Our Punting Pointers team have started December with a bang after a terrific November. Don't miss David Massey's advice for Saturday's action.
Recommended Bets: December 5
1.5pts win Pistol Park in 12.47 Chepstow at 7/2 (minimum 11/4)
1pt win St Barts in 2.32 Chepstow at 15/8 (take no lower)
1pt win Blaster Yeats in 1.02 Wetherby at 9/2 (minimum 4/1)
0.5pts e.w High Moor Flyer in 2.05 Aintree at 40/1 (minimum 33/1)
For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record
- November was a fantastic month for our daily Punting Pointers column, with a profit of £45.74 recorded at recommended prices
- December hasn't started badly either with David Massey firing in 7/1 winner The Cob and 9/4 winner Johnny Drama from two selections on Wednesday, while Rory Delargy had a 7/2 winner at Sandown on Friday
12.47 Chepstow - Pistol Park
Chepstow’s going stick reading at the time of writing reads 3.6, so whilst having form in deep ground is a plus, having passed your 200m swimming badge might equally be handy.
Le Coeur Net comes here in good form after wins at Plumpton and Fontwell but the penalty he picks up for a win in the second of those races essentially means he needs a career best here. That’s not impossible, of course, but this trip is probably right at the top end of his stamina and this race comes soon enough, so he looks opposable, all things taken into consideration.
Pistol Park has dropped a long way in the handicap and has clearly had his (wind) problems, but he looked more like his old self when third in a much better contest than this on his reappearance at Ayr in October, travelling strongly and holding every chance before weakening out of it late on. You’d expect him to come on for that, his first start in eight months, and he’s already proven on heavy ground. Yet to win at the trip but he stays it well, and looks the obvious alternative to Le Coeur Net here.
2.32 Chepstow - St Barts
After a slow start to autumn, Philip Hobbs is starting to fire the winners in and St Barts could be another here.
On paper, a 1½l second to Ofalltheginjoints for his chase debut at Exeter reads well, but it looks even better when you realise he was carried off his line three out, losing ground, and then stayed on very well approaching the last to take second. He looked a thorough stayer that day, something that can only help given the ground here will be very deep and he’s already proven in it, having won twice in heavy ground last season.
The handicapper has put him up 3lb for that effort but he remains unexposed over fences, and given his smart pedigree there ought to be better to come.
1.02 Wetherby - Blaster Yeats
Dalaman looks the obvious one here, given he’s proven on heavy ground and comes here after a ready win at Bangor, but a 10lb rise looks plenty for what he achieved there, with the second home Frisco Bay well beaten on his next start, and he might be worth taking on if he’s too short a price.
Down the foot of the handicap, Blaster Yeats makes some appeal. He’s been taking time to get himself fitter this season but it was a better effort at Hexham on his latest start, staying on at one pace after being front rank throughout to finish a 2½l fourth. That was over an inadequate 2m as well, and this step up to 3m ought to suit, both on the visuals (he was second over 20f here last year, doing all his best work at the finish) and on pedigree.
He needs to brush his hurdling technique up a touch, but going a step slower over 3m ought to help in that regard, and he seemed to handle heavy ground on the one occasion he’s come across it to date.
2:05 Aintree - High Moor Flyer
It’s strange to say that a juvenile at Leicester is the key to this Listed event, especially when that race saw a 17/2 shot beat fillies priced at 50/1 and 200/1, which would not be an indicator of strong form in normal circumstances. Nonetheless, Megan was hugely impressive in winning the Graham The Plumbers' Merchant Fillies' Juvenile Hurdle in a very good time for the conditions, and she is almost certainly the right favourite here. In saying that, those who buy into the idea that she is the outstanding contender here must also accept that the runner-up that day also ran a hugely promising race given she had to do much of the donkey work, and I can’t help but feel that High Moor Flyer has been underrated again.
The daughter of Pour Moi jumped soundly and came well clear of the others with Megan at Leicester, and looks a nice prospect in her own right, but while the winner has been put into the market at 6/4, Jedd O’Keeffe’s filly is 40/1 at BetVictor (1/5 1,2,3) and 33/1 across the board, and I fancy she can repay each-way support with the benefit of that run.
Posted at 1800 GMT on 04/12/20
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