Paul Nicholls: The views on my three runners in France and Ireland today

15:05 Down Royal - Wonderful Charm

"This has been the plan for him for a while, and hopefully he will go well in a race that has cut up, though he meets three in-form rivals and he doesn't have that much in hand of two of them on official ratings."

Betfair Ambassador Paul Nicholls sends one raider to France and two to Ireland this afternoon for a couple of races that he has a great record in. Read the Ditcheat handler's exclusive thoughts on their chances here...

14:30 Down Royal - Rocky Creek

We have been lucky enough to win this race four times in recent seasons but this looks the hottest renewal for a long while. The likes of Gold Cup runner-up On His Own, Boston Bob and First Lieutenant are proven Grade 1 horses, while Nicky's Ma Filleule clearly has to be respected after running away with the Topham off a mark of 150 last season.

But hopefully Rocky Creek can take the step forward up to that level this season. He had his niggles and setbacks last season but he still delivered excellent performances in the Hennessy and Argento and - despite getting a case of ringworm before the race - he got us a bit excited when running so well for a long way in the Grand National, I can tell you!

But I just wondered that he wasn't finishing off his races, so we checked him out and gave him a breathing operation in the summer. It is a long season ahead and this is a proper race, but he is in good nick, he went well in a racecourse gallop with Silviniaco Conti at Chepstow last week, and does go well fresh, and this will tell us whether we go to the Hennessy with him or maybe aim higher.

14:45 Auteuil - Zarkandar

Take out Gemix and this Grade 1 lacks strength in depth, so for nearly £140,000 to the winner, we will happily take our chances. After beating The New One in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle in 2013, it was a little disappointing that he didn't get his head in front last season but he ran some excellent races, not least first time up at Ascot when failing by only five lengths to give Annie Power 11lb and when fourth in the World Hurdle.

And he ran ok in his two runs here over the summer. But he has had a good rest since and at one stage we were considering going for the Cesarewitch with him. However, that race came a touch too soon for him but he is in good order here. He runs in blinkers again and the services of Vincent Cheminaud, who is a good young French jockey who I think leads their jockeys' title by 20 or so winners.

Gemix is clearly the one to beat, and you'd have to give last year's winner Reve De Sivola a fair shout if he is at his best, but I think Zarkandar has a big chance. Three miles in heavy ground will be fine for him, he has a strong form chance and we recauterised his palate in the summer, which will hopefully help, too.

15:05 Down Royal - Wonderful Charm

If we have a good record in the JNwine.com Champion Chase then we have a pretty formidable one in this, as we have been lucky enough to win this race for the past six seasons. And we know that we are coming here with a fit and in-form horse with Wonderful Charm after his reappearance win in a good race at Newton Abbot.

I thought that I had him straight enough there, but it was still pleasing to see him get the job done, and I would have thought that would have brought him on again. This has been the plan for him for a while, and hopefully he will go well in a race that has cut up, though he meets three in-form rivals and he doesn't have that much in hand of two of them on official ratings.

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Paul Nicholls: The views on my five runners at Ascot and Wetherby today

15:15 Wetherby - Silviniaco Conti

"This won’t be easy as he has a 10lb penalty today, and I’m sure others in here have targeted this race more and will be fitter than us, but he is a three-time Grade 1 and King George winner and theclass horse of the race and hopefully that will see him through."

It's a busy Saturday for Paul Nicholls with runners at no less than four meetings, and here the Betfair Ambassador talks exclusively about his five chances at Ascot and Wetherby...

13:30 Wetherby - Solar Impulse

Rounded off last season with a good win at Chepstow and I was pleased with his chasing debut at Newton Abbot. Okay, he was beaten at odds-on in a three-runner race, but the outing would have done him the world of good in terms of fitness and experience. That would have been the first time that he had jumped a fence on grass. So while a mark of 135 is plenty high enough on the bare form of that second, I'd hope that he can progress and be competitive here.

13:45 Ascot - Keltus

Proved himself a decent juvenile hurdler last season but hopefully he will develop into a better chaser, and I was certainly encouraged by his second to Court Minstrel on his debut at Newton Abbot, where he jumped nicely. The winner is clearly a smart horse, following up at Cheltenham next time, and I think a mark of 131 is fair. And the step up in trip will suit him, too, as will the ground. Has a good chance.

14:20 Ascot - Ulck Du Lin

Has won over course and distance but that was in heavy ground and I think that he may just struggle today on this faster ground over this trip. But at least he came down the weights last season and has Sean taking 7lb off - and he had his palate cauterised in the summer, too - so you never know.  

15:15 Wetherby - Silviniaco Conti

He is fit enough to do himself justice and he tends to go pretty well when fresh anyway, as he showed when winning this race two years ago. But, with bigger prizes ahead, he will obviously be better for the run and last year showed us that we want to be going into the Betfair Chase with an outing under our belt.

This won't be easy as he has a 10lb penalty today, and I'm sure others in here have targeted this race more and will be fitter than us, but he is a three-time Grade 1 and King George winner and the class horse of the race and hopefully that will see him through.

Even though he clearly enjoyed a very successful time of it, his runs at the back-end puzzled me a bit, and we did find that he was suffering from ulcers when we scoped him after Aintree. But, regardless, he is the one they have to worry about here. I suspect we will see a much fitter Taquin Du Seuil than we saw at Newton Abbot and he could the one for us to beat, though two or three in here will probably be fancying their chances against us first time up.

15:35 Asco - Black Thunder

Needed the run pretty badly on his reappearance at Newton Abbot and will strip a lot fitter today. But in my opinion I still feel that he is handicapped up to the hilt, and ideally he wouldn't want the ground to dry up too much more. You clearly can't write him off, as he is a very smart chaser on his day. but I suspect that he may need to come down in the weights and softer ground to be seen to better effect. Maybe in something like the Hennessy, but we will see.

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Paul Nicholls: The views on my three Musselburgh runners today

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Gordon Elliott: My views on High Net Worth at Gowran today

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Ryan Moore: Five rides at Doncaster today

Ryan Moore on Duke Of Firenze

"I think you will see him to much better advantage today and he has been going well at home in preparation for this."

Betfair Ambassador Ryan Moore has five booked rides at Doncaster today and here he talks exclusively about the chances of each...

14:20 Doncaster - Chandlery

This looks a pretty hot race for a listed race - even the lowest-rated horse, Stand My Ground, is very interesting in a first time hood on his first start for David O'Meara - so Chandlery will need to be pretty straight to even be competitive here and probably post a career-best to win. He has been off the track since July 2011 with a broken pelvis but I hear that he has recovered well and has been going well enough at home. And you always like to have these comeback horses pretty straight but the odds are that he will need the run. But don't forget what a promising and classy juvenile he was, winning the Group 2 Vintage Stakes on his last start. But, like I said, this is very competitive - Gabrial has form in better company, while Sovereign Debt deserves respect - and I have seen weaker Group 3s than this, so I am probably bang up against it.

14:55 Doncaster - Man Of Plenty

Won first time up last season in a Windsor maiden and went on to put up a couple of decent placed efforts in handicap company, back at Windsor (where I beat him a head on Rye House) and then at Goodwood. He is not obviously well handicapped on those runs but 1m4f on good ground, though he has form in the soft, could just be a combination that suits this horse. But, whatever the ground come race-time, he is still lightly-raced, and has a fair chance on his first start for Ed, whose horses seem pretty forward.

15:30 Doncaster - Duke Of Firenze

I thought that he could go on and win good races after impressing me when I partnered him to victory at Windsor in June, but he was beaten in his three next starts. And that was a little disappointing. But looking back at it, there were excuses for those defeats. He was only beaten off a 9lb higher mark by Fulbright next time up at Newmarket, and the winner advertised that form when going on to win in Group 2 company; he probably didn't fully see out the 7f at Doncaster; and on his last start at Ascot he again probably wasn't ideally suited by the soft ground. So, back over 6f on good ground, I think you will see him to much better advantage today and he has been going well at home in preparation for this. But you don't need me to tell you what a competitive race this looks - Musselburgh winner Move In Time is interesting and Jack Dexter is an obvious threat - and any significant rain would be a worry.

16:05 Doncaster - Duke Of Clarence

I haven't sat on him so I can't tell you a great deal about him that the form book doesn't. He proved himself progressive towards the end of last season, winning on good and soft ground, but he would need to step up on his fourth at Warwick this month were you to seriously fancy his chances here. But I hope that he will be sharper here and he obviously can't be written off. There are plenty of potential improvers in here though, probably none more so than Lingfield winner Carazam off 8st 7lb and recent Newcastle scorer Beaumont's Party at the other end of the weights.

17:15 Doncaster - School Fees

Another horse that I don't know too much about. I see that she only beat one home at Kempton last month but some of her form last season is obviously a lot more encouraging, and she is only 1lb higher than when winning at Bath last July, and she looks versatile as regards ground. But she has to put three modest runs behind her here, and she doesn't look an obvious winner to me. Let's hope I am wrong, and I see the stable are in good form.

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Follow The Money: Three selections from Fontwell today

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Back Mount Gunnery @ 5.95/1 Fontwell 14:10
Back Peut Etre Sivola @ 6.86/1 Fontwell 15:40
Lay Chestnut Ben @ 3.39/4 Fontwell 16:40

After a snow-hit few days in England we have some national hunt racing to enjoy from Fontwell, and it is from this venue that the Follow The Money team provide today's selections...

After competing in point-to-points in remote corners of Ireland, Mount Gunnery ran a shocker on his British debut, where he showed a tendency to jump left. Timeform rated him a 40/1 chance for today's 14:10 Fontwell, but after initial trades over 30.029/1, our selection has been hammered down to a current 5.95/1. Clearly, he's expected to be competitive on today's figure-of-eight course.

Peut Etre Sivola arrives for the 15:40 with even worse form, having been pulled up last time. Since transferred a few miles to Kevin Bishop (whose stable rewards backers with an outright profit on selections) he's been gambled from 16.5n/a in to 6.86/1. Dig back a bit and you will find he has the credentials to carry the money in a heavy ground marathon that promises to be no picnic.

On that note, Chestnut Ben is unlikely to enjoy his outing today in the 16:40. Over C&D last time, he buckled on the run-in under Tony McCoy. Matched at 2.68/5 he has been drifting this morning out to a current 3.39/4. He still holds sway at the head of the market, but with doubts about him finishing the job, we advise a lay.

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Back Mount Gunnery @ 5.95/1 Fontwell 14:10
Back Peut Etre Sivola @ 6.86/1 Fontwell 15:40
Lay Chestnut Ben @ 3.39/4 Fontwell 16:40

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Follow The Money: No Way that Hozay wins today

"Venetia Williams has a 23% strike rate at this track and the stable have won this race three times in the last ten seasons, the market support suggests they win it again today with Howard's Legacy."

Back Howards Legacy @ 2.447/5 Leicester 16:00 

Today's Follow the Money movers come from Lingfield, Leicester and Catterick...

We start at Lingfield and in the 14:10 where Haverstock has been backed from 7.7n/a in to 4.77/2. The Mark Johnston-trained three-year-old doesn't have great form figures, but showed promise in maidens last year and had been running over trips of 6f and 7f which perhaps doesn't suit him. He races over 1m2f today and his pedigree (his sire is New Approach) suggests he should enjoy the longer trip. This race is also a drop in class and the market support suggests he will be too good for his rivals today.  

Next we move to Leicester and in the 16:00 where Howards Legacy has been well supported this morning from 3.02/1 in to 2.447/5. A winner on his chase debut at Ffos Las in November, he also finished runner-up last month at Wincanton. He was second to Opening Batsman that day and the form has been given a boost as he won a Grade 3 chase at Kempton over the weekend. Trainer Venetia Williams has a 23% strike rate at this track and the stable have won this race three times in the last ten seasons, the market support suggests they win it again today.  

Our final selection is from Catterick and in the 16:50 where No Way Hozay is weak in the market and has drifted out to 2.8815/8 from 2.47/5. This 7yo joined trainer John Wade last year and the switch to fences has brought an improvement with wins in three of his five chase starts. He completed a hat-trick of wins last week - two coming at Catterick but he has gone up 16lbs after his last victory there. His last race was only five days ago, however, and punters are hoping that will be enough to stop him completing a four-timer. 

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Back Haverstock @ 4.84/1 Lingfield 14:10 
Back Howards Legacy @ 2.447/5 Leicester 16:00 
Lay No Way Hozay @ 2.8815/8 Catterick 16:50 

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Follow The Money: Will the cash talk today?

Follow the Money / Follow The Money / 28 March 2011 / Leave a Comment

Will the movers make it a winning Monday?

"Our final bet comes in the last race of the day - the 17:30 at Towcester - where there’s no ignoring the early positive market signal for Cavite Eta, whose price has tumbled from [32.0] to [9.0]. "

Today's Follow The Money movers come from the meetings at Plumpton, Wolverhampton and Towcester

There has been a flurry of activity in today's first race the 14:10, Plumpton. Early positive backing for Leitzu has reversed itself as money has come for Ragdolianna and the Nigel Twiston-Davies inmate Soccerjackpot, matched at [4.4] but now trading at [2.74] through the heaviest weight of money of any this morning. Form figures of PP don't inspire confidence but plainly a much better run is expected on his first outing for a new trainer. The horse has had a few problems in his career but was described by Clive Cox as a very genuine type with no ground concerns.

Fleeting Storm steps into handicap company in the 16:20 at Wolverhampton after three maiden runs where she finished seventh, second and third. However, the market is anything but confident that we'll an improvement to those figures and she rates the lay of the day, having drifted from an early [3.65] out to [5.8] currently. If she is not sharp today, her draw in stall one could prove a disadvantage and she has yet to race on the track.

Our final bet comes in the last race of the day - the 17:30 at Towcester - where there's no ignoring the early positive market signal for Cavite Eta, whose price has tumbled from [32.0] to [9.0]. Where form is scarce, the market moves can be telling and although the top-weight is holding up in the betting, the paper second-favourite is very cold. Cavite Eta has just one run, in a point-to-point race a month ago where he had every chance before falling at the last, so we - and the market - are hoping for better luck today.

Recommended Bets
Back Soccerjackpot @ [2.74] 14.10 Plumpton
Lay Fleeting Storm @ [5.8] 16.20 Wolverhampton
Back Cavite Eta @ [9.0] 17.30 Towcester

THE FTM boys give us their usual two backs and one lay....

The FTM boys give us their usual two backs and one lay ahead of this afternon's racing....

Today's movers come from Newbury and Sedgefield...

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