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| Punter's Diary by Malcolm Heyhoe |
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| Updated: 29th March 2009 - GG.com |
April Delights
April is the moment in the racing calendar when punters are looking two ways at once. The unique thrills and spills of the Grand National meeting ushers in the month and hot on its heels the new turf Flat season strikes its strongest notes yet with the informative Newmarket Craven meeting that informs so much of the action on the level for the weeks ahead.
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On the opening day Starluck will be a warm order to make up for his Festival Triumph Hurdle disappointment when he tackles Aintree’s much sharper and flatter terrain in the John Smith’s Anniversary 4-y-o Novices’ Hurdle. His trainer Alan Fleming made the mistake of not running the gelding on a course with a stiff finish before Cheltenham, and Aintree’s starkly contrasting track should be ideal.
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The forbidding Aintree fences come into play for the John Smith’s Topham Chase and the advice here is always to stick with an experienced and sound-jumping campaigner. Later on the card Bensalem and Pride Of Dulcote look two likely types for the Citreon C5 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle with preference for the former who had to miss the Cheltenham Festival on account of a dirty nose.
April 4 features the 2009 John Smith’s Grand National and this year the race is one of the most open in recent memory and finding the winner won’t be easy. A significant gamble on 2006 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition was derailed on the Monday before the race as trainer Mouse Morris pulled out the horse after expressing unhappiness with the 10-year-old’s well-being.
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The Irish boast a superb record in the race and maybe a rejuvenated Snowy Morning and dark horse Offshore Account will be their strongest challengers but somehow I suspect the great prize will remain on domestic soil this year. I fancy the winner to come from a select group that includes My Will, Rambling Minster, Kilbeggan Blade, State Of Play and Parson’s Legacy. All of these horses are excellent each-way alternatives to War Of Attrition, with Rambling Mister and Kilbeggan Blade getting the nod.
April is the month too when the Flat season hits the ground running with the Craven meeting that begins on April 15 with the Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes where Luca Cumani’s star filly Fantasia will be warm order. Now in the same ownership as the 1,000 Guineas favourite Rainbow View, Fantasia should surely be allowed to race in the first fillies’ Classic though it would be no surprise to see her re-routed for a tilt at the French equivalent instead. On April 16 the banahousestables.com Craven Stakes gives the colts an opportunity to strut their Classic stuff while the Weatherbys Earl Of Sefton Stakes offers the older horses a chance to bow away the winter cobwebs.
The search for Classic clues switches to Newbury on April 18 when the Bathwick Tyres Greenham Stakes tops the bill and several previous winners of this 7f contest have gone on to secure Classic success making this a must-see event for backers. At Ayr on the same day the Coral Scottish National heads proceedings and northern-trained horses sport a high and striking profile for this marathon chase; Martin Todhunter’s That’s Rhythm and Jimmy Moffatt’s Chief Dan George might well be two horses to make an impact in this season’s race.
The curtain comes down on April’s wonderful month of action with the customary mixed jumps and Flat card at Sandown that could well see Derby disappointment Curtain Call, who was poorly handled last season by Luca Cumani, make a welcome return to action in the Gordon Richards Stakes. Finally Kornati Kid and Can’t Buy Time look likely sorts for the Bet365 Gold Cup that brings down the curtain on the 2009 jumps season proper.
Malcolm Heyhoe writes weekly horse racing articles for GG.COM-Horse racing betting, information, news, results and free daily tips
Archive March 2009
