It looks like a bumper weekend of action on these shores and I can’t wait to get stuck in to it. The bet of the weekend/month for me has to be KNAPPERS HILL in the Betfair Hurdle. Paul Nicholls‘ horse was a classy bumper horse last year and was good enough to win the Aintree bumper in April. His three hurdle starts this season haven’t really been run to suit him but he has performed admirably, winning two and finishing third behind the sharper Jonbon at Ascot. That race at Ascot was the same race which last year’s Betfair Hurdle winner Soaring Glory ran in before he came here off a low handicap mark to win impressively.
I’m hoping Knappers Hill is just as well handicapped, I think he is but until they go and win it’s merely speculation and with the Paul Nicholls stable under a cloud at the moment it’s hard to know what to expect from his runners. Having said that, I am still very confident of him winning this below par renewal.
You can partly blame me for the collapse in price about ROSY REDRUM in the Listed bumper at Newbury as I managed to get a bit of the 12/1 that was offered on the first show on Thursday. I couldn’t believe the price given she receives all the allowances here and the way she won at Wincanton last time out. Milton Harris already has one smart bumper mare and he has stated that there isn’t much between Mullenbeg and the selection on their home work. If she can replicate that on the track tomorrow then surely she’s the bet.
Over at Uttoxeter I think STAR ACADEMY looks a good bet at 6/1. Venetia Williams‘ novice chaser looks to be on a lenient mark given his hurdles form last year and with the promise of being better over fences then he must surely have a great chance in an open looking event. The soft ground shouldn’t hinder him and despite only reaching the first on chase debut I’d expect him to have fully recovered from that and leave that well behind him.
Newbury 3.35 – Knappers Hill
Newbury 4.45 – Rosy Redrum
Uttoxeter 1.25 – Star Academy
