Thursday was a disappointing turn out after both selections failed to confirm what looked decent form, although there have only been 2 days involvement so far this month they have been poor ones which is disappointing but there's plenty of time left in december yet. Onto today & a busy day of racing where there are a few picks that catch the eye at what look to be real nice prices.
Aintree -
13:30 KEEL HAUL - 2.5 Point Win 7/2 = LOST (3rd)
Henry Oliver's gelding came back last time out from a near 90 day absence & was able to make it a winning return, when staying on well at the finish to get up by just over a length at Warwick over 2 miles. The win last time out may have been a bit fortunate considering the leader who seemed to be going well in front fell 2 out leaving KEEL HAUL to battle it out with the eventual second placed horse, none the less it was a decent performance at a trip that perhaps doesn't completely suit. The step up to 2m 4f today definitely looks in favour given the manner of his staying on effort last time & he does have some placed form at this trip from the summer. Of the rest Ivan Boru looks the biggest threat & he himself comes here in good knick off the back of two wins, none of which however look to be any better than the selections last time out victory & I think Ivan Boru could find it tough giving the selection over a stone in weight. The ground is a slight unknown since he is unraced on worse than good but with the forecast ground of good to soft (good in places) you have to hope this shouldn't be a problem. Overall Henry Oliver's 5 year old ran with promise last time out & with the step up in trip looking to suit combined with the fact he will go off lowest weight when taking into consideration the apprentice jockey's allowance KEEL HAUL looks as though he can go close & 7/2 looks a nice price & worth the small punt.
Sandown -
14:25 DEEP TROUBLE - 1 Point EW 8/1 = WON
This could be a fairly competitive event & a case can probably be made one way or another for quite a few but one that catches the eye for more than one reason is DEEP TROUBLE. first & foremost in the last year he is a horse who doesn't seem to know how to run a bad race with form figures showing 222122 & the form of his most recent second in what looked a warm cheltenham handicap looks fairly strong. He stayed on well towards the finish that day over the same 17f as today to take a decent second place considering the 19 runners. In fairness this is tougher here but he looked as though he could be a progressive type this term & he will go off almost bottom weight here receiving weight pretty much all round. In terms of recent form DEEP TROUBLE's is some of the best on offer & despite this being a stronger race i don't think he would have to show much improvement to get involved, all round plenty to like about this one & if brining his top game here then he should put up a fight for the places at decent odds of 8/1.
15:35 GODSMEJUDGE - 1 Point EW 7/1 = LOST & BRADLEY - 1 Point EW 7/1 = LOST
3m 5f Staying chase to end the card here at Sandown & it looks a good one. Starting with the Alan King trained GODSMEJUDGE, this is a real likeable horse as a staying chaser & is real honest type who rarely fails to give his running. This is a horse who i have followed intently over the past year & have had considerable joy with, his form figures for the last season read 121315. His most impressive piece of form was when pulling clear to win last year scottish grand national & he looked almost as good when making his seasonal reappearance in a competitive grade 3 handicap at Cheltenham's open meeting last month over 28f, overall he jumped the best the whole way round & it looked to be only a mistake 2 out which cost him at least a place, but still finished a close & very respectable 5th. The extra 2 furlongs here looks surely to be in his favour & perhaps the only negative you could draw on is the fact he carries top weight, but he has given weight all round before & still produced so this isn't enough to put me off him here, overall there isn't much more to say other than GODSMEJUDGE is a real genuine staying chaser who looks capable of going well once again & if putting down his usual run then the place money is a real possibility.
BRADLEY is probably less consistent than the above but certainly is another one who has shown he is very capable in some decent staying chase events. In Fact he finished less than a couple of lengths in front of Godsmejudge in that Cheltenham race last time out, where he was staying on well without being quite able to reach the front pair, nonetheless the form looks strong & the two selections look closely matched on that. He also performed with credit on his other start this season when finishing a respectable 5th of 16 runners behind the impressive winner Balthazar King, also at Cheltenham back in October. He looks better off in the weights than the above & being ridden by 5lb claiming Conor Shoemark could be a real advantage. On the pick of his form this Fergal O'Brien trained gelding looks one of the more likely types here & if continuing his already good start to the season he is another who can make a bold claim for the places.
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