Bangor, Newbury & Kelso selections Saturday 21st March
Not the highest profile of Saturdays today, but there are still some interesting races and a chance to explore some of the lower profile tracks earning a bit of extra exposure today. I have selections from four handicaps across the three jumping fixtures in Britain. We went close to a big priced winner of the Midlands National last week with Rock My Way second for the each-way bet (advised 25/1).
Newbury 2.25: Knappers Hill
KNAPPERS HILL was a high class performer in his younger days, culminating in a Grade 2 win at Wincanton over this trip in late 2023. Sadly though he met with an injury in that race that saw him off the track for two full years.
He has not yet returned to his old form this term on comeback, but I think there is enough evidence to suggest there is plenty of ability still there, he is being given some slack in the ratings now and he has traditionally been best on the sound surface he faces today.
He was only beaten 8l by The Jukebox Man at Haydock on his comeback, which was his only run on good going this term. Since then he was only third of four in the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby (3m too far on soft going?) and was never a factor on really heavy ground at Warwick last time. He is now 11lbs lower than his rating after his last victory, but a return to good going could well bring about a resurgence.
Kelso 2.40: Glen Road
A winner here over hurdles at a furlong further than today, GLEN ROAD has been nicely campaigned in three chases to earn a qualifying rating for today and looks the answer to this tight looking chase.
His first two attempts over fences were not very promising, finishing well beaten at Newcastle (perhaps inexperience a factor?) and then lacking the pace to compete over 2m at Sedgefield. However it was much more like it when stepped up in class at Sandown two weeks ago where he finished a strong second.
That leaves him on a mark only 4lbs higher than for his last win over hurdles. This is a race where plenty of early pace looks likely via Diamond Dealer or Sleeping Satellite, but Glen Road can just ease in behind them and with stamina assured from his performances over hurdles, he might be slightly ahead of his handicap mark now upped in distance over fences.
Newbury 3.00: Charisma Cat & Watamu
After a couple of weak renewals, this EBF Mares Final looks a stronger version and I think class will come through here with two of the top weights fancied.
CHARISMA CAT could prove a very classy hurdler if she learns to jump better. Cheekpieces seemed to sharpen up her jumping in a very hot qualifier for this race last time, where she finished a good second to the highly rated Khrisma. There also has to be a chance she will jump better over this longer trip and therefore slightly slower gallop.
She was a very classy bumper horse last season, winning the listed Mares event at Sandown and she has run to a decent level all season over hurdles, despite being held back by some clumsy leaps. That included a second place to La Conquiere here in a listed contest in November. If she can put it all together with the jumping, a mark of 124 looks very exploitable.
Not too far behind Charisma Cat at Market Rasen last month was WATAMU and that race looked a good trial for today with Emma Lavelle’s mare. Only 3l behind my other selection, she is 4lbs better off today and could be suited by a step up in distance and a drier surface.
She caught my eye when fourth in a good mares novice at this track on her hurdling debut on similar going, though she was then well beaten in that same listed race here later in the month on much softer going. She was then quick enough to defeat Khrisma at Huntingdon at Christmas and I think this flat, galloping track can suit this strong traveller.
Bangor 3.20: Norman Fletcher
NORMAN FLETCHER tends to be at his best fresh and so on his first appearance on the track since Christmas we can expect a much stronger performance at Bangor this afternoon.
Named after the lead character in the sitcom Porridge, Norman Fletcher made a solid reappearance this season when fifth in the Welsh Champion Hurdle on similar going to today at Chepstow. However he was well beaten in three subsequent starts, fairly quickly afterwards – albeit in much stronger company.
As a result he is beginning to tumble down the handicap and is down to a mark of 118 now. That makes him 5lbs lower than his last winning mark, a win at Huntingdon early last season when he again produced his best form fresh. I think he will prefer going left-handed and looks worth a try over a sharp 2m4f, rather than being stretched to keep up in a strongly run 2m contest as has often been the case recently.
Recommended bets:
1pt win – Knappers Hill – 2.5 Newbury – 5/1 general
1pt each-way – Glen Road – 2.40 Kelso – 4/1 William Hill (1/4 odds 1st 3)
1pt each-way – Charisma Cat – 3.00 Newbury – 13/2 William Hill (¼ odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Watamu – 3.00 Newbury – 13/2 Bet365 (1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt win – Norman Fletcher – 3.20 Bangor – 7/2 William Hill
