THE SCOUT, BRITAIN’S No1 TIPSTER, ON TODAY’S FESTIVAL RACES
1.30 (ITV, RUK)
APPLE’S SHAKIRA looks tailor-made for this. They say practice makes perfect and Nicky Henderson has ensured that his charge has gained plenty of local knowledge with all of Apple’s Shakira’s three wins coming over the Prestbury Park course. He has been well on top at the finish in all those runs and although this will be tougher he is definitely the one they all have to beat. Like the selection, Alan King’s Redicean has been kept exclusively to one track for his three British outings with a trio of wins recorded at Kempton. This will be a much more demanding test, but the horse is still on the upgrade. Stormy Ireland went off at 2-7 and beat nothing of note on his only run for Willie Mullins, but he couldn’t have won by a much bigger margin (58 lengths) and looks an exciting prospect.
2.10 (ITV, RUK)
SMAOINEAMH ALAINNN has three wins from three over hurdles. He is very lightly raced and we may not have seen the best of him yet. Merie Devie comes here on the back of a good performance at Punchestown where she won a Listed race by five lengths. Flying Tiger is trained by Nick Williams, who scored with Coo Star Sivola on the first day, so the stable couldn’t be in better heart. Flying Tiger has been running well without catching the judge’s eye, and looks on a handy mark. Brahms De Clermont won three over hurdles last season, but has to come on again to defy a challenging opening handicap mark.
2.50 (ITV, RUK)
REAL STEEL hasn’t really set the world alight since winning at Thurles, but he was then a respectable fifth of 11 at Leopardstown behind Samcro (winner of the Ballymore in decisive style on Wednesday). Even only a slight improvement on that run would make him very dangerous. Tower Bridge was a 25-1 winner of a Grade One novice hurdle for Joseph O’Brien. He has a good cruising speed and should run well. Poetic Rhythm won a Grade One novice hurdle at Newbury, beating Mulcahys Hill by a short head. It should be a close call between the pair again.
3.30 (ITV, RUK)
See pages 30-31.
4.10 (ITV, RUK)
BAREL OF LAUGHS was an odds-on winner of a point-to-point under today’s rider Alex
Edwards and is a tentative selection. Wonderful Charm’s recent win at Musselburgh will have sharpened him up for this test. Minella For Value has won his last two points for Declan Queally and is on the upgrade.
4.50 (RUK)
MELROSE BOY has finished in the first three in all his seven hurdle races. He is a cracking bet at 25-1, given he is consistent.
Blow By Blow produced a career-best performance in a Grade Three novice hurdle last time, beating Gun Digger by no less than 14 lengths. Tommy
Rapper has won his last three and is definitely upwardly mobile. Brave Eagle might well be the least fancied of Nicky Henderson’s threestrong team but he could go well at a price. He was a good winner at Newbury on his most recent outing.
5.30 (RUK)
LE PREZIEN was the beaten favourite in this last year and has been close up in valuable handicaps here in October and November.
Forest Bihan appears well treated. Dolos has taken well to fences and was a good second to Gino Trail (beaten half a length) on the soft at Sandown last time.