Four early bets for our man ahead of the weekend including Alnadam in the Virgin Bet Masters Handicap Chase.
Racing betting tips: Saturday, February 6
1pt win The Ferry Master in 2.05 Musselburgh at 7/1
2pts win Messire Des Obeaux in 2.20 Sandown at 9/2
1pt win Port Of Mars in 2.35 Wetherby at 5/1
1pt win Alnadam in 3.30 Sandown at 10/1
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With the doubts surrounding the hurdle races at Sandown and the talk of switching to an all-chase card it makes sense to concentrate on the races over the larger obstacles.
The Grade One Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase has a stellar roll of honour and is often a pointer to the big Festival novice events in the spring.
Dan Skelton unsurprisingly has the favourite in Shan Blue, a slick jumping seven-year-old who has barely put a foot wrong since sent over fences with two victories at Wetherby preceding his Boxing Day success at Kempton in the Kauto Star.
He stays and jumps and we know he gets further which are obvious positives and his last run showed his effectiveness going right handed. That said the bare form has since been let down and I think he faces better horses on Saturday. He's short enough at 5/2.
Dame De Compagnie and Allart could represent Nicky Henderson, who has farmed Sandown over the years. The former won last year’s Coral Cup and beat a Fighting Fifth winner on her recent chasing debut, while the Allart, a creditable fifth to superstar stablemate Shishkin in the Sky Bet Supreme, won a Grade 2 on his first outing over the bigger obstacles at Ascot before Christmas. He then fell at Haydock.
Both also have entries at Musselburgh at the weekend, though, and I'm not certain how much either would love the heavy ground forecast at the English venue.
Paul Nicholls’ Hitman was visually stunning at Ffos Las first time over fences but could never get to grips with all the way winner, Allmankind, here in the Henry VIII here in December. He clearly has immense talent but whether he’ll be subjected to a slog in the mud might be in doubt as he's a horse his trainer predicts a very bright future for.
Sporting John comes under the ‘could be anything’ banner, having looked a world beater more than once but fluffing his lines in the Ballymore behind Envoi Allen in March. He never got into the race on his chasing debut at Exeter but If he can rediscover his hurdles form he’s a big player. Clearly there are risks attached though.
The horse I like at current prices is MESSIRE DES OBEAUX, a Class 1 winning hurdler over the track as long ago as December 2016, and a horse who’s barely touched a twig in two chase wins this term.
We know he’s Grade 1 class as he was third in Willoughby Court’s Ballymore after which he filled the same position at Aintree behind the ill-fated Finian’s Oscar and the horse he beat last time, Protektorat, a dual Grade 2 Cheltenham winner.
The horse has had his problems over the years but Alan King has him in peak condition and won’t risk him at Cheltenham so this looks like his Gold Cup. At 9/2 I believe there’s enough juice to squeeze out a bet.
The other race on the card which appeals from a betting point of view is the Virgin Bet Masters Handicap Chase over three miles. It could be a case of last man standing by this time, a well known trainer once told me that no horses like heavy ground, some just go through it and the better handicapped they are the better their chance of coping.
This race has any number of progressive types from big stables and the likelihood is that they’ll all end up on higher marks in the future but Dan Skelton’s 137-rated eight-year-old ALNADAM looked ready for this type of test when wining here over half a mile shorter in December.
He struggled for pace around the tighter turns of Kempton on quicker ground on Boxing Day when sent off favourite but had attacked the hill with real purpose on his last visit here when putting distance between himself and a host of subsequent winners.
The current price of 10/1 looks generous with his excellent course form and although he does have an alternative entry at Wetherby, surely this will be his target with the extra distance likely to play to his strengths.
Talking of Wetherby, the West Yorkshire track host their best novice chase of the season in the William Hill Towton Novices’ Chase at 2.35 and on all known form The Big Breakaway is the best horse here. However, he’s been beaten by similar types this season and, as earlier discussed, his second placing at Kempton over Christmas doesn’t look outstanding form.
Olly Murphy has his horses in great nick and PORT OF MARS looked a fast improving stayer at Hereford last time when easily picking off Nick Mitchell’s Milanford who reopposes here. The trainer said afterwards he’d be at his best on ground on the soft side which he should get on Saturday and he’ll have to be going close here to justify his Cheltenham entry in the National Hunt Chase. He'll give us a good run for our money at 5/1.
Musselburgh stage the Bet365 Scottish Cheltenham Trials Weekend and the Edinburgh National Handicap Chase looks ideal for Sandy Thomson’s THE FERRYMASTER, who has been given a ten-week break since his last victory at Newcastle.
He’d earlier looked an out and out stayer at Kelso and is a different horse since returning from a wind operation and being sent chasing. He’s another who is doubly entered and has Cheltenham entries in the spring but he’s surely got to win off this mark against some very exposed chasers if one of those options is to be taken up and there’s 7/1 available.
Thomson and his jockey Ryan Mania, who won the Randox Health Grand National on Auroras Encore nearly eight years ago, have been having a great time of it at the northern tracks this winter and victory here would set them up nicely for the spring with this horse.
Published at 1950 GMT on 01/02/21
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