Saturday 17th February 2018

A cracking day on here last weekend with 3 out of 4 winners. Ballymoy, Native River & Kalashnikov winning the Betfair hurdle at 14-1.

Kalashnikov will now likely head for the Supreme Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. If Kalashnikov can keep in touch with the leaders and be within a few lengths from two out, he’ll take the beating. Nothing would finish the race stronger. However, I would be a bit worried he might not have the pace on quicker ground. He looked outpaced in the Betfair, but stamina won the day on bottomless going. If he was mine, I’d be running in the Ballymore Novice over further. The problem with that, a certain horse called Samcro will likely be running!

My day from a punting point of view has gone out of the window with the withdrawal of Gold Present at Ascot. I think this horse is very smart and a possible Grand National type.

Speaking of the Grand National, Blaklion bids to enhance is National chances in the trial at 3:15, Haydock.

This won’t be easy for Blaklion as he gives away the best part of a stone to some of his main rivals. I think his class might get him through whilst he stays every yard of the trip. The worry would be connections not wanting the horse to have a hard race before the National. The odds of 100-30 look fair though.

Last week plenty of horses stood out, it’s the opposite this afternoon.

The Cheltenham sales took place on Thursday, six figure sums we’re flying about all over the shot for the Irish p2p horses. £410,000 was the most expensive of the day. You’ve got to win a Gold Cup to have any chance of getting some of the purchase price back and two, Gold Cups to put you in the black ! The best of British to people paying those kinds of sums.