Handicap Conundrums take a bit of solving
David Pipe trains Great Endeavours
By Hayley O’Connor, Ladbrokes.com
Large Handicaps are usually not quite my cup of tea. Too much is left to chance, anything can happen and if I am being totally honest, it involves quite a bit of homework if you’re taking it seriously. How and ever, we have two that I am looking forward to this weekend, the first being tomorrow at Newbury with the Hennessy Gold Cup going to post at 3.10 and the highlight fixture at Navan, the Ladbrokes.com Troytown Chase.
Starting with the Hennessy, Ladbrokes have made Aiteen Thirtythree the favourite, and the fact that Ruby has opted to ride him over his stablemate Michel Le Bon should be encouraging as it’s not too often Mr. Walsh gets it wrong. But looking at his last run in the Graduation Chase, I think there is much better value on offer and I say oppose him, plus it’s an each way race so I’m turning my attention elsewhere.
One of our worst results would be Wayward Prince who’s been steadily climbing the ranks in the betting all week, encouraged no doubt by his trainers comments during the week that he’s spot on for the contest. Michel Le Bon should not be ignored, and I’ll be putting beside his name in the racecard “Dark Horse” . He’s lightly raced, coming to the race off a lengthy lay off but is very well bred, a half brother to multiple winners in France and has won fresh before.
But no sitting on the fence here, I’m going for The Paddy Power Chase winner Great Endeavour. He is a courageous horse that puts his head down and gets the job done. It takes a tough horse to win a big handicap and I think he’s got the necessarily credentials but I’m not lumping on in such a large field. I would consider Muirhead were it not for the record Irish runners have in the race, which by the way, is abysmal.
Sunday’s title race will be the Ladbrokes.com Troytown Chase and I’m finding this one tricky, I’m seemingly not alone as it’s been a quiet betting heat so far. The only horse that’s been lively is Ad Idem, well fancied and a big mover from20s into 14/1. The reigning champ Jack The Bus will line up to defend his crown but the trainer is not totally confident that he’ll hold on.
Although he’s a talented horse, he has been plagued by leg injury and has been off the track since this race last year and my thinking is that he may need the run so I’ll steer clear. Some Target had an ideal prep for this with his second to Irish Soul in Clonmel but I am going to go a horse that has struck me as very progressive and possibly still ahead of the handicapper in Groody Hill.
As for the Fighting Fifth, after much deliberation, I am will to forgive and forget my losses on Binocular and pray that his jumping will once again take my breath away and he puts in a performance that justifies his former glory. But I don’t say that too confidently if I am honest and think the only other possible winner of the race would be Overturn, who has a much more welcoming price.
Check all of Ladbrokes’ latest prices here.
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