Lambourn trainer Jamie Snowden continues to enjoy a stellar season in which he has landed some big-race prizes. His general statistics are impressive too: 62 winners from just 218 runners for a strike rate of 28 per cent.
Snowden has plenty of interesting runners at Ascot and Windsor this weekend and I would be surprised if he did not have a winner or two over the next three days. One of his Ascot runners tomorrow, in the in the BetMGM Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle (2.53 p.m.), is MARCHE D’ALIGRE who looks overpriced even though this is a competitive contest.
This five-year-old gelding was backed into favouritism last month for a handicap hurdle at Sandown and, although he was only second that day, his run can be upgraded given he made a terrible hash of the third obstacle. That seemed to affect his confidence and so to go so close to winning nevertheless was a big plus.
I would be surprised if Marche D’Aligre could not land a decent prize off his current official mark of 122 and, hopefully, with the talented Gavin Sheehan in the saddle, that will be tomorrow. Back him 1 point each way at 11-1 with Ladbrokes, paying three places.
The front three in the market, Came From Nowhere, Surrey Lord and Faivoir, are probably the main dangers but this is an open race in which even the outsider of the field Metier has a shout if the ground is soft or worse.
There are plenty of small fields again this weekend and it is disappointing to see just seven runners declared at Haydock tomorrow for the Sky Bet Peter Marsh Handicap Chase (2 p.m.). Myretown and Konfusion rightly head the market but, with their respective jumping frailties, odds of 2-1 on the former and 5-2 on the latter are skinny. Johnnywho is a horse I really like, too, but his odds of 7-2 are not enticing either.
I would prefer to take a chance on RICHMOND LAKE for the northern combination of trainer Donald McCain and jockey Brian Hughes. Officially rated 150 a year ago, he is now down to a nice mark of 134 and his runs this two season have been decent enough.
Now ten years old, this gelding is not going to be improving but he likes Haydock and so back him 1 point each way at 11-1 with either Paddy Power or Sky Bet, both paying a generous three places.
Windsor stages its Winter Million meeting starting today and, with decent prize money on offer, plenty of the big stables are having runners at the course over the three days. There was lots of rain in the south-east of England yesterday and so the meeting will open today on ground described as soft, heavy in places.
That will be music to the ears of the connections of HOT FUSS who must have ground with plenty of cut to show his best. Unfortunately, the ground dried up to good after I put this horse up in a handicap at Sandown earlier this month. Even then, he ran pretty well, fading to fourth after a mistake at the last. He was only beaten three lengths by the improving All In You, who is among the ante-post favourites for the William Hill Hurdle at Newbury next month.
I am convinced that Hot Fuss is good enough to win a decent pot off an official mark of 125 on soft ground and so back him at Windsor today in the Fitzdares Sovereign Handicap Hurdle (3.35 p.m.). He is not the most consistent animal but take the 11-1 with bet365, paying five places.
I was tempted to go into the race double-handed with Wilful, who has been given a Unibet Champion Hurdle entry by his shrewd connections. If he is going to have a chance in that Grade 1 Cheltenham Festival race, he is going to have to win pretty comfortably today off an official mark of just 142. However, his price has halved to 4-1 in the past 24 hours so, on balance, I will leave Hot Fuss as the only bet in the race.
I am a big fan of Harry Fry’s chaser Gidleigh Park and he will face only three rivals in the big race of the weekend at Ascot tomorrow, the Grade 1 BetMGM Clarence House Chase (3.30 p.m.), worth almost £100,000 to the winning connections. However, those thee rivals are the classy duo of Il Etait Temps and Jonbon, plus the vastly improved Thistle Ask.
Gidleigh Park has a huge amount to find against all three horses on official ratings and in the past has had past issues relating to his fibrillating heart. So, all in all, this race is a no-bet, watch-and-enjoy contest for me.
Anyway that’s a bet at each of the three main meetings this weekend. Next weekend there is much to look forward to when most eyes will be on Cheltenham Trials Day on Saturday 24 January. As the name suggests, there should be clues aplenty for races at the Festival in the second week of March.
Pending:
1 point each way Hot Fuss at 11-1 for the Fitzdares Sovereign Handicap Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Richmond Lake at 11-1 for the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Marche D’Aligre at 11-1 for the Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle, 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 Golden Ace at 16-1 for the Champion Hurdle, 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 Haiti Couleurs at 14-1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
Last weekend: no bets.
2025-26 jumps season: running total – 7.875 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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