Grand Turina fancied to grab Newbury honours
Matt Brocklebank highlights the pick of the value on Newbury's valuable Saturday card, with Grand Turina backed for Grade Two glory.
Recommended bets: Saturday racing
There’s massive money up for grabs in the Emirates on Saturday night with $10m alone to the winner of the Dubai World Cup. Kelso can’t quite match those staggering sums but the three handicaps which get the meeting under way are all bumper prizes for the course and it’s good to see the ITV4 cameras north of the border.
The field sizes aren’t anything special, though, and it’s primarily for that reason that punting focus has to fall on Newbury, where the bet of the day comes in the feature Grade Two EBF & TBA Mares’ “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle Final (3.00).
It’s been a solid if unspectacular campaign for trainer Venetia Williams, though recent signs suggest she could be about to enjoy a particularly fruitful spring, which may not be something we’re used to seeing but certainly looks on the cards based on three winners from her past six runners.
March has produced Williams’ best strike-rate of the season month-by-month and in GRAND TURINA she has an upwardly-mobile mare who has the potential to prove a blot on the handicap.
A bumper winner on her sole start for Pam Sly, she’s been a quick learner since having her attentions turned to hurdling this term, having unshipped Charlie Deutsch at the first on debut at Uttoxeter.
It's not all been plain-sailing since that mishap, as the daughter of Kayf Tara has followed home subsequent Sky Bet Supreme third River Wylde at Ludlow, missed an engagement at Huntingdon due to getting all het up in the paddock, before winning by seven lengths at Warwick.
The hood, tried first time out at Uttoxeter, was back on last time and appeared to help her settle at the head of affairs, but even more impressive was the manner in which she picked up the bit again and powered home following a blunder when well in command at the last.
It’s a step into the unknown regarding her stamina for two and a half miles but the way in which she’s been ridden, not only last time but also when Gavin Sheehan turned it into a proper test in her bumper, suggests she could improve for a longer trip in stronger company, and an initial mark of 120 looks a gift on the River Wydle form given he’s now up to 147 after Cheltenham.
CASINO MARKETS doesn’t make it to the track too often but he rarely lets himself down when he does and is worth chancing at a double-figure price on his return from another layoff in the Insure With Be Wiser Handicap Chase earlier on the card (2.25).
He flew home from well off the pace in the two-mile handicap won by subsequent Queen Mother Champion Chase second Fox Norton at Cheltenham in October, with Grand Annual winner Rock The World well beaten off, and should appreciate the step up in trip having won twice at two and a half miles in the past.
Leg problems have blighted the nine-year-old’s career to date but it’s equally likely that his latest hiatus is the result of him being kept away from the worst of the winter ground as he’s rarely risked on anything worse than good to soft.
He progressed enormously throughout a summer campaign last year and based on his comeback run at the Showcase meeting, he’s well up to defying his current, career-high mark. The forecast decent weather this weekend should leave the track in perfect condition.
With plenty of dead wood in the race and the likes of Gala Ball needing to brush up on his jumping and Aqua Dude yet to fully convince he’s got the stomach for a battle, Casino Markets appeals at 12/1 under Aidan Coleman, who is one from one on Emma Lavelle’s charge.
Where to watch on TV: ITV4 & RUK
Posted at 1640 GMT on 24/03/17.
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