Through The Card: Warwick, Saturday January 16

Timeform
16 January 2016

There is excellent racing at Warwick on Saturday

Join

Twitter

Facebook

View the Betslip

There is a very good card at Warwick on Saturday, and Timeform take you through all seven races.

"Preference just goes to de Kerry Man who may well have got the four-timer up but for unseating three out at Cheltenham on his reappearance and shapes as if this sort of test will suit."

12:40 - Polo showed just fairly useful form (best effort when third to Baths Well at Ludlow) in four attempts over hurdles last winter but his useful form on the Flat in Flat form suggests he should have a bigger performance in him and he's worth chancing on his return to action for a yard which continues to knock out the winners (and which has a good record in this race). Tullow Tonic, from the Charlie Longsdon stable, is another with the potential to improve now he's switched to handicaps.

13:15 - Big Jim and Lanceur both shaped much better than the bare result when getting stopped in their tracks last time and may be the pair to concentrate on, with the first-named narrowly shading the verdict given his form is stronger (was runner-up to Arbre de Vie over hurdles at this track). It's probably worth taking the pair of them for Placepot purposes.

13:50 - Listed mares' chase winner Emily Gray actually tops the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings in receipt of weight all round, so is respected, but it'd be no surprise to see Black Hercules give Willie Mullins another Warwick winner (his last four runners to complete here were all successful). Smart in bumpers and over hurdles, Black Hercules jumped with great accuracy and élan when making a winning chase debut on heavy ground at Naas a month ago and can take high rank among the staying novice chasers this season.

14:25 - This is tricky, no surprise given it's a qualifier for the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival. Kingscourt Native is a horse Timeform have been positive about, and it's interesting that there's been some money for him on his return to hurdles, but he comes with clear risks attached and a more safer bet is Isaacstown Lad who has gone from strength to strength since joining the Nicky Richards yard, winning his last four completed starts. The way in which Isaacstown Lad scored last time suggests even a further 9 lb rise might not be enough to stop him going in again. Pobbles Bay is the other obvious potential improver in the field.

15:00 - Born Survior highlighted why he cost 220,000 guineas out of the pointing field when justifying strong support on his Rules debut over this C&D and he can provide the Skeltons with a second successive win in this event after the same owner's Three Musketeers. Obviously, the Willie Mullins' pair Thomas Hobson and Open Eagle (both useful heavy-ground winners on the Flat) need respecting, but Born Survivor looked a bit special on his Rules debut (given the Timeform Large 'P') and may be worth banking on in our Placepot.

15:35 - Perhaps the most competitive race of the day to finish the Placepot at Warwick, the Classic Chase, but there's two horses that make appeal and they are the unexposed de Kerry Man and Sego Success, one of Timeform's Fifty To Follow this season. Preference just goes to de Kerry Man who may well have got the four-timer up but for unseating three out at Cheltenham on his reappearance and shapes as if this sort of test will suit. We'll have a win bet on him at around 10.09/1 and take one from the top and one from the bottom in our bid to land the Placepot.

16:05 - In the final race, Opera Rock represents arguably the most powerful yard (Venetia Williams), fetched €22,000 and is a half-brother to useful hurdler Charmix, so could be the way to go with no previous form to go on. It's not a race to get heavily involved in, though, unless you know something we don't!

Recommended bets:

Back Polo in the 12:40
Back de Kerry Man in the 15:35

Placepot permutation:
12:40 - 11
13:15 - 5, 9
13:50 - 3
14:25 - 4, 9
15:00 - 4
15:35 - 1, 15
=8 lines

You can bet on the Tote, including the Placepot, through Betfair by clicking this link

Boost your odds on three horses every day on the Betfair Sportsbook. T&Cs apply.