Tanya Stevenson
David Marshall’s Blog April 16
Ayr Cheltenham Uttoxeter Newbury
It is only mid April and we already encounter the first bout of midsummer madness, six race meetings three in the afternoon and three in the evening including one on the poly track at Kempton, throw in another evening one from Dundalk in Ireland, this gives a total of 48 races for punters to digest today. There are six greyhound meetings to be shown in your local bookies also, who said we are a nation of gamblers!
As I have always been a fan of the Malton handler Malcolm Jefferson, McMurrough, built to carry the weight looks to have a bit to find with Ravethebrave on earlier Doncaster running, but his win at Haydock may have boosted his confidence enough to progress further, after two wins Bene Lad is upped in class but still remains at the right end of the handicap, owner Raymond Anderson Green loves to have winners at this meeting ,so hopefully this one prevails. Purely ground related, Taratino has shown nothing on his last three outings, but could well bounce back on today’s surface at rewarding odds.
After backing Stan at big odds last week and seeing him almost half in price I was hoping for a big run, he was hampered at the fence in front of the stands and thereafter was never competitive, he stayed on late, therefore I am tempted to follow him in again in the opening race on Cheltenham’s evening card, disappointing turnout for the three following races, though things get tougher as the last two are tricky handicaps, overall the three days at Cheltenham have been excellent. Uttoxeter are taking a risk in having the bumper as the fifth race on the card, in the event of any delays there is a danger of the handicap chase being run in darkness in which a costly project of mine Red Dynamite is lurking with bottom weight.
Newbury’s flat season kicks off with their spring meeting, with a son of Marling running in the opening two year old race for the Hill’s yard, Red Marling, the card as ever is likely to throw up numerous winners in the future.
