Doncaster & Exeter – Tuesday 11th January

The racing comes thick and fast this week and we have another two sumptuous jumps cards to hold our attention this afternoon from Doncaster and Exeter. I have three selections between the two tracks and make sure to keep your eyes peeled for a Lucky 15 later this morning as well. Also, throughout this week there is a strong chance of a few Cheltenham Ante-Post selections rearing their head, especially tackling a couple of handicaps with horses at big prices. However, back to today and we will start off with the action from Doncaster. 

The first race I’ll be covering is the 1.40 on the card, which is a 2m4f novices handicap chase and looks like one of the best races on the card from a quality perspective. Plenty of these horses have competed at better levels than this race in their time, and horses such as Beakstown and Champagnesuperover have to be respected on this step down in grade. However, I am the forgiving type and I think that Gallyhill can be afforded one last chance based on the fact he has undergone another wind operation. There is a very smart horse deep down within Gallyhill, which we saw in glimpses last year when winning a maiden around Newbury and only just getting touched off at Ascot. He jumped superbly for the majority of the way around his chasing debut before flattening out and taking a heavy tumble in the straight. He has been given plenty of time to recover from that, and provided his confidence over fences has not been shattered, should take high rank in this race based on his best form. If sorting out his wind and breathing problems, he is a much better horse than 133 would suggest. At a price of 6/1 with SkyBet, who pay out a generous 4 places, he should be backed each way. 

The 3.20 race is a 2m4f handicap hurdle and this 0-120 contest is a very good race for its grade and seems some unexposed novices step into handicap company. Come on Gruff and Peejaybee have to be well monitored at the top of the market, as they come with that untapped potential, but will have to improve on those novice exploits to do the job here. Instead, I am siding with a bit of experience and Glencassley seems to be a work in progress all the time, considering he has already won twice this season. He didn’t jump very well on either of those two wins and he has been found out in a Grade 2 and when failing to stay 3m on handicap debut. There was no disgrace in that run and this trip should be a lot more suitable. Off a mark of 117, there should be possibilities for this horse to run very well and at a price of 5/1 with Bet365, who offer 4 places – he should be backed. 

The 2.30 race is the only race from Exeter that I’ll be covering in the daily selections and this 3m handicap chase has attracted 10 to go to post on deep ground. I was very close to putting up Musical Slave in this race, so he is defintely a horse one should consider a saver on, but his price has collapsed and I have missed the boat on this occasion. Instead, the horse to back at the prices is Classic Ben, who is running for the second time after a break and is sure to strip a lot fitter for a solid effort on reappearance a month ago. Classic Ben is now getting on in years but he registers the requisite form in the book to take a race like this, having won over this trip and on this ground before, so he should be suited by conditions. His mark of 122 also looks very generous and considering he came a close second over course and distance last year off 130, he should be well in. At a price of 8/1 with SkyBet, who are offering 4 places instead of 3, he looks a cracking each way bet.