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Another single winner for Alan at 8.48 yesterday
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Ground right for Danzan
Back Danzan @ 10/1 in the 16:01 at Redcar
The good run for the column yesterday continued with Bashers Reflection bolting up at Plumpton for another decent priced winner. He was backed too - which was unusual, as most of mine have been drifting of late.
Bourbali missed out by one spot for the each-way double, and that's a couple of each-way multiples that have been narrowly denied by just a solitary place.
We're going again with the each-way angle on the Sportsbook for a place pair, and Redcar's 16:01 gives us four places too with Danzan.
Tim Easterby's 8yo is rated 83, and while there's little room for error off that mark, he's a horse that goes in soft and heavy, and might be worth a few more pounds with his mark given the conditions.
He signed off 2022 with a good third in a 0-105 at Doncaster in very deep ground, and he's been left unchanged by the assessor.
Winning form at 7f is a plus, and he's been a fine servant for Easterby. Today will be his 60th career start and should be good enough for a place.
Another new trainer for Blackrod
Back Blackrod @ 9/1 in the 17:50 at Kempton
A strong handicap awaits in the closing 17:50 at Kempton, and with the top weight from 103, this will take some winning.
Blackrod was a horse who done well for trainer Michael Dods in 2021, and he landed a couple of nice prizes in good handicaps at York and Newmarket.
Indeed, Dods described him as a horse with a massive future. He was good at 5f, but excellent at 6f and that was, and still is, his best distance.
Quite what followed left me puzzled, as he left Dods for Ed Bethell and didn't make any impact for Bethell in two runs last term. He's gone to another trainer and will make his first start for Roger Teal today.
I remember backing this horse in the Wokingham last term off 100, and thought he was a bit unlucky as he was behind a wall of horses on the stands' side. Maybe it was pocket talking, but he was worth a place.
He's off 97 today and runs on the All-Weather for just the second time. It could be a prep for some bigger targets, but he has scored fresh before and his sire Mayson does get winners at Kempton with 11% win and 30% placed.
With a wide draw, he's likely to drift, but we can play each-way and I think he's certainly got a handicap or two in him for this season.