All-Weather racing may not be to everyone’s tastes but to new myracing show host Ross Brierley, it’s ambrosia. As well as the show each weekend, he’s producing a bi-weekly blog. This week, an intro into the man himself and a 40/1 tip exclusive to myracing followers.
We’ll have free horse racing tips ourselves on the site for Friday. ITV racing comes from Sandown and Exeter, with Sedgefield also in the afternoon. Newcastle and Dundalk take over in the evening and it’s these two meetings that Ross has concentrated on.
I’m Ross Brierley, and I’ve recently been recruited to the myracing team to host their brand new online show with Natalie Green. While I’m thrilled to be spearheading a new project, it’s fair to say that Nat is a bit more excited about the big weekend jumps races we’re previewing at the moment than I am!
I’m much more of a flat aficionado, mainly because I can’t quite concentrate long enough to get fully invested in a three mile chase in heavy ground. The necessary reboot of the winter racing on the level is a big positive in my eyes.
When you hear the term ‘All-Weather Racing’, what do you think of? A Friday night floodlit slog-fest with low grade horses, loved only by their owners and punters who happened to be passing a betting shop on the way to their bus home from work? One good meeting a year at Easter? Betting shop fodder designed to fill the gaps left by mild decline of the jumps game?
I’m here to tell you that you’re wrong. Well, mostly. The All-Weather is a glorious place, full of thrilling highs and lows. There’s world class jockeys battling it out, occasionally for prize money that would barely keep the horse in training long enough to get to the track and eye-watering pedigrees that would make even the politest horse fancier blush.
This Saturday night, there’s a 2yo AW Championship qualifier with two horses currently entered rated over 100. Add to that the likes of Tilaawah, Razor Glass and Victory Heights, rated between 82 and 93 who have the scope to bag black type on this surface.
It might seem a bit of an outdated cliche to suggest that everyone still thinks of racing on synthetics as a poor cousin to the grass. Some people, however, still think the Moon landing was a hoax, so it’s best not to assume we’ve all updated our crazy opinions.
Armed with a hatful of speed figures and race replays, over the coming weeks, I’ll be picking some tasty bets on the sand to keep us warm during the even grimmer than usual winter months. We start with some Friday night fun at Newcastle and Dundalk.
The irony is that, after all I’ve said in the previous paragraphs, it’s always worth remembering that turf maidens and novices are usually stronger than All-Weather ones. That’s particularly true at the start of end of a season, when either the quick to hand, talented sorts turn up, or the nicely bred slow burners make their debuts.
BLU BOY makes his handicap debut for James Bethell at Newcastle. He ran in two decent events on the grass after making his debut in a very good race here over a mile. In every one of those events he kept going for significantly longer than looked likely and he showed significant ability on all three starts.
His yard have a highly profitable strike rate at this track and it’s hard to see him not running a big race off a mark of 64. Especially on the run when only five lengths behind the 104 rated Spycatcher when second in his group at Redcar .
The way he kept plugging on at Doncaster when headed last time gives hope that he can grind out a victory at this stiff track some time in the near future, if not first time of asking under in-form jockey Tom Marquand.
Hopefully, by the time Blu Boy lines up, DREAMFUL will have run a good race at Dundalk for Johnny Murtagh and Ben Coen. There is the possibility of third run syndrome for the yard, but that should be built into the price and an each-way play could pay off.
A big, strapping daughter of Kitten’s Joy, she caught the eye last time running a lovely race on her second start. She finished a decent fifth behind the heavily backed Isle Of Sark, another of Kitten’s Joy progeny to take to the synthetics.
The US Champion sire certainly does stamp his offspring and both the winner and Dreamful that day stood out for their size and scope. Dreamful kept plugging away into fifth under hands and heels, never shown the stick but keeping on well surrounded by horses of decent ability.
She had also run really well against the boys on debut, and the fact that she switches to challenge her own sex here is in her favour. The same connections as her previous conqueror have Lay It Out in the race, by far her biggest danger. There’s value, however, in hoping that, with another run under her belt, Dreamful can grow into her frame here.
Given the prices and the shape of the races, an each-way double could be the angle in with the hope that they both sneak into the frame at the very least.