It didn't help that Tequila Blaze finished lame after pulling up at Wetherby last time but she had never gone a yard on what was tacky ground. She had shown her true colours on a very wet surface at Lingfield the time before, running very well for second in a strong race and it will…
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20/01/21 – 3rd 6/1 – Minella Tara – Fergal O’Brien – Newbury
Minella Tara was probably going to finish second at Southwell last time but fell at the final fence. He wouldn't have troubled the runaway winner, however, and the biggest factor for him today will be the going as he wants better ground. That will make it difficult to fancy his chance.
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