The racing is leaving little to get too excited about at the minute, especially on the betting front. With the selections that have been chanced often not having races unfold remotely how I’ve expected them too, I took stock and have let a few days run.
This is a funny time of year for it, so there is no harm in stepping back and letting a few run by without a financial interest, and instead keeping it at a watching brief for future interest. That said, today couldn’t go by without a dabble on one who outrun odds for us last week to finish 2nd at an SP of 66/1, where we again chance an ex-Irish handicapper having recently fallen into the UK sphere.
No Return 9/1 | 2pt Win
20:00 Kempton
20:00 KemptonT: Charlie Johnston
J: Callum Shepherd
Result: unplaced – 6/8 -2pt
Took keen hold, soon led, headed and weakened from over 1f out, short of room final 110yds (SP 8/1)
We played No Return this time last week, where I had the below to say about his chances, and he goes today off of the same mark of 80 and in a race that looks utterly devoid of any forward going early pace.
A recent addition to Charlie Johnston’s yard having moved over from Ireland (my favourite of angles), where this son of Kodiac ran healthily to a mark exceeding 80 numerous times, and won off of 79 with ease on his last start in Ireland.
He first ran in the U.K. under Charlie Johnston in November on the back of a lengthy lay off, got a bad start and then found trouble in-running, which saw him minded home under relatively little ask by Joe Fanning. He was dropped 2lbs by the handicapper for that, which on his evidence in Ireland, seems remarkably lenient.
Oliver Stammers rides Lingfield with great confidence, so off of a lenient looking mark in a small enough 0-85, he should have every chance of being involved should he not fluff the start. I can’t fathom the price about him.
Every chance they will ping and make a run of it from the front here, as he had done previously in Ireland, and should they opt for those positive tactics I’d quite fancy them to lead pillar to post if they keep it sensible.
My only reservations are twofold – Callum Shepherd is a very able jockey, but he appears to have serious issues around Kempton, where he holds a very weak strike rate compared to his record on all AW tracks.
Additionally, Al Barez is screaming at me, who looks so hideously well handicapped he has to rank as a danger. I don’t see this race running to suit him, but I’ll be very interested to see how he fairs and Jack Mitchell is jocked up, who is 3 from 10 on him.
Best of luck with your punting today,
