Our racing expert Ben Linfoot has three Value Bet selections for Saturday's action at Kempton and Uttoxeter including one in the Midlands National.
Recommended Bets: Saturday, March 14
Harry Fry has an exceptional record at Uttoxeter and his CAPTAIN DRAKE (11/1 General) could improve it further with victory in the Marston’s 61 Deep Midlands Grand National at the track on Saturday.
Fry has had 18 wins from 63 runners at 29 per cent at the track and Captain Drake was one of those winners as he won his maiden hurdle at Uttoxeter a couple of years ago.
He’s improved on his hurdling form since going chasing, though, his best effort coming at Exeter on New Year’s Day where his stamina came to the fore as he defeated a course specialist in The Kings Writ in good style.
Fighting a losing battle when unseating at Ascot after that, he’s worth forgiving that run and he could find bags of improvement now he steps up to this marathon trip as he looks a stout stayer.
Bryan Carver claims 5lb off his back as well and he’s already won a couple of races for Fry from seven rides. With a quartet of horses out of the handicap thanks to the presence of top weight De Rasher Counter, Captain Drake looks perfectly weighted to take advantage.
Another trainer with a fine record at Uttoxeter is Nick Williams (16 from 76 at 21 per cent) and his FAIRE PART SIVOLA (14/1 Hills is worth chancing on handicap debut in the Burton Union Handicap Hurdle at 3.00.
He looked a horse to follow on his first few goes over hurdles, beating Lucy Wadham’s subsequent winner Trincomalee at Leicester before giving Paul Nicholls’ subsequent winner Calva D’Auge a real race at Wincanton.
Pitched into the Sky Bet Dovecote after that, he was never happy at Kempton and was never put in the race – perhaps the opposition were too hot, perhaps the ground was too lively, or perhaps it was a combination of the two.
Whatever it was, he qualified for handicaps and, off 131, back on testing ground, he’s worth chancing as his pedigree suggests he wants to step up in trip.
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Finally, over at Kempton, BOOTLEGGER is well worth a bet in the Paddy Power Silver Plate Handicap Hurdle at a massive 14/1 (General).
It took Neil Mulholland a few runs to get to know his new charge but at Doncaster in January everything clicked and Bootlegger absolutely hosed up in a race that couldn’t have worked out any better.
The son of Kayf Tara tanked into it and won as he liked, the drying ground clearly to his liking, and the second, third and fourth have all franked the form with subsequent victories.
An 8lb rise looks lenient on that evidence and he sneaks in at the bottom in this race with Harry Reed taking another 3lb off.
He could take off now he’s got a win under his belt and with conditions ideal he’s been underestimated in his bid to back up his Town Moor success in a race Mulholland has won before with Carole's Destrier.
Posted at 1700 GMT on 13/03/20
Ben Linfoot's Value Bet aim: The Value Bet is designed to generate long-term profit by searching for overpriced horses in the feature weekend races and at the big Festivals in the UK and Ireland. Running total: +325.89pts to advised stakes/prices (from inception of Value Bet column in January 2010 to current).
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