Selections for Saturday 18th of February
2.25 Ascot
1 point each way Cap Du Nord (4/1 Skybet, 5 places or else 9/2 Generally, 4 places)
Cap Du Nord aims to go a place better today after finishing second at Doncaster last time. The winner Coopers Cross and Cap Du Nord were 8 lengths clear of the third on that occasion. Cap Du Nord won a valuable handicap at Kempton last January off today’s mark of 127. He handles good ground fine and is a solid each way play.
1 point each way Danny Kirwin (5/1 Skybet, 5 places or else 6/1 William Hill, 4 places)
Danny Kirwin came a good second over today’s course and distance last October. He led for most of that race to be just ran down by Our Power. That was off a mark of 133, 3 lbs lower than today’s mark. He won here last March so obviously likes the track. The key to him is good ground and he gets that today. He also goes well fresh and is capable of winning a race of this nature.
3.00 Ascot
1 point each way Fifty Ball (13/2 Bet365, 4 places or else 5/1 Skybet, 5 places)
Fifty Ball is unbeaten in two starts over Hurdles around Ascot and is only 1lb higher than when winning here over 2m 5 ½ furlongs last March. That was on good ground and Niall Houlihan was on board claiming 3lbs. Fifty Ball pulled up on his comeback in the Lanzarote Hurdle. He travelled well enough in that race before pulling up before the second last hurdle. That was just a spin to have him right for today’s race, at least that is my thinking.
3.35 Ascot
1 point each way Millers Bank (10/1 Bet365/ Paddy power/ William Hill/ Betfair, 2 places)
This was a race I was going to swerve and maybe I should have but I couldn’t let Millers Bank go without a small wager. If Shiskin is back to form he will be very hard to beat and Fakir D’ Oudairies is ultra consistent at this level while Pic D’ Orhy has improved this year. Millers Bank won a Grade One Novice Chase at Aintree last April, beating War Lord by 10 lengths on good to soft ground. This is very much his season target and at 10/1 he could outrun his odds in a fascinating contest. He finished behind Pic D’ Orhy twice last year but the distances were 2 lengths and 1 length. At over three times the odds of Pic D’ Orhy he looks overpriced in the market.
2.40 Haydock
1 point each way Small Present (11/1 Skybet/ Paddy power/ Betfair, 5 places)
If the ground ends up on the good side of soft Small Present looks overpriced at 11/1. If the overnight rain has arrived and the ground is soft it will be a big negative for this selection. He has course form having won a couple of times at Haydock over Hurdles and his best run over fences came last time at Market Rasen when finishing third on his first attempt over this marathon trip. He gets in here right off the foot of the weights and hopefully he will be staying on strongly at the business end.
**Date & Time of next Selections Friday 24th of February at 9pm..