Aucunrisque has been found an opportunity to supplement gains from an unchallenged success at Stratford last month in a ten-runner National Hunt flat race (bumper) around Cheltenham this afternoon when there is also a jumping fixture scheduled at Fontwell, a real ‘favourite’ for serious punting given the programming which certainly suits my modus operandi.
Of course the majority of races at both tracks are handicaps but a couple of set-weight hurdles at the Southern coastal venue have caught my attention; they preclude guessing handicappers!
A few months ago we enjoyed several profitable days by ‘specialising’ with bumpers and only last week unearthed Buckhorn Rocco, a 16/1 winner under young Harry Kimber at Sandown; my theory is based on a unique form approach and process of elimination.
Seventeen days after winning ‘first-up’ in ‘Shakespeare-land’ Aucunrisque finished fourth over today’s course and distance to Bonntay, beaten only one and a quarter with the rest more than four lengths and upwards in arrears at the end of a fast-run race. Form has a solid look.
Trainer Chris Gordon often utilises conditions of this-type event and wouldn’t be chancing Aucunrisque at Prestbury Park unless convinced his charge would be competitive; he, too, doesn’t guess and ‘never wastes a race’ so to speak.
In future you could do worse than follow Gordon’s runners in set-weight races, he’s a real ‘shrewdie!’
Rest of the Prestbury Park is too difficult with a strong Irish presence likely to dominate and so emphasis is switched to the southern venue where Calidad has obvious Nicky Henderson-trained hot-favourite Wiseguy to beat in a thirteen-runner Novices’ Hurdle over two and a quarter miles of ‘good’ fast ground.
Chances are they will dominate; Calidad is advised each-way on the back of an encouraging hurdles debut at Uttoxeter in June but bumper winner Wiseguy could prove different gravy. It should be interesting and over the same course and distance Rhebus Road, a Newmarket winner for Ralph Beckett during September, is expected to run much better in the Juvenile Hurdle for ‘new’ trainer Oliver Sherwood.
Rhebus Road was never sighted on his Kempton debut last month but will have benefitted from the experience.
Low-key racing but my record with Sunday jumping bears close inspection.
Selections, Fontwell, 12.25 Calidad (e.w); 2.00 Rhebus Road (e.w); Cheltenham, 4.00 Aucunrisque (e.w).
Jeffrey Ross, horse-racing correspondent for WMN since 1983 when winning the most prestigious racing journalist award, Sporting Life Naps Table, before winning it a record number of six times collectively in the Racing Post, the current ‘trade’ paper, including 2019