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- Racing tips: The six-timer looks a strong possibility for in form Blue Shark
I'll mention the winner before I talk about the ride on the selection for yesterday…
Russian Virtue was game as anything and Oisin Murphy proved why he is head and shoulders over 99% of flat jockeys. He had the perfect race plan, took Russian Virtue to the front and he got stuck into the horse and the horse responded for the pressure.
I am a fan of Rex Dingle, he is a good young jockey, but yesterday he made a terrible judgement on Stormy Flight. When I saw him sitting on the bridle, thinking he was prime Jamie Spencer I had a gut feeling he wouldn't jump the last on good terms and lose the race, and that is what happened. It happens in racing I suppose, but I think that was a winner which got away.
Leicester 2:50 – Dogem By Design 7/2 (1pt)
It's hard to say that DOGEM BY DESIGN is well-handicapped, but I believe he is capable of winning off a basement mark of 79.
His record before his last two runs wouldn't look inspiring, but he has started to show glimpses of ability, albeit at a low level. He is a quirky horse, so they try to settle him towards the rear, but by doing so, they give him little chance of winning, which is what happened last time around at Catterick. He was well behind the leaders, but stayed on tenaciously and ran on strongly, looking like a horse who will be winning a race soon, hopefully, that is today.
First Angel will be the one who most punters will latch onto in this race, but carrying 12 stone won't be an easy assignment, even if you think this race isn't that strong. However, he was beaten last time around when carrying this weight, and the winner that day wasn't exactly a well-handicapped horse and didn't frank the form the time after, so I think he is vulnerable again, especially to a light weighted horse like Dogem By Design.
The ground will deteriorate through the night, with rain and a bit of snow expected at Leicester, so if it survives the morning inspection it will be on the soft side. Though he hasn't really been tried on soft ground, his pedigree gives me hope that he'll handle it with his mum winning on soft ground and the Sire producing soft-ground winners over the jumps.
Exeter 4:10 – Blue Shark 5/2 (1pt)
I know it might seem like an easy way out by going for BLUE SHARK who arrives at this race on the back of a five-timer, but I firmly believe he is still on a good mark and is capable of winning again.
He has to carry a decent weight of 11st 10lbs, but I don't think that will halt his progress. I get similar vibes to An Tailliur with this horse. By that I mean he wins plenty of races, doesn't win by great margins, and as a result, doesn't go up the weights too much. The latter-named horse is also trained by Jonjo Sr and progressed through the handicap at a rate of knots of the last couple of years, doing what Blue Shark has done.
This race is probably tougher than what he's been against previously and he is trying a new trip, but I see him rising to the occasion and winning again and 5/2 looks a fair price.
