Horse racing ideas: Southwell and Dundalk, Friday fifteenth November
Today’s tips include jumps motion from soft and sodden Southwell and a brace of big-price picks from the sands of Dundalk.
Sadly we have lost day one of Cheltenham’s November Meeting after a deluge of rainfall within the Cotswolds left the observe underneath water in locations.
Officials remain optimistic that racing on Saturday and Sunday will go-ahead, with an inspection due at 3pm on Friday for day two of the assembly.
That leaves us with leap racing at Newcastle and Southwell on Friday afternoon, with situations forecast to be delicate in both instances, alongside action from Dundalk’s all-weather in the night.
Grand turnaround to continue
When seven-year-old Grand Coureur (Southwell 12:50) made the change to Oliver Greenall’s yard earlier within the year he was a maiden of 18 races, together with bumper and hurdles, as properly as being 0-6 over the larger obstacles.
It’s honest to say his newest handler has found some enchancment and he has turn out to be a consistent performer at his admittedly modest degree since.
Grand Coureur has completed outdoors of the first two simply once in four starts over fences since joining this coach firstly of the summer season, together with a runner-up effort over the C&D right here at Southwell in July.
He would also take second spot at Worcester five days later and finally got his reward when scoring at Bangor (2m4½f, soft) in a Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Chase where he got the decision despite leaping quite slowly at occasions.
He then headed for Sedgefield 18 days later in related firm and finished a good second behind Heavenly Promise, overwhelmed 12-lengths, with that rival now rated a lot larger having scored once more at Uttoxeter next time out.
All in all, that Sedgefield effort was a pleasing one and Grand Coureur, with his score unchanged, now drops right into a Class 5 event at Southwell.
Those latest efforts make certain that the forecast gentle floor isn’t any cause for concern and Greenall has secured the services of red-hot Paddy Brennan to journey (8-27 lately to boast a close to 30 per-cent strike rate), which is further trigger for optimism.
The likes of Babytaggle and Jimmyjames advantage a look within the betting, although each are ceding race fitness to this 7/4 selection.
Look for Dundalk Reward
Major Reward (Dundalk 6:45) did not get on the board for Ger Lyons on turf, although the three-year-old Dawn Approach gelding did end second twice in four makes an attempt on grass earlier than landing a decisive success on the Polytrack at Dundalk over 1m2½f in a claimer final month.
He duly left the Lyons team to hitch Denis Hogan and would finish fourth again right here at Dundalk when tackling 1m4f for the first time a fortnight ago.
Next up he was beaten just a length-and-a-quarter on the line that evening, a stable effort considering he made a gradual exit from the beginning gates and had to be hurried alongside to get a position from what actually should have been a plum attract stall one.
The three-year-old has been eased a pound to a mark of 86 now and, while he will still need to find a bit more, he’s unexposed on what is just a fourth time racing beyond a mile and remains low-mileage enough to counsel there is good purpose to suspect he can supply higher.
Major Reward is 8/1 to attain for a third time in five starts at Dundalk, with him but to run a foul race at the observe. Dropped back in distance and with a beneficial draw as soon as extra, he must be on the premises.
Penny might drop
Previous C&D scorer Mademoiselle Penny (Dundalk 7:45) could probably be of curiosity in Division 2 of this handicap. A prominent racer, she light late on from the entrance end over 1m4f on her return to the all-weather final month.
The drop in distance should swimsuit here and she has gone shut on turf as just lately as August at Leopardstown. The seven-year-old now drops to a mark of just 52 and will get the companies of Kevin Manning on board, while the blinkers are additionally reached for once more this night.
She’s certainly been an in-and-out performer of late and is without a win since 2017, but the most effective of her efforts this yr would give her a squeak from this mark at 16/1.
