Placepot tips for Wetherby on Saturday: Dan Overall's picks
Last year's Tipstar winner Dan Overall shares his placepot picks for Wetherby on Saturday. Use a Tote account to back Dan's selections! Enjoy all the action live on Racing TV.
Race 1
12:40pm - 6 Horses Challenge At bet365 Novices' Hurdle.
An eighteen-runner novice hurdle with point winners, bumper winners and hurdling debutants galore – there are easier ways to start a card!
Brook Bay was very weak in the market ahead of his hurdling debut at Uttoxeter but still ran a race full of promise behind the useful Asta La Pasta. Clearly expected to come on immensely for that run, and he sets the form standard on what we’ve seen under rules, and connections have stated that he needs soft ground to be at this best. He is Jonjo O’Neill’s only runner on the card, and should go close.
Cherie D’Am is seemingly held in high regard and, for all that her bumper form doesn’t amount to much, the manner of her victory was impressive. Connections won this race with Ashtown Lad in 2020 and have often sent a good horse to this race; Hidden Heroics and Shan Blue both to name two recent examples.
With such a big field, I’m willing to add a third selection in the form of Hey Brother. He ran okay in two bumpers but is related to a couple of smart hurdlers, while Alan King won this race last season. He’s also been in flying form with his novice hurdlers; since the start of October, four of his seven runners have won.
Selections: Brook Bay, Cherie D’Am and Hey Brother.
Race 2
1:15pm - Bet Boost at Bet365 Handicap Chase.
From a difficult Novice Hurdle, straight into a wide-open handicap; we could see a big dividend here!
Cruz Control’s first-preference is at Ascot, while last year’s winner, Ladronne, had a couple of starts before that success twelve-months ago but comes here fresh this time around; he has won after a break before, but he looks weighted up to his best for all that he could run well.
Eaton Collina is one of the more progressive types in this field having won a couple of times towards the back end of last season. The first of those wins came at Chepstow where he beat Triple Trade, who has ridden sixteen-pounds in the handicap since. He’ll appreciate the soft ground and should go well from the front as he often does.
While Thor De Cerisy is a nine-year-old, this will be just his fourth start over fences, and his first run for Neil Mullholland. His chasing debut was full of promise; third at Lingfield, only caught after the last, the front two (Mucho Mas & Bill Baxter) are now rated 11 and 26 pounds higher respectively. His jumping hasn’t been up to scratch on two subsequent starts, but they came over two-miles and so a return to this intermediate trip will suit. He loves heavy ground and is another forward goer who is capable of a big run.
Selections: Eaton Collina and Thor De Cerisy.
Race 3
1:50pm - Bet365 Mares' Hurdle.
A fascinating renewal which is sure to be informative for the season ahead, with the top three in the betting all harbouring aspirations of the Mares’ Hurdle in March.
Molly Ollys Wishes won the past two running’s for the Skelton’s, who now rely on Kateira to keep the winning streak going. Fifth in the Aintree bumper two seasons ago, she was largely kept in calmer waters during her novice campaign, which made her run in the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle all the more impressive; she finished a very good second that day, staying on strongly over two-and-a-half miles. Staying further is certainly no detriment in this race, as Molly Ollys Wishes has demonstrated.
Twelve-lengths behind Kateira at Aintree was You Wear It Well, who had previously made all to win the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. She relished the soft ground on that occasion, and while she had the run of the race, conditions here will suit, although the presence of Stainsby Girl could result in a battle for the early lead.
Luccia went off the 6/4 favourite at Cheltenham, but could only finish fourth, with an interrupted preparation mooted as a reason for her defeat. Still, she was only four-lengths behind You Wear It Well, and her run at Aintree in third behind Inthepocket was another admirable effort in defeat. Nicky Henderson thinks the world of Luccia and you get the impression that we haven’t seen the best of her. Probably the most natural two-miler of the market-leading trio, soft ground proved no issue to her in bumpers and I suspect she will progress further this season.
Selections: Luccia and Kateira.
Race 4
2:25pm - Bet365 Hurdle.
A trappy race and one which highlights the lack of depth in the staying hurdling division.
With question marks about many of these, I think Red Risk is capable of a big run. He’s had less runs than Botox Has over hurdles and, on weight-adjusted ratings, they’re level but Red Risk remains unexposed over three-miles; he was struck into on his one attempt at the trick, but his siblings are three-milers and he’s looked a strong stayer over intermediate trips. He goes well fresh, will handle the testing conditions and his handicap form at the start of last season is rock solid. He could spring a surprise here at a big price, which would help the dividend.
Dashel Drasher is an admirable sort although his record fresh concerns me. Ga Law is likely using this as a prep run for the Coral Gold Cup, which brings me to Thyme Hill; you have to go back to April 2021 for his last win over hurdles but he is a two-time Grade 1 win over the smaller obstacles, which suit him far better than fences. He has a good record fresh and with the yard in good form, he should be going close in a race like this even if he doesn’t retain all of his old ability.
Selections: Red Risk and Thyme Hill.
Race 5
3:00pm - Bet365 Charlie Hall Chase.
Bravemansgame bids to be the first repeat winner since See More Business at the turn of the century.
His jumping in this contest twelve-months ago was a joy to behold, as it often is, although if you of a critical inclination then you’d argue that a four-length defeat of Eldorado Allen & Sam Brown is hardly top-class form. However, I take the far more complimentary view in that he only had to be nudged out to do so and his subsequent King George win and Gold Cup second makes him the clear standout in this field. While we know a repeat King George success is his primary early season target, he should be extremely hard to beat here on all that we know. If you were to have a lingering concern, it would be that his Gold Cup run could have taken a lot out of him, as it has done to many, but we cannot draw any conclusions on the impact of that effort yet.
Ahoy Senor has the class to feature here, and he may get an uncontested lead, but his record on seasonal reappearance is disconcerting. Gentlemansgame has achieved a lot in just two starts over fences, and he has plenty of potential upside but taking on Bravemansgame on just your third start over fences is no easy task. Midnight River will enjoy the ground and he won nicely at Aitnree on his first try at three-miles over fences, although I suspect that they have one eye on the Coral Gold Cup in a month’s time.
Selection: Bravemansgame.
Race 6
3:30pm - Never Ordinary at Bet365 Handicap Hurdle.
Alvaniy, like so many of the Paul Byrne horses, is very difficult to assess. The form of his Maiden Hurdle win at Galway is poor and he was well beaten at Newton Abbot when sent off the 1/3 favourite. And yet, he could still go off a very short price and win doing handstands. That level of uncertainly isn’t ideal for a placepot, so I will be looking elsewhere.
Wetherby regular’s Haafapiece and Albert’s Back make their seasonal reappearance’s; Pam Sly’s ten-year-old won this race in 2021 from a six-pound higher mark although he was generally regressive last season, while Albert’s Back loves testing ground but previous attempts over this trip have not been profitable.
Rafferty’s Return also has winning form at Wetherby, with two of his three wins over hurdles coming over course and distance. He reopposes Fosters’sisland and Tiger Jet on favourable
terms based on his victory here in December 2022, and he won first time out two seasons ago. He likes soft ground and should go well from the front.
Decorated looked to relish the testing conditions when winning at Sedgefield and Taunton at the back end of last season and remains unexposed over this trip. Gavin Sheehan gets on well with him and he won after a four-month absence last season.
Selections: Rafferty’s Return and Decorated.
