With the abandonment of Wincanton we are left with four meetings across Britain and Ireland, with plenty of interesting angles at each track.
After much deliberation, Carlisle gets the nod as the venue for this afternoon’s placepot picks, with the competitive action looking sure to swell the potential dividend.
Leg One: Miss Estela
There will be plenty of punters questioning whether they should keep the faith with the extremely talented Miss Estela, but she may well be worth another chance as she lines up in arguably her simplest task of the season.
After notching a pair of incredibly impressive successes last season, Warren Greatex’s mare finished a solid fifth behind Bitofapuzzle in a bumper at Cheltenham on her seasonal reappearance. This has seen her go off as a short-priced favourite on her subsequent two efforts where she has made the frame without getting her head in front. It is a slight concern how tamely she folded last time out, but the form is working out well – and if she can return to the form we saw her in the early stage of the season, she will take all the beating.
Leg Two: Marlee Mourinho
The Alexander’s look to have a live chance in the second race of the afternoon, as they team up with the promising Marlee Mourinho. The nine-year-old seems to have enjoyed the switch to fences and after coming on for his seasonal reappearance, he has hit the frame twice from three starts and he looked set to make a bold bid when coming down in his only other appearance this season.
He stayed on dourly behind a solid performer in Present Lodger last time, which suggests today’s trip is sure to suit. Lucy Alexander retains the ride and after learning plenty about the charge last time out, don’t be surprised to see him race prominently this afternoon.
Leg Three: Alphabet Bay
Grove Silver is sure to have his fair share of supporters after only just failing to land a hot race last time, but the manner in which he idled on the run-in is a slight concern. This means preference is for the unexposed Alphabet Bay, who looks fairly overpriced given his form and level of promise.
After winning his bumper in a very taking fashion, he looked in dire need of his reappearance behind the classy Arzal and West Wizard, as he failed to travel with any real threat. He showed that was just an off-day, as he returned to travel with great menace from the front on his next start, before being outclassed by some useful types in a race won by subsequent Grade Two winner Glingerburn.
This represents a simpler task and if Dougie Costello can inspire the mount to perform to the level he is expected to, he could cause somewhat of a shock in leg three.
Leg Four: Grey Life
Malcolm Jefferson has his string in fine form at the minute and it may be worth capitalising on this as he saddles up the well-fancied Grey Life this afternoon. After fading tamely on his reappearance, he was well-beaten when falling at the last on his penultimate start. Fortunately he showed no adverse effects for this mishap when going well for a long way behind Aye Well at Wetherby on his last start – with the winner and runner-up both going on to run well since.
This afternoon’s five-runner affair looks sure to suit and if he can get an easy lead, he may be hard to peg back as the grey gelding looks potentially a cut above his rivals.
Leg Five: Poker School
Backers of Poker School are sure to be out in force today, after the five-year-old looked as though he was about to lay down the winning hand last time out, before folding tamely after the last. He travelled majestically and took up the lead on the bit as the field went for three from home in a hot handicap at Doncaster, and even heading down to the last he looked to have a great chance of getting his head in front.
However he was caught just before the last and he failed to make inroads when really asked the question on the home stretch. He’s dropped back down in trip this afternoon and he looks good value to make amends off an unchanged mark this.
Leg Six: Armedanddangerous
If we have made it through to the final leg, we will be hoping James Reveley can guide Armedanddangerous into the places, with the consistent ten-year-old looking to keep up his solid recent form.
After returning with an eye-catching third at Uttoxeter after a 290 day absence, he battled gamely when being issued reminders a long way from home last time out. The step-up in trip should see him go well in an extremely open race this afternoon and it would be no surprise to see him leave plenty of punters in jubilant mood come five-o’clock.