SATURDAY WEEKENDER

14:30 Doncaster

Saturday’s Weekender starts up in Yorkshire at Doncaster in a decent looking eleven runner handicap hurdle.

I’m going with the top weight. Hannah’s Princess enters the reckoning after a decent effort over a less than ideal trip in Ireland. This much more stamina testing distance is going to be more in his favour and trainer Warren Greatrex has his horses absolutely flying. The yard have a strike rate of 30% over the past fortnight with six winners from twenty runners. The six year old has to give weight away to all of its opponents but the field itself doesn’t look the best. The horse will improve for its seasonal reappearance and with a course and distance win to its name it’s bound to go close.

The main threat appears to be John Ferguson’s Red Devil Boys who, as with the current favourite, also has a course and distance win to its name. John Ferguson started the season in fine fettle but his strings earlier success seems to have tailed off recently. There’s no doubt this eight year old has room for improvement but a lot is taken on trust in regards to how fit and ready the horse will be without a recent run and looks opposable today.

Of the remaining runners I’d give a small nod to the ultra consistent and preverbal bridesmaid Harvey’s Hope who has done well over todays conditions and could go close for place money.

Hannah’s Princess (E/W if 9/2+)

15:50 Bangor On Dee

A trip to Wales for a race that, in my opinion, looks to have a nailed on favourite. Yes the price may currently be odds on but it’s a very true and honest reflection of the horses chances. Market principle The Nipper looks to go and make it two from two after a previous course and distance victory in its only previous start. As with todays first selection this horse also hails from the red hot stable of Warren Greatrex and with promising amateur Harry Bannister taking the reigns and easing the horses burden by five pounds it looks to be able to handle a very lacklustre set of opposition today.

With just six going to post there doesn’t seem to be any strength in depth to the race and although the likes of Superfection, Western Sunrise and Miss Giselle could all do well I think their main battle will be fighting it out for second place and shouldn’t get close to The Nipper.

The Nipper (WIN)

18:45 Wolverhampton

As with my article yesterday evening we will end proceedings at Wolverhampton, this time in the third race on the card.

The race seems relatively open with seven of the eleven runners all currently priced at single figure odds. Eight year old Moonbi Creek leads the market and the Richard Ford runner looks to rack up consecutive course and distance victories. The horse did well when winning that day but a rise in weight and with a very inexperienced jockey in the saddle I couldn’t be too convinced that it will find its head in front once more. It has a great chance of placing but certainly not a guaranteed winner by any stretch of the imagination.

There’s an abundance of three year olds lining up and I think the most likely improver of the younger horses is Mr Christopher, a decent third placed finish can be built upon and hailing from the top yard of Tom Dascombe won’t be a negative. How good the horse can be and how well it’ll improve for that decent effort last time is open to interpretation but as far as I’m concerned this runner looks the biggest and most likeliest threat to my selection.

As with the first pick this one sits with top weight and currently has a handicap rating of fifty five. Little Big Man has won, not too long ago, off a mark of 70. The horse is only four years old and currently holds a 25% strike rate at Wolverhampton, now sat at a much lower weight and with top jockey Pat Cosgrave onboard I think a decent placed effort, if not better, is something that’s well within the top weights grasp.

Little Big Man (E/W if 9/2+)