Handstands is in great order but it's never easy to run with a penalty in a competitive novice chase. I'd like to see him win turning handstands and if he does he's a very smart novice.
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09/01/24 – 1st 5/2 – Marinakis – Ian Williams – Chelmsford
Marinakis didn't pull up any trees last time off 47 when a 33/1 shot. Someone seems to think he's going to run a lot better judged on his overnight price of 2/1! Interesting.
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06/01/25 – 2nd 11/4 – Baratablet – Nicky Richards – Ayr
Baratablet is from a nice female jumps family and is a son of Wings Of Eagles, a Derby winner for Aidan O'Brien, who is making his way as a jumps stallion. Baratablet is a grand horse who works well and seems to like soft ground, so he should be okay on this surface. First time…
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04/01/24 – 1st 5/1 – Miss Funky Monk – Tom Clover – Wolverhampton
Miss Funky Monk is going the right way and looked the likely winner over the CD when just caught late 2nd time out. She can build on that tonight and go very close again.
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02/01/25 – 2nd 100/30 – Lock Stock – Ben Pauling – Huntingdon
Lock Stock just got the wrong end of a tight finish at Wincanton but showed clear promiose. Huntingdon bumpers are usually competitive and this looks another that will take plenty of winning, but I wouldn't swap Lock Stock for any of the others.
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02/01/25 – 3rd 15/2 – Draco Malfoy – Kim Bailey – Huntingdon
Irish point-to-point winner Draco Malfoy ran well on his debut in a bumper at Uttoxeter, finishing 4th. That was promising and he now takes on the horse that won that race. Our boy is all about hurdling next season but has place chances here.
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02/01/25 – 1st 3/1 – Vanderpoel – Ben Pauling – Huntingdon
Vanderpoel jumped well and stayed on strongly when winning his Irish point in November. He has shown us plenty since coming here and we're optimistic he can be sharp enough to win over 2m on hurdles debut.
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01/01/25 – 1st 2/5 – Moon Rocket – Kim Bailey – Southwell
Moon Rocket was impressive when winning his first start over hurdles at Doncaster and on form he should follow up. That said, Silver Thorn will be no pushover.
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01/01/25 – 1st 5/4 – Diva Luna – Ben Pauling – Cheltenham
Very smart in bumpers last season, Diva Luna was a disappointing long odds-on favourite for her seasonal return and hurdles debut over 2m at Lingfield. She will be a different proposition we hope over an extra half mile on this course. Very hopeful.
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01/01/25 – 1st Evens – Beat The Edge – Micky Hammond – Catterick
Beat The Edge is a horse that prefers to finish 2nd or 3rd rather than winning, his one success coming in a chase almost two years ago for his previous stable. He turns out again after Saturday's 2nd over the CD and this could be his day - at last.
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01/01/24 – 1st 5/4 – Diva Luna – Ben Pauling – Cheltenham
Very smart in bumpers last season, Diva Luna was a disappointing long odds-on favourite for her seasonal return and hurdles debut over 2m at Lingfield. She will be a different proposition we hope over an extra half mile on this course. Very hopeful.
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31/12/24 – 3rd 33/1 – Ghina Di Tacco – Fergal O’Brien – Uttoxeter
By Soldier Of Fortune out of a Kayf Tara mare, Ghina Di Tacco is a nice mare with a good attitude. Hoping for a solid run on her first appearance under any Rules of Racing.
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29/12/24 – 1st 9/4 – Hurlerontheditch – Kim Bailey – Doncaster
This is a three-horse race where we have an odds-on favourite to beat. Hurlerontheditch will need to have improved from Lingfield to beat him, but will try his best to do so.
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29/12/24 – 2nd 28/1 – Book Of Tales – Charlie Longsdon – Doncaster
Book Of Tales has been off for 15 months and is handicapped on his one winning hurdles run at Fontwell. Effectively, he's still a novice and meets these much more experienced opponents. It will be tough, but he has ability and is ready to run. Interesting.
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28/12/24 – 2nd 12/1 – C’Mon Kenny – Ian Williams – Southwell
Slow starts and mid-race surges have been the pattern for C'Mon Kenny the last twice, but with vastly different outcomes. If he can get away a little more alertly and make more stealthy headway, he could be very dangerous.
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28/12/24 – 2nd 13/2 – Beat The Edge – Micky Hammond – Catterick
Beat The Edge ran an excellent debut race for the stable when a running-on 2nd at Sedgefield. He is 8lb lower over fences than hurdles and I give him a great chance to add to his single win for previous connections early last year.
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28/12/24 – 1st 7/2 – Henry’s Friend – Ben Pauling – Newbury
Henry's Friend won three in a row last season and he showed he has continued to progress with a battling 5th in the Coral Gold Cup over this 3m2f last time. A repetition of that run would probably be good enough to resume the winning thread.
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27/12/24 – 2nd 18/1 – Green Team – Ian Williams – Wolverhampton
Green Team has been placed in five of his last six runs, including gaining an only place from five career AW outings. His consistency hasn't allowed any leniency from the handicapper, so we're probably going there with place more than win expectations.
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27/12/24 – 1st 10/1 – Finn Russell – Ian Williams – Wolverhampton
Finn Russell collected three AW wins last winter and added one on turf at Carlisle in the summer. He had a break after an unsuccessful trip to Downpatrick but came back with a whimper at Lingfield. He has had time to recover and we hope he is geared up for another fruitful winter, possibly starting…
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27/12/24 – RESULT 2ns 18/1 – Green Team – Ian Williams – Wolverhampton
Green Team has been placed in five of his last six runs, including gaining an only place from five career AW outings. His consistency hasn't allowed any leniency from the handicapper, so we're probably going there with place more than win expectations.
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