1.30 – It was a tough day for many yesterday with the heavy rain turning the ground unexpectedly heavy after course officials decided to water the course the night before. It was an unpleasant sight and certainly not ideal for new clerk of the course Jon Pullin. One horse who shouldn’t mind it soft on Day 3 is GALOPIN DES CHAMPS who looks to have a great chance of following up last year’s Martin Pipe victory. His main rival, Bob Olinger, has found it hard to jump out of softer ground over in Ireland this winter whereas the selection has found it all so easy. He looks the safest bet of the day.
.2.10 – I could back a couple in this if I’m being honest. Without the rain I would have been very sweet on Honest Vic as he looks to be back down on a competitive mark. Alaphillipe is the one I have had earmarked for the race for quite some time but at 6/1 he is plenty skinny enough. THIRD WIND looks perhaps the safest each way play at 22/1 as he loves a bit of soft ground and ran a mighty race in this in 2020 when off the same mark. I expect him to go well again here.
2.50 – Obviously if Allaho turns up here in the same form as last year he will take a lot of beating but to me it looked a freakish one off performance last year and at the prices I’m inclined to take him on. MELON looks the obvious one to me given his brilliant festiva record. Away from the favourite, this might the weakest festival race he has ran in which gives him a great each way chance at a very decent price. It would be great for connections if he could finally break his festival hoodoo.
3.30 – This is very open this year. I was on Flooring Porter last year at fancy prices but I wouldn’t feel so confident in him backing it up this year. One horse who just runs his race every time he meets the track is THYME HILL and I think he might finally get his big day in the Sun today. Philip Hobbs’ horse was a little unlucky at Ascot given the way the race panned out but I expect this to be a proper test of stamina which will undoubtedly play to his strengths.
4.10 – I’m hoping Tom O’Brien has a good day today as this is the third horse he rides that I’m putting up. CELEBRE D’ALLEN has looked very good so far this season winning his first two hurdle starts before winning very cosily last time out at Warwick. He had a lot more in hand than the winning distance suggests and his form in France would suggest he still has a good chance off his new mark. This has been the plan all year and anything above 5/1 should be taken.
4.50 – I wouldn’t have too strong a view in this race as it is a race that can throw up a shock result. Willie Mullins has a strong hand in this and GRANGEE looks the most interesting to me. A very good bumper mare last year, she has mixed it against the boys this time around and certainly wasn’t disgraced. She hadn’t played her hand when falling last time out in a race that looks a key piece of form and at 10/1 I’m happy to take a punt on her each way.
5.30 – A tough way to end proceedings on Day 3. Many in with a chance here but I’m inclined to take a punt on the unexposed AIN’T THAT A SHAME who represents the Henry De Bromhead stable. He may lack the experience that some of these have but at the same time he could turn out to be a graded horse hiding in a handicap. Ben Harvey claims a useful 3lb and I’m hopeful he can prove to be better than his mark.
