*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget, while in-copy odds are accurate at time of publication but subject to change
Ruby Walsh and Frank Hickey have picked out their best bets of the weekend ahead of action at Chepstow, Kempton, Wincanton and Naas.
Speaking on the latest episode of Paddy Power’s From The Horse’s Mouth podcast, the pair have gone their separate ways with their selections but have also urged caution with the majority of meetings under threat due to adverse weather.
(Chepstow and Kempton are both set to undergo 8am inspections on Saturday morning)
Ruby Walsh
1.45pm, Kempton (Saturday)- Two For Gold (Each-Way)
This looks a decent little race, and I’m going to go for one with plenty of weight – TWO FOR GOLD. He ran really disappointingly in the Ladbrokes Trophy behind Cloth Cap but before that he finished second at Wetherby behind Huntsman Son. He was second to Copperhead last year at Ascot in February, and I know he’s a horse that connections think has a big one in him. David Bass and Kim Bailey have had a really good year and I think, for whatever reason, his run in the Ladbrokes Trophy was way too disappointing to be true. I’m going to give him another chance on a track that suits horses who race on the pace.
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Frank Hickey
3.10pm, Chepstow (Saturday) – Dominateur (Each-Way)
DOMINATEUR in the Welsh National is my best bet of the weekend. I’ve had an ante-post bet on this one for a while.
The favourite Secret Reprieve is going to be tough to beat if he stays the trip, and was very impressive here in the trial over just shy of three miles, winning by 12 lengths. He’s 8lbs well-in and if he stays he’s going to be hard to beat, while he is relatively short at 100/30, but at the same time you wouldn’t be keen to lay in at those odds.
The one I like is Dominateur, who has been lined up for the race – reading connections’ quotes – since he won on the card at Christmas last year over just shy of three miles. He’s run over fences at Chepstow twice, winning both relatively impressively and beating Sojourn. Sojourn has done nothing wrong for the form, winning impressively at Carlise and finishing second in the Tommy Whittle. Dominatuer shaped a lot better than the finishing position would suggest in an intermediate chase at Sandown behind If The Cap Fits and Pym. The jockey wasn’t hard on him at all after his chance had gone and the ground would have been too lively for him as well. He wants a slog on bad ground and he’s really going to relish it.
What’s key here as well is, on the initial day we were supposed to run on December 27, Gavin Sheehan could ride and Johnny Burke was down to ride. I remember seeing a quote from Oliver Sherwood saying that he’s a tricky enough horse and he wanted Gavin, who knows him well, to ride him. Gavin is back up on him and he’s about 11/1. With five places paying, I think he’s a cracking each-way bet. I just want to see him jump the first three or four fences with a bit of fluency. If he gets into a rhythm, and he’s there at the top of the straight, I think he’s got a great chance of winning this race.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget, while in-copy odds are accurate at time of publication but subject to change
Ruby Walsh and Frank Hickey’s best bets this weekend
Ruby Walsh
1.45pm, Kempton (Saturday) – Two For Gold (EW)
Frank Hickey
3.10pm, Chepstow (Saturday) – Dominateur (EW)
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