Wexford – Saturday 4th September

After a decent end to the month of August, it has taken me a few days to get invested into the action of September, and have taken a well needed few days off to recharge the batteries and go again. Each month that ticks by excites me more than the next, with the National Hunt season properly ticking into overdrive come next month at Chepstow. Today sees some sumptuous action to get stuck into at Wexford, which will be the destination of my selections – rather than some of the higher profile flat meetings across the pond.

Starting off with the 1.35, which is a handicap hurdle over the extended 2 miles. It sees Downthecellar return to hurdles action off a very favourable mark given his exploits this summer over fences. However, I am always dubious about horses repeating the dose back over hurdles, and at an odds on price – I think he is worth swerving away from in this instance, and to let him win at that type of price. Instead, last time out scorer Mama Tried makes the most appeal here to me. All has obviously not been plain sailing with this eight year old, who has had more than her fair share of time off the track. However, her performances this summer had been progressing nicely before winning on handicap debut off a mark of 83 in decisive manner. As much as she has to contend with a six pound rise for that effort, nothing about it felt like a flash in the pan, and she might be able to repeat the dose. I am going to take the 12/1 on offer with William Hill, who pays out 4 places in this race, as a decent each way bet. 

The following race at 2.10 is another competitive handicap hurdle, this time over the intermediate trip of 2m4f. It would be unlike me to not go through a meeting at Wexford without scouring for Paul Nolan runners, and I think his best chance of a winner today is Cloak of Darkness, who is backable at an each way price in this race. He is another runner who has not been sound for the entirety of his career and reappeared at Wexford a month ago after a long absence. He ran a huge race in third that day, behind the progressive duo of Good World and Glen Robin. He backed that up with a decent run at Bellewstown, where if it wasn’t for hanging in the straight, he could have filled out the frame again. He is currently 11/1 with SkyBet, who again offer 4 places for this race, and I am backing him each way as a result. 

The final race I will be covering is the 3.55, which is a 2m4f handicap chase. This sees a good field of 11 go to post, and plenty come into this race with a chance. Because of how open the race is, I fancy two to make a decent run of it and hopefully can both run with respectable credit. Starting off with the first reserve, Carried, who should get into this race given the early morning Non-Runner and has had a good record this summer to defend. Having only been narrowly denied in both a handicap chase at Downpatrick and a handicap on the level at Navan, he blitzed a field here from the front a few starts back. He hasn’t been able to back that up since, but he has been freshened up and returns to a track that he enjoys running at. At a best price of 17/2 with SkyBet, who go 4 places – he is another each way selection.

And the final selection comes in the 3.55 race as well, and it is last year’s winner of the race, Tiantu – who has been out of sorts in recent starts but may well be returning to a mark which he can compete off. He usually needs a few blow out runs to get him fit and firing and with this being his third start of the summer, there is every chance that he could run a big race on the return to this C&D. Certainly at a price of 16/1 with SkyBet, he is worth a squeak each way also.