Donald McCain: The verdict on my Uttoxeter pair

"There’s no denying he’s (Tick Tocker) been disappointing – I had high hopes for him at the start of the season and he hasn’t delivered but we’ve gone back to basics with him and the better ground should be in his favour here..."

Donald has a couple of novice hurdlers in action at Uttoxeter on Saturday.

13.40 Uttoxeter

Tick Tocker

There's no denying he's been disappointing - I had high hopes for him at the start of the season and he hasn't delivered but we've gone back to basics with him and the better ground should be in his favour here. If he can return to the form he showed when he was second at Sedgefield on his hurdling debut then he'd have to have an obvious chance and hopefully he will see his race out a bit better back on this sounder surface. Paul O'Brien takes off a handy 8lb as well. 

14.10 Uttoxeter

Bit Of A Jig

He's been waiting for some better ground and he seems very well in himself at home. This doesn't look a bad race but he is still open to a bit of improvement and if the extra distance brings about some progress - which I am hopeful it might - then he ought to be there or thereabouts. His latest Market Rasen run looks solid enough and he would have to have an each-way shout.

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The 80/20 Bet: Saturday, Uttoxeter 15:50

Nick is off to Uttoxeter for today's Win and Place selection where he is trying his hand in the gruelling Midlands National...

Today's 80/20 is Bradley in the 15.50 at Uttoxeter. This gelding was pulled-up behind Rigadin De Beauchene at Warwick in January. He was never travelling with any fluency, and his rider wisely called it a day when all chance had gone.

He has some rock solid form in the book, and could go close at a big price if he puts his best foot forward. At present he is trading at 12.011/1 on the exchange

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Uttoxeter Placepot: Saturday March 16

"Chac du Cadran has presumably been held back for this since winning the North Yorkshire National in January..."

It mightn't be the Cheltenham Festival (at which, I should point out, my colleague Matt Gardner landed a slice of the Friday pool), but Saturday's Uttoxeter card is a very good one for the track and it's there we're heading for Saturday's Placepot...

14:05 - As you might expect of a decent Saturday card, this opening novice handicap hurdle contains some interesting sorts, few more so than Tresor de Bontee, whose Hereford win in the autumn looks to have been underestimated. He failed to do himself justice last time and has been off another two months since, but if on song he's bound to go close. Rocky Elsom provides a marginally more solid option, being on a hat-trick and having the benefit of a recent run. Although probably not as well handicapped as Tresor de Bontee, Rocky Elsom should be up to putting on a bold show.

14:40 - Most of these novice chasers would be of above-average interest under different circumstances, though here we have a pair with form in better races and it's that pair we'll be taking. Hunters Lodge has been holding it together in decent races since winning an amateur riders' event at Cheltenham in the autumn and will look an increasingly attractive prospect the more testing conditions become. Savant Bleu was a clear second at Newbury last time behind another most unexposed chaser. He won't be inconvenienced by this longer trip for a yard that's been among the winners of late.

15:15 - We're sticking with the theme of horses dropping down in grade for the third race. Kaylif Aramis was beaten two necks in a race at Kempton on Racing Plus Chase day and before that had beaten the well-touted The Bear Trap at Ffos Las. Hold Court was only sixth on his handicap debut at Ascot last time, but he'd been held up in a race that didn't suit such tactics and certainly shaped well enough to suggest that he'll be highly competitive from a slightly lower mark in a lesser race.

15:50 - It's an unusually competitive renewal of the Midlands National; normally most of the field are exposed old plodders, but today sees several young chasers stepping up and a there would be cases to be made for most of them in terms of our perm. However, mindful of what's to come we can take only two. Fill The Power has been consistent throughout the season, yet all the while he's been crying out for a try over an extreme trip. This is the first time he's been granted such a test and therefore he makes the cut. Second in is Chac du Cadran, who has presumably been held back for this since winning the North Yorkshire National in January. He mightn't get an easy time of it up front, but he's a sound jumper and more of a reliable proposition than a number of others who'll try to lay up with the pace.

16:25 - We're in need of a banker, and this handicap chase looks the best opportunity. Galway Jack is the only established front runner in the field, is top on adjusted Timeform ratings and has the style of one that's good for Placepots, being a strong-travelling sort. What's more, this trip and slightly less testing conditions might help him see things out a bit better than he has been of late.

17:00 - This is easily the worst race of the six, being a low-grade handicap hurdle thin on consistent, let alone interesting, runners. We're reduced to plumping for Mr Robinson, who has run well on three of four starts for his current yard and may find a testing two and a half miles to be an agreeable compromise in terms of trip. We're having to take a risk with our second selection whatever it is, so See You Jack, who has more going for him than most, sneaks in. Well handicapped on the pick of his chase form, See You Jack ran an encouraging race on his return to hurdles last time, finding only one too good. If he can belatedly bring his hurdles form in line, he could go close.

Selections:
14:05 - 2, 5
14:40 - 3, 4
15:15 - 2, 9
15:50 - 6, 10
16:25 - 3
17:00 - 1, 10
= 32 lines

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Uttoxeter

Racecourse: Uttoxeter
First Race Time: 2.05pm
Going: Chase course - Heavy, Hurdles - Soft (Heavy in the straight and the chute)
Other Information: 10mm of rain since declarations yesterday

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Racecourse: Kempton Park First Race Time: 2.15pm Going: Good to Soft Other Information: 4mm of rain overnight. Still raining with

Racecourse: Ffos Las First Race Time: 1.55pm Going: Soft, Heavy in places Other Information: 15mm of rain in the last

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Timeform Radio Racing Tips: Two to back at Uttoxeter

Timeform Radio Tip / David Cleary / 17 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

The Midlands Grand National is the showpiece event at Uttoxeter this afternoon

"Maringo Bay's stable, that of Jonjo O'Neill, obviously had a cracking week at Cheltenham and can continue the good work this afternoon."

David Cleary looks at Uttoxeter's Midlands Grand National card for today's best bets

The Cheltenham Festival is done and dusted for another year, but there's plenty of decent racing over jumps for those seeking to top up winnings or retrieve losses this afternoon.

The feature meeting is the Midlands Grand National card at Uttoxeter, with the main event due off at 15:20. There are plenty that can be given a chance but the value may lie with Maringo Bay. He's relatively lightly raced, with just seven races under his belt, and is making his handicap debut this afternoon. He's looked a solid jumper so far over fences, tends to travel well but find plenty and could well come into his own for a big step up in trip. He races handily, so could well trade a fair bit shorter than his starting price if he gets into a good rhythm, something which is often so vital in this particular race.

The novice handicap chase at 15.55 looks quite tough, with the progressive Glens Boy and possible handicap rick Bruslini in the field. However, the handicapper has put Glens Boy up plenty and his price is short enough, while Bruslini's effort when finishing alone last time is very hard to quantify and he was hard to win with over hurdles. Mister Hyde could well be the bet in the race.

His form over fences is somewhat patchy but the best of it gives him every chance off this weight, he should be suited by three miles and he was given a confidence booster after failing to get round the time before. His stable, that of Jonjo O'Neill, obviously had a cracking week at Cheltenham and can continue the good work this afternoon.

Recommended Bets
Back Maringo Bay @ [10.5] in the 15.20 at Uttoxeter
Back Mister Hyde @ [7.0] in the 15.55 at Uttoxeter

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Timeform Daily: Sunday, Uttoxeter Summer National, 16:20

Race of the Day / Timeform / 25 June 2011 / Leave a Comment

It's Summer National day at Uttoxeter on Sunday

"Peter Bowen can do little wrong at present, so his Ballyvesey deserves a place on the shortlist, but last-time-out winners Keenan's Future and Dom d'Orgeval are still well treated on old form..."

Timeform look at the contenders for one of the highlights of the summer jumps season....

Ouzbeck was back to best once sent back over fences last year by current trainer, winning this race off 1 lb lower mark. Jumped poorly in Scottish equivalent in April, but can't be ruled out.

Grand Slam Hero's form took off on rejoining this yard last year, winning Summer Plate at Market Rasen and quite valuable event at Ffos Las. Preparation for this not ideal having failed to complete last 2 starts.

The Last Derby won a valuable 3m Ascot handicap chase in 2009 and back to that sort of level when runner-up at Cork last month. Effective at this trip, but career best needed off this mark.

Gonebeyondrecall is a dual chase winner around 2½m last summer and sound efforts completed starts over fences since (fourth in the Topham). Recent spin over hurdles will have put him spot on, but trip a big unknown.

Brooklyn Brownie is usually a sound jumper, but not at his very best in 3 starts this year, fifth at Perth when last seen in April. Done all his winning over shorter, and others more persuasive.

Cornish Sett is a quirky stayer (can race lazily) not the force of old, but regained some spark around the turn of the year, winning at Wincanton. Trip holds no fears, but let down by attitude/jumping since.

Simply Smashing produced a career-best effort when making all in Durham National at Sedgefield in April, and hasn't needed to get near that level to add to that twice since (including over hurdles). This test lot different.

Dom d'Orgeval is a graded winner over hurdles, and snapped a losing sequence lasting over 4 years when last seen at Haydock in April. New mark shouldn't be a problem, so one to take seriously.

Gone To Lunch has always had plenty of stamina, runner-up in 2 Scottish Nationals in his prime. Hard to be too positive about after what he's done this year but handicapper has given him every chance.

Mizen Raven has been round the houses over the years, but rejoined Peter Bowen and back to winning ways at Cartmel last July. Failed to add to that in 2010, and raced too freely on return at Aintree.

Commemoration Day is a temperamental sort who initially turned the corner upon joining Charlie Longsdon, winning twice at Stratford in spring. Quickly back to old ways, and too high in the weights now anyway.

Presentandcorrect was successful twice over fences last summer, and made a promising start to this campaign when runner-up at Aintree last month. Below form at same course 2 weeks ago, and not one to rely on.

Ballyvesey got back to winning ways when making all in 3m Ffos Las novice chase in April. Just a respectable effort 12 days later, but back in handicap on handy mark and yard can do little wrong at present.

Sea Wall is a front runner who was better than ever when landing 2 staying handicaps last summer. Best effort this year when fourth at Stratford last month, which makes him of interest fitted with cheekpieces.

Keenan's Future is a useful chaser at best and, having showed he retains plenty of ability in hunters earlier in year, took advantage of a lenient mark at Aintree 2 weeks ago. Trip is fine, and a lot in his favour.

Knighton Combe won 4 races in 2009 and retained plenty of ability last year. More miss than hit this time round, running poorly in cheekpieces last time, and no surprise that aid is dispensed with.

The King of Angels is a useful handicap chaser on his day, as shown when finishing runner-up in this race in 2009. Left Jonjo O'Neill after, and beaten several times in points this year before winning last month.

Surenaga has never been the most consistent. Right back to best in military events at Sandown this spring, but changed yards since falling 3 out in valuable hunter last month, and this looks too tough.

Timeform 1-2-3
1. Keenan's Future
2. Dom d'Orgeval
3. Ballyvesey

Timeform's View: Peter Bowen can do little wrong at present, so his Ballyvesey deserves a place on the shortlist, but last-time-out winners Keenan's Future and Dom d'Orgeval are still well treated on old form and look the pair to concentrate on.

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Uttoxeter

Going Report / Editor / 26 June 2011 / Leave a Comment

First Race Time: 14:15
Going: Chase course - good
Hurdles course - good, good to firm in places
Other Information: Dry overnight. Bright, sunny day forecast.

First Race Time: 14:00 Going: Good (good to firm in places between 3 furlongs and 4 furlongs) Other Information: Dry overnight. Fine day forecast....

First Race Time: 14:25pm Going: Good Other Information: Dry overnight. Dry day forecast with temperatures up to 26 degrees....

First Race Time: 13:45 Going: Good to soft, good in places Other Information: 7mm of rain overnight. Dry day forecast with sunny spells and temperatures up to 22 degrees....

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