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High Moon will handle the ground at Catterick
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Back Hititi to take to the fences well
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You can follow Alan's two selections this afternoon in a Sportsbook double that pays 29/1
Moon on the radar for some payback after Carlisle comeback
Back High Moon @ 7.06/1 in the 13:55 at Catterick
Catterick is likely to get very testing today as soft was given this morning in the official going description and showers are floating around Yorkshire. Hopefully we will have a bit more luck with the weather than yesterday as Market Rasen was claimed due to the elements before our selections even turned out.
Testing ground and a sharp 2m3f look ideal for High Moon, and he is overpriced in such a small field as Masked Crusader has taken a good old chunk out of the market for this Novices Handicap Chase, and at 10/11, while I respect his two hurdling wins from last season, it's a little short for his fencing debut and first run of the season.
High Moon should be plenty fit following a comeback run over hurdles at Carlisle last time. It was an attritional ask for a first run of the season as the ground was bottomless. Plus it was 0-150 company over the smaller obstacles and he was never involved. I am hoping that was a nice prep and return for a first run over fences.
I really liked this horse from Aintree last season, and while he got beat comfortably, I thought he travelled nicely enough throughout the race before stamina became an issue and he didn't see out the 3m there at all.
He can handle quick reappearances as he secured a win over hurdles at Catterick last winter in testing ground - and that was straight off the back of an unseat at Wetherby. He pinged his hurdles that day and scored subsequently at Carlisle for another novice victory - and both were from the front and those tactics suit him best.
Sharp tracks are his game, and with success around here previously and the way he travelled around Liverpool, I am sure he will trade shorter than his 6/1 price, and even more so for a back-to-lay if he can lead once again.
Walford to hit the straps with Hititi
Back Hititi @ 4.3100/30 in the 14:55 at Chepstow
Robert Walford's Hititi signed off last season looking a progressive hurdler at a basement level, and he looks the most interesting for his chase debut at Chepstow this afternoon in the 14:55 2m Novices' Handicap Chase.
Not a bad turnout either with 11 runners, and the selection could prove to be ahead of his opening mark of 113.
His two hurdles' victories came at Fontwell and Exeter last term (February and March) and his Exeter romp was easy by 7L and he relished the soft conditions. He travelled well too on good to soft at Fontwell over further, and a horse he had behind in Highstakesplayers that day has won a couple of times already this season. He moved better than anything in that race with a ground-saving ride on the inside, and save for a bunny-hop jump at the last, he jumped well.
Connections paid 60,000 for him at the summer Arqana Sales following a brief career in France and the sire Great Pretender is producing some fine jumps' horses.
October/November singles winners:
Silent Words 10/3 Won
Documenting 7/2 Won
I See You Well 17/2 Placed
Eva's Oskar 8/1 Placed
Sea Gifted 11/4 Won
Sweet Will 9/1 Won and Placed
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