Exeter and Sandown Friday Tips by Dave Stevos
Exeter and Sandown Friday Tips
The Winter Festival at Fairyhouse was tough going and Fury Road was our only place. However, the fatal injury suffered by Latest Exhibition soured the whole meeting for me. His owners must have been devastated as horses like him don’t come along too often. He was a superstar. Only for Monkfish he’d have been the top dog of his generation and my thoughts are with Paul Nolan and all those connected to him. The show must go on though and we are back in action this afternoon. Check out Dave Stevos’ Exeter and Sandown Friday tips for all live ITV4 races below.
1.50 Sandown – Novices’ Handicap Chase (Class 3)
We have four class three races to look at this Friday, unusually low grade fare for ITV. Just seven go to post in the first live race and it has an open look to it. The bookies aren’t taking any chances on the ones with recent form. The favourite, Bothwell Bridge, is only 7/2 despite the fact that he lacks a recent run and was pulled up on his last start. Halo Des Obeaux fell last time and he hasn’t shaped as though he’s crying out for this step up in distance.
Champagne Well had a confidence boosting win over timber last time and he reverts to chasing off 1lb higher. He ran alright behind some decent horses in his first three chase starts and he makes most appeal of those at shorter prices. Mahler’s Promise also has less questions to answer than most. He ran well behind Minella Trump over C&D last time. With Sean Houlihan’s taking off 3lbs, he should be bang there. Bobhopeornohope shaped okay over 3 miles last time and the drop back to 20f will suit. He is another one that could go well.
Zyon Too Big
Zyon is the outsider but I don’t think he should be 16/1 for three places. This son of Martaline was a winner over timber for Paul Nicholls in November 2020 at Wincanton (21f gd/sft). He was sold out of the yard after a poor run in March at Exeter and Adam West has him now. He has had three starts for his now trainer and two of them weren’t that bad at all. Zyon jumped poorly at Huntingdon on his first outing (20f gd) and he was entitled to need that. West then gave him a spin on the level at Nottingham and he finished well down the field.
At Lingfield last time (23f gd/sft), Zyon showed he wasn’t one to write off just yet. He jumped a lot better and while he was beat 20L, he was bang there until they met the rising ground on the final circuit and his stamina gave out. Hopefully that round of jumping will have done his confidence the world of good. In first time cheekpieces, Zyon is worth chancing each way for small stakes at 16/1 with three places on offer from Betfred.
Exeter and Sandown Friday Tips: Zyon e/w @ 16/1 (3 places Betfred)
2.05 Exeter – Novices’ Chase (Class 2)
Gladiateur Allen let us down badly last time and until he shows signs that he is learning to settle, he is one to avoid. Boothill has the best hurdling form in the book and he is bred for this job. He placed in two P2Ps so he can clearly jump a fence and he is the one to beat. Admirel looked a progressive sort last season but he blotted his copybook at Aintree and Cheltenham. As a Grade 2 winner he is entitled to maximum respect but connections would surely prefer softer ground. The same sentiment applies to Ayr heavy ground winner Champagnesuperover. This is not a race I’ll be getting involved in. No bet.
Exeter and Sandown Friday Tips: No Bet
2.25 Sandown – Winter Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)
The only Graded race on either card today and another disappointing turnout of just five. In fairness, the ones that have showed up all won last time out and it is an interesting little race. Brave Kingdom is 11/10 after his dominant display at Chepstow (19f sft). He won his bumper on good to soft so today’s ground holds no fears and he won’t mind a drop of rain if it falls. Fair Frontieres’ Navan 2nd has worked out well and he looked the real deal when dotting up at Worcester on his first start for Kim Bailey. The drop back in trip on quicker ground is a worry but he is a very exciting prospect.
Lossiemouth has won his last two in fine style but on softer ground than today’s. It was a handicap he won off 123 by 10L at Ffos Las last time and he is now rated 136. He sets a decent standard but it will be disappointing if one of the less exposed ones can’t beat him. Harpers Brook, a 4.5L winner last time and Viva Lavilla, unbeaten after two starts in a P2P and a maiden hurdle, complete the field and neither of them can be fully discounted either. I don’t fancy anything strongly enough to have a bet. However, this is a race that is definitely worth watching with a view to future engagements.
Exeter and Sandown Friday Tips: No Bet
2.40 Exeter – Handicap Chase (Class 3)
Given his course form over fences (112) and his record fresh (1F33), The Kings Writ is the each way pick here. He had the race in the bag when he fell first time up in 2018 and with Joshua Newman claiming 7lbs, he is effectively in off 130 here. That is admittedly 6lbs higher than he was when last successful over C&D. However, he has had a string of near misses off higher marks since.
In January 2021 The King’s Writ was beaten less than a length off 135 under Harry Cobden at Wincanton (26f hvy). On his final run of last year he was beat only 4.5L at Newbury off 139 (26f gd). Joshua Newman takes the ride today and he gets a good tune out of this son of Brian Boru. He has form figures of 2203711 (wins in P2Ps) aboard this fella.
While most of his form is on soft/heavy, he handles good to soft ground fine too. There has been a bit of rain at Exeter this morning so the conditions should be grand for him. It has been a while since Kayley Woollacott had a winner but two of her last four runners have hit the frame. At odds of 18/1, hopefully The King’s Writ does too.
Exeter and Sandown Friday Tips: The King’s Writ e/w @ 18/1
3.00 Sandown – Handicap Chase (Class 3)
Sandown has dodged most of the rain and that’s good news for Fairway Freddy’s connections. Trained by Nick Gifford, this horse had a fine season last year, winning three times. Those wins came under James Davies off marks of 113, 115 and 119 and he is in off 123 this afternoon. Davies gets the leg up for the first time this season and it could be perfect timing as the son of Elusive Pimpernel shaped as though he was about to hit top form when beat 4L into 3rd at Kempton last time out under Tabitha Worsley.
This horse is best on good ground at 16f to 18f and he’ll relish the unseasonably decent surface at Sandown today. He did run poorly on his only previous run here but that was over 20f. His stamina just doesn’t stretch that far and he’ll be better suited by today’s distance. Fairway Freddy has made all in the past but he doesn’t have to lead. So, if One True King, Boagrius and Darebin all try to go forward, he can just sit off the pace and hopefully pick them up late. Fairway Freddy has finished in the first three in 8 of his 12 chases and hopefully he continues that run today at odds of 18/1.
Exeter and Sandown Friday Tips: Fairway Freddy e/w @ 18/1
3.15 Exeter – Handicap Chase (Class 3)
The one I like in this long distance handicap chase is Uallrightharry for John Best and Karen Jewell. This 9yo son of Craigsteel is 2/10 over fences with the wins coming over 26f at Plumpton (sft) and Fontwell (gd). He is versatile regarding ground and he won’t have any issues if more rain falls at Exeter this afternoon. Best and Jewell’s charge returned from his winter break with a fine run at Plumpton when going down by 0.5L over 28.5f.
He kept on all the way to the line and that was the furthest trip he has tackled thus far. It was his second run at the distance and he has stayed on nicely in both those runs. I think the step up to 30f could bring about a bit more improvement, if he can handle going right handed at Exeter. He has only ever run at Plumpton and Fontwell under rules, both left handed tracks. However, he won his P2P on a right handed track so hopefully it won’t be an issue. With five places on offer from a few firms, Uallrightharry looks well worth backing e/w at odds of 22/1.
Exeter and Sandown Friday Tips: Uallrightharry e/w @ 22/1 NAP (5 Places Lads/Coral)
3.35 Sandown – Pertemps Qualifier Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)
The final race on ITV4 on Friday is this Pertemps Qualifier. Three miles awaits a field of a dozen and it is a competitive looking contest. Most of these will be looking to get into the final of this series at Cheltenham in March. Usually a mark of around 135 is high enough to get into the final so in these qualifiers, you’ll have some horses that will want to drop a few pounds and then others that need to go up in the weights to have a chance of getting a run.
Pileon fits the latter profile and he is the fav for Jones and Hobbs. He is rated 131 so a win would be needed for him to definitely get into the final in March. He ran well last time but he is far from consistent and at the odds, he doesn’t appeal. If more rain had fallen I’d be all over Mr Harp at 14/1. However, his best form is on testing ground and there’ll be other chances to back him later this season.
Bard Can Hit Right Notes
At the prices, I’m going to take a punt on course winner Bard Of Brittany. This 7yo is rated 126 so he should definitely be trying if connections are hoping to get a run at Cheltenham. He won a class 3 over 20f here in March of last season off 116. He was too keen in a class 2 subsequently off 127 and he showed he could be competitive off that sort of rating when winning easily on his final run of the season at Plumpton (20.5f gd) off a pound lower.
Bard Of Brittany returned to action after his summer break with a poor effort at Plumpton. That was likely needed though and he was dropped back to 126 after it. That’s the same mark he won off at Plumpton in May and while that form hasn’t worked out, he could only beat what was in front of him. There should be a strong pace in this which will help this fella settle early on. If he stays the trip, I think he has every chance of hitting the frame at odds of 25/1.
