Betting Strategy / Rory Delargy / 25 August 2010 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet View Market

I moaned that the lack of decent races had made the summer jumps season a bit of a let down outside of the top 2 or 3 days, but Newton Abbot's Saturday card reminded us all how good the top days can be, and provided us with plenty to cheer.

"We have definitely found another Paul Nicholls horse to add to our naughty list in the shape of Vertige Dore, who was twice beaten at odds-on for Willie Mullins and has looked quirky in both outings for Nicholls despite winning. His defeat of Cass Bligh at Bangor on Friday was down to that rival's lack of fitness and he has cocked his jaw in a most unappealing way when asked for an effort both there and at Worcester."

The defeat of Classic Swain by Passato in the feature spared my blushes after the runner-up had apparently turned the corner in recent starts, but it's worth reiterating that he has now traded odds-on and lost on 5 separate occasions, including hitting 1.04 and 1.02. He remains one to take on in running. Passato, on the other hand is blooming and while he's been raised to a lofty 142 after winning by the BHA Handicapper, he might have another day in the sun before the going changes (unlikely to act on what trainer Jo Davis refers to as winter-soft ground). The Showcase Meeting at Cheltenham last year took place on good to firm ground and Passato would make plenty of appeal in the zeturf.com handicap chase which Poquelin took last year.

Otherwise on that Newton Abbot card, we got Strumble Head and Cinaman well beaten while pinpointing the chances of Rudinero and Petit Fleur, so it was a pleasing day all round. The last named was particularly impressing in drawing clear of her field and would have gone on the "follow" list but for the handicapper's reaction (raised a scarcely credible 16 lbs despite being fully exposed). I've been vocal in my criticism of the assessor's attitude to wide-margin winners over jumps - not every horse who wins by 12 lengths is a stone ahead of their mark as the BHA team seem to imagine - another reason why it's easier to find horses to lay rather than back.

Elsewhere over the weekend, we have definitely found another Paul Nicholls horse to add to our naughty list in the shape of Vertige Dore, who was twice beaten at odds-on for Willie Mullins and has looked quirky in both outings for Nicholls despite winning. His defeat of Cass Bligh at Bangor on Friday was down to that rival's lack of fitness and he has cocked his jaw in a most unappealing way when asked for an effort both there and at Worcester, so must go on the swerve list (lay pre race and in-running).

One to lay in the short term is chasing debutant Quaddick Lake in the 19:00 at Bangor tonight. He's always had plenty of talent but I'm convinced his weak finishing isn't due to lack of fitness and he's gone from cruising to nil on several occasions in the past. He's one to take on in running as he has traded at 1.20, 1.33 and 1.35 before getting beaten in the past, on one of those occasions beaten a distance!

Tags: Newton Abbot, Passato, Quaddick Lake, Summer Jumping, Vertige Dore