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Betfair's Jame's Mackie plays two runners against the field
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Saturday looks a day for thorough stayers
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My first selection from Saturday's ITV Racing comes from Newcastle in their flagship Eider Handicap over just shy of the Grand National trip and I am playing two runners against the field each way.
Starting with the Hobbs and White trained Livin On Luco who has progressed nicely over fences this season and has also improved for the step up in distance showing that stamina tests are his game.
Seen just twice this season he made his seasonal return off a mark of 122 in the Southern National Handicap Chase at Fontwell when holding on towards the finish to land the contest, giving the second over a stone.
Sent to the Welsh Grand National off 7lb higher when last seen, he ran another cracker up in trip again to finish less than 10 lengths back in fourth behind the highly talented Haiti Couleurs. The horses all in the frame were thorough stayers and he certainly proved himself off a low weight that day.
He has since been dropped 1lb for this event and runs off a low weight again and looking through the field he looks to be one of few potential improvers still in the field with his age and switch to these types of races. I would like to think he can go close again in what looks an easier contest than the Welsh Grand National.
Back Livin on Luco each-way in the 14:43 at Newcastle
The second dart in the attritional Eider Handicap Chase around a similar price is the James Owen-trained Dom Of Mary, who has plenty of experience in races like this and has the Newcastle angle, having won at the track two starts ago.
The selection moved to James Owen from David Bridgwater having already shown his liking for stamina tests when winning the Sussex National at Plumpton in 2024 and finishing second in the race last year. This term he has been seen three times for Owen and there still looks to be a race like this in him even at the age of 10.
Finishing third at Kelso on his first start for the yard over three miles, he then went to Newcastle over 3m6f off a mark of 124 and beat a nice type in Zertakt giving him over a stone to win comfortably. He needed every yard of the trip that day and going even further on Saturday at a track he gets on well with gives him an excellent chance.
He was last seen finishing behind my other selection Livin On Luco in the Welsh Grand National back in sixth. This looks a weaker race and dropped 1lb to a mark of 128 carrying 10st2lb. I am hoping the Welsh National form holds up and they both hit the frame.
Dom Of Mary is also a market mover in this contest having been as big as 12/113.00 when decs came out.
Back Dom of Mary each-way in the 14:43 at Newcastle
It looks a day for thorough stayers at both jumping tracks on ITV this weekend and in the Grade 3 Handicap Chase over three miles at Kempton, Deep Cave for Christian Williams has stamina in abundance.
A smart horse for Henry De Bromhead earlier on his career when winning a nice maiden hurdle at Leopardstown, and then competing in the Grade 1 over 2m6f at the DRF, finishing less than five lengths behind a smart horse in Good Land. He is now with Christian Williams having had some runs in France.
Having been tried in handicap hurdles for Williams at the start of their time together, it all clicked at Aintree's Grand National meeting last term when winning a valuable handicap off a mark of 129, needing all of the three miles to get the job done that day.
Sent over fences this term at Bangor when comfortably beating The Doyen Chief over three miles, receiving 2lbs, again his stamina came to the fore off a mark of 135. He made it 2/2 over fences at Ascot in the valuable Silver Handicap Chase off 4lbs higher, just getting up close home again emphasising his stamina.
That form looks extremely strong with the likes of Leave Of Absence, Johnnywho, Hyland, Victtorino, Henry's Friend, Blow Your Wad, Transmission, and Pic Roc all smart horses and a few of them have franked the form since.
Upped just 2lbs for that win he underperformed when last seen at Doncaster in the competitive Great Yorkshire Chase, with a few of the fancied runners on the day not running their race. Grand Geste who was pulled up that day has since come out and won the Grand National Trial at Haydock.
I am happy to forgive him that lesser run and running off the same mark for that contest I believe we are getting a better price than we would of because of that poor effort at 8/19.00.
With four places on offer I am hoping he can resume his progress over fences and go close.
Back Deep Cave each-way in the 15:35 at Kempton