- Betty Baloo out to start her season on a high
- Trainer Henry Daly looking to win feature for fourth year
- Al Dudman is backing a 21/1 Sportsbook double for Thursday in Lincolnshire
Baloo project to reap rewards at Rasen
Back Betty Baloo @ 5.59/2 in the 14:05 at Market Rasen
A frustrating afternoon yesterday for the column as the two selections became one on account of Lady Adare being a non-runner due to the ground at Bangor, even though she had plenty of soft and heavy form. Ask Me Early ran well for third and looked as though he needed the run in the end, but Le Milos looked a decent sort and blew them all away. He is now 8/1 on the Sportsbook for the Coral Gold Cup at the end of the month. Ask Me Early hit 2.111/10 in-running, but it's annoying when you're left with a single.
Thursday's jumping action may have robbed us of Sedgefield, but Betty Baloo is a bit of a project of mine, and she could still be well handicapped on her bumper form. She also had more than an adequate first season as a hurdler last term.
She landed her first two bumpers easily, including a very good win at Hexham with the way she travelled on soft ground. And her effort in the Kelso bumper in a Class 3 to round off her bumper campaign was a fine effort under a double penalty.
From her six hurdles' runs last term, I was slightly underwhelmed she only scored once and finished second a couple of times, having alternated between 2m4f and 2m, but she doesn't seem track dependant as one of her wins was at the speedy Catterick, and she won a bumper at Hexham.
The 6yo was last seen in the spring with a third in the Herring Queen Series Final Mares' Novices' Handicap Hurdle which was over 2m on good ground. She didn't have the pace for that considering the early tempo was slow-ish, and she looks happier with 2m4f and a bit of ease in the ground.
The chocolate silks of the Metcalfe family are represented with the mare, as her mother is Bellabaloo - who has produced three winners from her four runners and all have been trained Tim Easterby. Indeed her full sister Lulu Baloo has been ridden by today's jockey Tom Midgley too and his claim of 5lb makes her even more attractive as I still believe her mark of 107 is a good one.
Daly can give us a nice little earner
Back Precious Eleanor @ 4.03/1 in the 15:15 at Market Rasen
The 15:15 Bud Booth Mares' Chase over 3m is at Listed race and one of the highlights on the Rasen card this afternoon, and it's a contest that Henry Daly has cleaned up in of late as he has taken the prize money with the last three winners. Twice with Chilli Filli and once with Atlanta Ablaze.
The race is named in honour of the former Market Rasen chairman Colin Booth who was 20 years in the job, and it's a fine recent addition since its inception in 2016 with some good money on offer.
Daly's Precious Eleanor was a model of consistency last term with her seven runs over fences - two were wins and five seconds was a fine return.
Her two victories at the end of the season were both by huge margins in handicap company - including a 15L romp at Cheltenham's April meeting. With two wins at Warwick and Cheltenham, that bodes well for her in the future as those fences at both do take a bit of jumping.
Daly earmarked this race immediately after Cheltenham, so it's been the plan for a while and she does seem to want some better ground, so I am hoping she can get away with good to soft today.
Having been pressed for the lead at Cheltenham over 2m5f, she stayed well there and stepping up to 3m this afternoon should open up a few more avenues for her.
The trainer holds a 25% strike-rate at Market Rasen too from the last five seasons. The world could be her lobster as Henry's namesake Arthur once said.
October/November singles winners:
Vaynor 7/4 Won
Magical Vision 10/1 Won and Placed
De Legislator 9/10 Won
Captain Quint 2/1 Won
Fiston Du Mou 5/2 Won
Rickety Gate 5/2 Won
Warren Point 9/4 Won
Pennymoor 17/2 Won and Placed
Tarhib 5/1 Won
Hoganville 3/1 Won
Sole Pretender 9/1 Placed R4
Maximilian Evens Won
Another Odyssey 5/4 Won
Magnetic North 16/1 Placed
Mr Alan 4/1 Won
Bright Diamond 13/2 Placed
Hurtle 2/1 Won
Good Impression 3/1 Won
Soft Whisper 2/1 Won
Recommended bets
Back Betty Baloo @ 5.59/2 in the 14:05 at Market Rasen
Get the best of our tips every day of Qatar 2022
Sign up for our World Cup Newsletter here and you will receive a daily email with the pick of our bets on every day of action in Qatar.
ALAN DUDMAN'S P & L
Multiples 2021 to present: +41.14pts
Bets Of Day 2016 to 2021: +25.10pts
Irish Racing Tips 2020 to 2021: +21.63pts