Place money got me in front for the day, Gericault Roque in particular was a sickener and would've made it a great day. But profit is profit so got to be happy with that and go again tomorrow.
2:10 I've gone for Fury Road 16/1 and Capodanno 8/1 here. Purely price based as I feel Bravemansgame is overrated and L'Homme Presse as much as I love him is unproven at the trip. I feel Fury Road in particular is a huge price here, he's 16/1 and already a Grade 1 winner over fences smashing Run Wild Fred who's just run really well in the 4 miler. He already very very nearly won the Albert Bartlett that Monkfish won. The Grade 1 win over fences is the only time he's run over 3 miles and it was excellent, I fancy a big run from him here. Capodanno has been crying out for a trip over fences and his run against Bob Olinger was extremely impressive. His best hurdles form came over 3 miles so I expect him to really improve for the step up tomorrow.
2:50 I have a reasonable record in this race and I'm really hoping I can find the winner in this renewal. I'm four pronged here again. Firstly, Saint Felicien 8/1, this fella looks a Grade 1 horse in the making and highly highly progressive. His jumping is really slick so his lack of experience doesn't overly bother me. Ganapathi is the one I'm most excited about from my picks, he was actually a fancy of mine last season for the Supreme, he then ran in the County and things didn't go to plan. However, he ran a HUGE race at Punchestown in a Grade 1 before falling when upped in trip. This is his first run of the entire season and a tongue tie is fitted for the first time, Willie will no doubt have him cherry ripe and realistically had he been running this season his mark likely wouldn't have allowed him to run in this so I'm really hopeful he will run a huge race. Garry Clermont 25/1 is a horse that has loomed up dangerously on a few occasions in good handicaps but not quite got the job done. I'm really happy with the application of cheekpieces and going out to his furthest trip as he's looked like he's wanted to step up for a while. Finally, an outsider in Tronador at 40/1. I actually backed this lad when he won at Aintree last year, I think he needs Spring ground and he's been put away all season and I feel this would surely have been the plan. Well worth a go in a big field handicap he enjoys so much and he has decent course form running really well in a Boodles as a 4 year old.
4:50 Going for two here one from each side of the Irish Sea. Andy Dufresne 8/1 has some really really good form in the book but has clearly had his issues, if they've managed to get him here in good order I think he's arguably the best horse in this race and seriously unexposed. The other is last season's winner Sky Pirate 14/1. I think this will have been the plan all season, there weren't loads of horses in this I'm overly keen on so I felt he was worth a go at the price, if he's anywhere near last season he'll go very close.
