Free Daily Tips: 9th February

It was a tough days racing for punters on Saturday with some strange results. We still managed a handful of winners: Lord of Thunder at 11/2, Strong Run at 11/10, Dinoblue at 11/10, Eternal Echo at 16/5, Plage De Havre at 11/8, and Lucky Lugger at 11/4.

Today we have Chepstow, Exeter and Navan to keep us going.

Chepstow

1:20 Ben Solo. Won here on debut and can give the favourite Juby Ball a good race back at a track we know Ben Solo runs well at. It was a good run last time in finishing second at Ffos Las.

1:50 Captain Bellamy. Won the race but was disqualified last time out as rider Lorcan Williams went way over the whip limit. Lorcan retains the ride for connections and will need to redeem himself. He may not need the whip in this contest unless the Henderson newcomer Dyno Dave is a good one.

2:20 Phillapa Sue. Has been acquitting herself well against geldings and will find this mares handicap an easier task.

2:50 Astronomic View. None of the runners look too convincing. Astronomic View bolted up over hurdles a year ago but the handicap mark suffered as a result and she was unable to get competitive afterwards. Has a fair chance of at least matching the best of her hurdles form now over fences but she hasn’t successfully jumped one in public yet.

3:20 Chatshow Tv. I thought this horse ran well on chase debut the other week and he looks nailed on to win a race or two this year, hopefully starting here.

3:55 Bobalot. A course winner for his old yard, the form would make him very competitive here if fit after a 253 day break.

4:30 Livy’s Lad. Has had three underwhelming runs to qualify for a handicap mark but this five year old has a decent pedigree and can prove to be a decent handicapper.

Exeter

1:30 As The Fella Says. This horse showed plenty of ability when second in two maiden hurdles and the slight step up in trip will help. I prefer the form of As The Fella Says against that of Sorceleur and Timmy Tuesday. Those with a keen eye will see that Timmy Tuesday was second behind the hugely impressive Dublin Racing Festival winner Final Demand but he was beaten 15 lengths hard held – it could have been 50.

2:00 Fun Fun Fun. This Irish horse actually won on this Exeter card last year over hurdles and tackles a novice chase today. Fun Fun Fun’s chase debut last time out was very impressive and I think Only By Night has it all to do if she’s to beat our girl.

2:30 Regent’s Stroll. I started looking at this race expecting to find many reasons why Regent’s Stroll would not win. I expected to be tipping against him as I think he’s an average horse that was way too expensive. As it is, the longer I looked at the form the more I couldn’t see anything to beat Regents Stroll so here we are.

3:00 Dashel Drasher. Veterans races aren’t my favourite to bet in as you never know what mood the horses are in and they simply don’t hold their form. Dashel Drasher though is one horse where you know what you are going to get, he’s a tough and likeable horse who will enjoy being back at a longer trip today,

3:33 Jeriko Du Reponet. This horse was a short price for a nice race on chase debut and is the obvious class act in the field sticking to hurdles. I’d like to know why they are stepping him up this far in trip as it seeks a strange move but Nicky Henderson knows horses better than me.

4:08 Valirann Gold. Great effort when second over course at distance last time when 8lb wrong at the weights. Will probably be overlooked again in the betting market.

4:43 Kocktail Bleu. Experience is valuable in national hunt bumpers and this one ran second at Windsor three weeks ago on debut. Looks to face a strong market rival in Korkoran for Harry Derham who makes its rules debut.

Navan

1:40 Honesty Policy. I was taken with how well Honesty Party finished off his race at Naas when finishing second. He got the hang of what was expected and can put that knowledge to good use against Salt Bay. Salt Bay has fashionable associations which may draw the punters in – formerly trained by Ralph Beckett and now with Henry De Bromhead, to be ridden by Rachel Blackmore – but hasn’t jumped a hurdle in public. It could be crap.

2:10 Just For Love. A good run at Cork in a listed race last time out and brings a similar profile to Tareze, although I think the form line of Just for Love is stronger.

2:40 Thedevilscoachman. The trip is fine, the track is fine, the ground is fine, and the horse is fine judging by his run last time out in the Galmoy, appearing to be coming back to form. I think all the others will have other targets in mind this season and Noel Meade will be targeting this race to get a win.

3:12 Not My Problem. Would be much shorter in the betting here had he not ran last time out when disappointingly being pulled up. His form in getting placed in two decent handicap hurdles entitles him to figure strongly here,

3:45 Chosen Witness. The sole Mullins representative to stop the race from being a Gordon Elliott schooling session. Chosen Witness was a useful hurdler without being one of the best but does have scope over fences to trouble the likes of Better Days Ahead, Three Card Brag, and Stellar Story.

4:20 Salmanino. Looked sure to play a part in the finish when falling last time out at Punchestown. I’d make this horse the favourite if I was pricing up the market.

4:55 Copacabana. Will have me singing the song if he lands the money… This Blue Bresil gelding looks better than your average bumper runner and should give Patrick Mullins a good spin around. Looks to have the £100k purchase Returning Officer to beat but Copacabana is one of my bets of the day.

Happy punting

Mav