Good morning all,

Once more around the block then, and then we can all go home! As ever, my feet are now starting to hurt but it has been a fantastic week, great racing, good to catch up with friends you've not seen for a year, and the odd winner along the way!

Tomorrow – no video, no time to record one, it will be selections only, just for the one week.

Triumph

I’ll be going all-in a bit here and place laying both Allmankind and Goshen, having backed Solo ante-post before the Adonis. I can see at least one of them blowing out – Goshen top of the list, as his jumping is going to get progressively worse as the contest goes on, and we saw what happened earlier in the week (to my cost) when a horse starts jumping out to the right here. Asterion Forlonge basically gave ground away at every flight and in the end, did as well as he did to finish that close up. Goshen’s jumping is even more extreme than that. I can’t have him. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. It’ll not be the first time and it won’t be the last.

I wouldn’t back Solo at the current prices but of course I want him to win. I think he’s got a great chance of doing so, as he was very impressive at Kempton. Yes this is a different test, but there’s no saying he won’t be even better suited by it.

Nothing much makes a lot of appeal at current prices, so that’ll be it for me.

County

Embittered got a mention on last week’s handicaps piece and I’m still keen on him. This should be run at a good pace and J J Slevin taking over from a 7lb claimer can only be a good thing. A big field clearly isn't a problem either, and he’d be top of my shortlist.

I was half-keen on Stolen Silver for the Supreme so I have to give him a chance here, despite having enough weight. He never went the pace in the Betfair at all and still had more behind him than in front of him at the last, but finished off well enough to think the hill here is going to be a big help. In fact he is going to want 20f next year, and I often looked for a 20f horse in this, so maybe he’s got a bit more going for him than I think.

Albert Bartlett

There’s usually a couple of rags that get placed (or even better, win) this so I’m having two small e/w darts at Redford Road, who will surely appreciate the step back up to 3m after never really looking that happy back at 20f last time out, and at 100-1 House Island looks a whopping price, given he was giving Harry Senior 3lb when beaten 7l by him on Trials Day. One to back with extra places, if they are going….

Gold Cup

Covered off a couple of weeks ago so I’m not repeating myself, and in truth I’m very worried about Lostintranslation now, given the very moderate form of the Tizzard yard this week. Have they left their races at Ascot? At least that’s not an accusation you can level at Lostintranslation, and he does come here fresh, so maybe that will help. But I’m far less confident about him now that I was on Monday.
Delta Work just looks the most likely winner now. In simple terms, he has the best form, will stay well, is a dual Grade 1 winner this year (“Grade 1 form wins Grade 1 races” – I can hear the words of my old Grandad ringing in my ears as I typed that, God bless him) and the yard are having a good week. Plenty to like about his chances and Skybet offering five places looks an absolute e/w bet to nothing about him.

Foxhunters

All I can tell you about the Foxhunters is the time last year that Law Of Gold ran at Garthorpe, where I was helping Daren as he made a book. They are at the post, and the owner/trainer comes up to us and says, “How much can I have on?” Now, when you get asked something like that, your ears prick up a bit. Daren laid him 10-1 to £50 e/w and he got beat a neck.

Since then he’s gone from strength to strength and was impressive at Stratford last year. Unbeaten in his last six now, he needs good ground (it is drying pretty quickly) but owes me as a punter nothing, so I’ll be having a little bit e/w on him here and give him a cheer.

Grand Annual

There’s pace on, with Gino Train and a couple of others likely to take their chances. I gave Two Taffs a mention in the Handicaps pieces last week and the drop back to 2m is quite interesting. He travels well in his races and I don’t think it’s going to be a problem.

I’ll back him up with two that seem to have been around for ever. Theinval might be totally gone at the game but in his defence, he’s been in races he couldn’t possibly win in his last two starts (ground/trip) and we know this is more his thing as he’s been placed in the race twice in the past (2017/18). Interestingly, both those placings came after a break and off a mark of 141. Guess what? He’s had a break and is on a mark of 141….

Capeland was touted up as a Champion Chase possible earlier in the year but those plans went west after his Kempton defeat at Christmas. His last of five behind Defi Du Seuil last time is hardly cracking form either (ground was desperate that day, to be fair) but this is a drop back to handicap company and he might get back on track.

Martin Pipe.

Please don’t ask, I’m going home. Assemble might be the one. I’m tired. Start the car.

Today's selection – Delta Work 3.30 Cheltenham

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Good luck with all your bets today,

David.