Give Orbys another chance to prove Sandown run all wrong
Back Orbys Legend @ 11/2 in the 15:40 at Newbury
Orbys Legend looked a horse with some promise when winning at Chepstow earlier in the season in the Silver Trophy. He landed that from a mark of 130 and looked a stayer with the way he picked them off on the decent ground.
Since then it's been a case of "one good, one bad". He rocked up at the Betfair Chase meeting at Haydock in the winter and was beaten 14L, but bounced back at Wincanton for a Pertemps Qualifier to win with a bit in hand.
He had plenty of 140-rated horses in behind, and despite hitting a hurdle late on, he won convincingly to warrant another rise to 142.
I have no idea what happened at Sandown in February, but the fact he qualified for the Pertemps and didn't appear at Cheltenham for the Festival could suggest he wasn't quite right after a flat effort.
The drying ground could be a big plus today, as he won at Sandown as a novice in fairly devastating fashion by 12L, and Richard Johnson that day remarked he enjoyed the fast ground.
He can bounce back after that poor run at Sandown.
King will be hoping rain stays away for Wynn
Back Wynn House @ 5/1 in the 16:05 at Ayr
Scattered showers are predicted for the start of Ayr's big meeting on Friday, but I am hoping they have minimal impact for the ground as Alan King's Wynn House could do with it staying away.
King's good run of form has continued from Cheltenham and his recent brace at Ludlow was an indication the better turf is suiting his horses.
Wynn House has competed in a couple of decent races in her time, but the key to her could the 3m today. She looked a stayer at Ludlow last spring over 2m5f with a runner-up effort behind the front-running Precious Eleanor. It was very much the same case winning on her first start of this term at Wincanton once again over 2m5f.
That was lively for her, but she still won, and her trainer King remarked she was ready to go up in distance.
She's a mare who has developed physically this term according to her handler, and with only a couple of runs since Wincanton, she's not had a hard campaign and a long straight with 3m could bring out some improvement.
Her latest outing at Ludlow was following a break of 82 days. She travelled well, but the lack of fitness might have told coupled with the soft ground, so we should see a better mare this afternoon.
March single bet winners:
Merry Mistress 13/8 Won
Ruby Island 5/2 Won
Bandinelli 11/8 Won
Skontonovski 10/1 Won
Very Excellent 9/1 Won
Banbridge 12/1 Won
Love Envoi 10/1 Won
Lady Alavesa placed 16/1
Merry Secret placed 5/1
Tyche placed 8/1
Gin Coco 9/4 Won
Epsom Faithfull 10/3 Won
Weveallbeencaught 7/2 Won
Red Showgirl placed 9/1