Four Fancies in What is a Good Jumps Card at Wetherby
The jump season may officially be on the wind down right now, but that hasn’t stopped Wetherby putting on a very good card on Friday afternoon. On the card I have four solid fancies at a time when I usually struggle to pick out jump horses, so I’ll certainly be taking advantage of that.
2:50 – Paddling
Rated just 86 after what has been a tough season so far, but there were signs that he was coming back to life at Catterick last time out. If he can rediscover his form from last season then there is no doubt he is a well handicapped horse.
This race doesn’t look to be the strongest of handicaps, and at 13/2 at the time of writing this, there is no doubt this horse represents solid each way value in the race. He finished third at Catterick last time out and while he was 18 lengths behind the winner, the two horses ahead of him that day are well handicapped and much better than what he is against here.
At some point things will click for this horse and he is handicapped to win a race when that happens, let’s hope it is here.
3:25 – Falcon Sun
The shortest price of my four fancies, priced up at 9/4 at the time of writing but his chances are obvious and clear to see for everyone. He won two races at Leicester in comfortable fashion before running in a better quality race at Newbury and falling last time out. He came down when looking like being a big player in that race, and although it is impossible to know whether he would have won, we can say that he would certainly have been a big player in that race.
He looks to be an improving type, and after showing the potential to win again at Newbury, he actually drops back down in class here from that race in search for compensation. His claims are rock solid, obviously he needs to jump around this time, but this horse looks to have a great chance of winning his third race out of his last four starts on Friday.
3:55 Lough Salt
I’ve fancied this horse on numerous occasions over the past 12 months. I thought last time out was his turn to win, but he came second on that occasion, behind a horse who was bouncing back to form. He still ran well and today he has eye shields on to try and sharpen him up and get a little more from him.
This horse is not the most straight forward, and that will always force me to tread with caution when I back him. However, the same can be said about the favourite Flowery, who also has a big rise in the weights to deal with.
Eventually Lough Salt will win a race, he loves Wetherby and tends to always run well there. At 9/2 he represents solid value against the favourite, as there doesn’t appear to be anything between them.
4:30 Becky The Thatcher
This race revolves around the favourite, Thosedaysaregone, who travels over from Ireland for this race. He came across to Wetherby earlier in the season and won with ease, landing a really big gamble in the process. He hasn’t been as good since, but won over fences last time out back in Ireland, and now comes here looking to build on that. If that run over fences has given him the confidence he needs, then obviously he has a big chance here and needs respecting.
However, he is 8lb higher here than when he won at this course earlier in the season, and priced up at 15/8 he doesn’t really appeal to me.
Instead I will take him on with the likeable mare Becky The Thatcher, who is returning after a mini break here and could represent value. She is 9/1 and worth a bet each way in the hope she is fully wound up for her return. She runs off a mark of 125 here, and based on her win at the course off 122 last year, and her second off that mark, beaten by a neck, this season, she is more than capable of getting involved off 125.
The three month break is a slight worry, but the price reflects that and she has every chance of running well if fully tuned up, I am more than happy to back her in the hope that she is.
The card at Wetherby looks very good, and contains plenty of horses that I like. I am counting down the days to the flat season starting on Saturday, but that goes on the back burner for now, as there are betting opportunities to be had at Wetherby on Friday afternoon.