Coral horse racing experts provide their Ayr and Hereford tips for December 19, with Big River odds and Stamp Your Feet bets (as part of a JP McManus double) among the wagers fancied this Monday…
Big River odds should sail to success at Ayr
Big River shaped really well when runner-up last time out, so looks a worthy favourite to go one better and land the spoils in the 2m 5f handicap hurdle on today’s card at Ayr (15:00).
Trained by Lucinda Russell, this gelding had some smart form in bumpers, being beaten just 1/2 a length by the very useful and now 149-rated Brain Power at Newcastle before scoring in game style at Kelso.
Big River then made the perfect start to his hurdling career when keeping on strongly to beat Just Georgie by two lengths at that latter venue.
The six-year-old was allotted an opening handicap mark of just 115 on the back of those efforts, and shaped as if ahead of it when chasing home Cool Branca in a 10-runner affair at the same track back in October.
Big River looked like he needed the outing, making good headway from midfield three from home to hold every chance at the last before being unable to find any extra and beaten 3 1/4 lengths.
The well-bred son of Milan is sure to strip much fitter for that run and, off an unchanged mark looks, potentially thrown-in at the weights, especially on his bumper run behind Brain Power.
What A Dream has been given a chance by the assessor and looks decent each-way value at the odds on offer in the 2m 5f handicap chase (13:55).
Trained by Alison Hamilton, the 10-year-old was in good form at the start of last season when landing back-to-back contests at this venue.
In the second of those, What A Dream stayed on tenaciously to beat Mumgos Debut by three lengths on soft ground in class 4 contest off a mark of 90.
The gelding got put up to 101 for that victory and was far from disgraced off it when third to Lord Wishes at Kelso.
What A Dream’s form then tailed off, but as a result he now returns to action off a reduced rating of 87 – 3lb lower than when last successful.
It gives him major claims at the weights on the pick of his form in this class 5 contest, and the fact he won first time-up last season suggests an absence of 223 days to overcome should not be an issue at a track which clearly suits.
Ayr tips for December 19
12.50: Robbing The Prey 13.20: Duhallowcountry 13.55: What A Dream (E/W) 14.20: Plus Jamais (NB) 15.00: Big River (NAP) 15.30: Sam’s Adventure
Stamp Your Feet bets say he’s handicapped to strike at Hereford
Stamp You Feet can cash-in on what looks a lenient mark to land the 2m handicap hurdle on today’s card at Hereford (14.40).
After shaping with bags of promise when third on debut, the four-year-old looked one to keep onside when running out an impressive six length winner of a bumper at Fontwell.
Stamp Your Feet was purchased by leading Irish owner JP McManus after that success and has since run well to be placed in two starts over hurdles.
The Tom George trained gelding particularly caught the eye in the last of those at Bangor when a tenderly handled 6 3/4 length third of 10 to Winterlude.
Stamp Your Feet split a pair of rivals rated 130 and 112 and the fifth home Limited Reserve, who finished just over seven lengths behind him, has since come out and won twice.
That gives the form a strong look and suggests the assessor has taken a real chance in allotting the selection an opening handicap mark of just 112.
Owner McManus also looks to hold leading claims of landing the 3m 1f novices’ chase earlier on the card (14:05) with Mystical Knight.
This gelding was a dual point winner in Ireland who scored in runaway style on his debut under rules for trainer Rebecca Curtis when landing a Warwick bumper by 23 lengths.
Mystical Knight then shaped with plenty of promise when runner-up to the smart Open Eagle on hurdles debut at the same venue, before going one better to land a novice hurdle at Navan when showing a smart turn of foot.
12.35: Ballyegan 13.05: Finian’s Oscar 13.35: Hoo Bally Diva 14.05: Mystical Knight (NB) 14.40: Stamp Your Feet (NAP) 15.10: Caprice D’anglais 15.40: Just A Thought
