The last two winners of the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Eider Handicap will try to win the race for a second time at Newcastle tomorrow (2:43 p.m.). Knockanore, who has showed little since his win twelve months ago, and Anglers Crag, who has switched stables since his win in 2024, both have strong chances of victory if running up to their best form.
This marathon contest of nearly 4 miles 2 furlongs is not for the faint of heart although this year Newcastle seems to have missed the worst of the rain as the going is currently ‘good to soft’. This race is often run on ‘soft’ or ‘heavy’ ground with the runners well strung on by the winning post.
My preference tomorrow is for DOM OF MARY, an out-and-out stayer who has done well for trainer James Owen since being switched from David Bridgwater’s yard in the close season. The ten-year-old gelding won at this course in November over a distance of 3 miles 6 furlongs and was then sixth in the Coral Welsh Grand National in late December on ground too quick for him (officially ‘good to soft’ but in reality much faster).
The outsider of the field, Whistle Stop Tour, is interesting at a big price
James Davies rides Dom Of Mary for the first time tomorrow but he is a good jockey to have on board in these big staying handicaps. Back Dom Of Mary one point each way at 15-2 with Skybet, paying a generous four places in this ten-runner contest.
The outsider of the field, Whistle Stop Tour, is interesting at a big price. He was seen as a potential stable star this time last year and a Grand National horse of the future. Then it all went horribly wrong, starting at the Cheltenham Festival when he was nearly brought down in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the first fence. He never recovered from that setback and was pulled up, while his runs since then have generally been poor.
However, Whistle Stop Tour has now had a breathing operation and he is down to a mark of just 125. If the surgery has the desired effect, he could easily win this. The trouble is he may simply have fallen out of love with the sport and he is not one to rely upon, so I will stay with just the one bet in the race.
At Kempton tomorrow, Katate Dori will attempt to win the Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase (3:35 p.m.) for the second year running. Trainer Sam Thomas’s eight-year-old gelding landed this race by a comfortable 15 lengths last year and so, even though he is 11 lbs higher in the official ratings 12 months on, that might not be enough to stop him from following-up.
I put up The Doyen Chief each way for this race at 12-1 last week, paying four places, and I am happy with that ante-post bet. However, I want to go into the race double-handed with DEEP CAVE for the Christian Williams/Jack Tudor trainer/jockey combination.
Deep Cave is two wins from three runs this season and I am going to forgive him his latest poor run at Doncaster on a track that may not have suited him. Williams was full of praise for his eight-year-old gelding earlier this week, saying:
He could well be the classiest stayer we’ve had, I don’t think many of the others would’ve won the handicap hurdle he did [a premier handicap at Aintree last April].
Williams loves to target these valuable handicap chases and he has won this Kempton race twice in the past four years, with Kitty’s Light and Win My Wings. Tomorrow’s race is worth more than £85,000 to winning connections. Back Deep Cave one point each way at 9-1 with bet365, BetVictor, Ladbrokes, Coral or Unibet, all paying four places in this 13-runner contest over 3 miles on likely ‘good to soft’ ground.
The entries for the Cheltenham handicaps came out last week and the horse that caught my eye is KONFUSION for the Ultima Handicap Chase on day one (10 March), a contest in which the British trainers have a good record against their Irish rivals.
Konfusion is trained by joint handlers Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith and the latter won this race back in 2021 with the grey Vintage Clouds (who was 11 years old at the time and running in the race for the fifth time, no less). Konfusion has won three of his six starts this season and could have more progress still to come now that his joint trainers have their string back in fine form.
Back him one point each way at 20-1 with bet365 paying four places but without the Non Runner No Bet (NRNB) concession, given this is the horse’s only festival entry and this race is definitely his target (he is 16-1 NRNB with most other firms). There will be more places on the day but the 20-1 may well have evaporated.
There are plenty of other horses that I am interested in for the festival handicaps but some are ground dependent so I will hold off backing them for now. By this time next week, the Cheltenham Festival will be only 11 days away and we should have a better indication of the likely ground condtions. So watch this space…
Pending:
1 point each way Dom Of Mary at 15-2 for the Eider, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places.
1 point each way The Doyen Chief at 12-1 for the Ladbrokes Trophy, paying 1/4 odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Deep Cave at 9-1 for the Ladbrokes Trophy, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Sober Glory for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at 12-1 NRNB, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Romeo Coolio at 16-1 for the Arkle Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Mambonumberfive at 20-1 for the Arkle Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Konfusion at 20-1 for the Ultima Chase, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
1point each way Golden Ace at 16-1 for the Champion Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Laurens Bay at 25-1 for the NH Novices’ Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Derryhassen Paddy at 25-1 for the Brown Advisory Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way La Conquiere at 16-1 for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Haiti Couleurs at 14-1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Resplendent Grey at 50-1 for the Grand National, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
Last weekend – 4 points
1 point each way Lightningupourdays at 8-1 for the Betfair Exchange Handicap Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Monbeg Genius at 12-1 for the Grand National Trial, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
2025-26 jumps season: running total – 4.985 points
2025 flat season: + 84.12 points on all tips.
2024-5 jumps season: – 47.61 points on all tips.
2024 flat season: + 41.4 points on all tips.
2023-4 jumps season: + 42.01 points on all tips.
2023 flat season: – 48.22 points on all tips.
2022-3 jumps season: + 54.3 points on all tips.
Total for six full seasons of tipping: + 126 points
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