Morning all,

Shandoz got the week’s tipping off to a good start. As I said last week. It takes the pressure off for the rest of the week when you fire in a Monday winner. Shandoz got a perfect ride from jockey David Egan. Hopefully you got on at 9/1 as the money really spoke in the selections favour as he was returned at just 9/2.

Time to put the flat turf season firmly to the back of your mind and concentrate firmly on the winter game.  Granted I will be having a few bets on the Breeders Cup this weekend and of course in the November handicap at Doncaster but apart from that its mostly the jumps for me now.

The weather over the last couple of days has helped to get me fully immersed into the winter game. There’s been plenty of rain around the country which hopefully means we should start to see perfect jumping ground around our racecourses.

Now is the perfect time to de-clutter and refresh those trackers and its a process I completed yesterday. Inside today’s main piece you’ll find a couple of horses for the tracker. Plus, I have a selection from today’s big race at Exeter.

In tomorrow’s column I will be looking ahead to the weekend’s big race jumps action which includes the return of the National fences at Aintree for the first time since April and on Thursday you can read my Breeders Cup Preview.

Two for the tracker

I have added half a dozen to my tracker after the weekend action. Here are two from Wetherby on Friday.

Galahad Quest – Nick Williams

The 5-year-old, a winner of Haydock handicap chase (soft) when last seen in action in February, was just having his fourth start over fences when a 2 lengths 3rd of 10 to Good Boy Bobby in the 2m 3 ½ f Listed handicap chase at Wetherby on Friday. All in all, it was a very promising effort against more experienced handicap chasers. Both career wins have come on softer ground than he faced on Friday and he should be up to winning off around his present mark.

Fontaine Collonges – Venetia Williams

A winner of a heavy ground Leicester novice hurdle in January on her last start. The mare made a promising chase debut at Wetherby on Friday.  More testing ground or a longer trip would have suited the 6-year-old and she looks to have a future over the larger obstacles on the evidence of her 7 lengths 4th of 9 to Numitor.  Her yard hasn’t hit winning form just yet but when they do she can win a handicap chase or two this winter.

Tuesday racing

Tuesday’s highlight is the Betway Haldon Gold Cup (1.55) at Exeter. There's also action from Redcar, Lingfield, Newcastle and Fairyhouse.

Exeter

The going is being described as good to soft, soft in places for Exeter’s Haldon Gold Cup fixture. Sadly, this year’s renewal has only attracted six runners.

1:55 – Betway Haldon Gold Cup (A Limited Handicap Chase) (Grade 2) – 2m 1 ½ f

Last year’s winner Greaneteen bids for back-to-back wins. The 7-year-old beat Altior in a Grade 1 chase at Sandown in April which means he’s now 17lb higher than when successful 12 months ago. Must give plenty of weight away to his rivals here but does have a touch of class and the 7-year-old could be capable of better.

The bookies make Greaneteen’s stablemate Hitman the overnight favourite. A second season chaser the 5-year-old won two of his five starts over fences last season and finished the campaign with a respectable 3^rd of 7 in the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices' Chase at Aintree in April. The drop back form 2m 4f is a positive and given his age he’s likely capable of more progress this season.

Eldorado Allen finished two places behind Hitman at Aintree. The 7-year-old had made a good start to his chasing career winning his first two starts including a Grade 2 at Cheltenham last season and finished a 12-length 2^nd of 5 to Shishkin in the Arkle Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March. The ease in the ground will suit him and the yard brought back Fiddlerontheroof to win at Carlisle on Sunday so he can’t be easily dismissed.

Moonlighter ran Greaneteen to a neck in last year’s race and won at Sandown in February. He races off 6lb higher. Has had wind surgery since pulling up in the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Has an 11lb pull in the weights with Greaneteen which must make him of plenty of interest here.

Verdict: A fascinating racing. Greaneteen must give weight all round but does have a touch of class. Stablemate Hitman is the one with the upside. Moonlighter is handicapped to reverse placings with Greaneteen. Eldorado Allen doesn’t have much to find at the weights with the other three mentioned and he could be capable of a better performance.

Tuesday selection:

Exeter

1:55 – Greaneteen – 4/1 @ Corals & Ladbrokes

Good luck with your Tuesday bets.

John

John Burke is the tipster behind the long standing Victor Value service you can join him here – https://victorvalue.uk