Weekend Selection — Week Two

We started the new tipping series with an 18/1 place (25/1SP) and I will be rowing back in with a big price this week. The selection will be coming from Cheltenham but this week we will be waiting until Sunday.

14:55 Cheltenham — Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)

A fiercely competitive handicap hurdle but with many extra places on offer I wanted to try and find one who can run well at a price. I was initially drawn to Ballyandy for Nigel Twiston-Davies and there is an easy case to be made for the old boy. He was runner-up in the race last year off an 8lb higher mark and they have followed the same prep this year. My main concerns start with that prep run, it was far from the level he produced last year and the other is the unusually quick ground for this time of year. That being said he should strip fitter for his run and when he gets soft ground he will look very well-handicapped.

The pin landed on BOTOX HAS who will take some forgiving but I'm just that sort of punter. He boasts an impressive record at Cheltenham 211P and comes here 3lb lower than his last win (Jockey claim taken into consideration).

He started last season strongly with an impressive win over C&D and followed that up with a run in a listed company. Despite being a 4yr old he was having to give the field weight and was only beaten a few lengths by Milkwood (now rated 151). This is where his form started to go south but a combination of heavy ground, stepping up in trip and having a go over fences all seem like viable excuses.

I’m confident a strongly run 2-miles around Cheltenham will be a sufficient enough test and with the Gary Moore yard in good form, I think he’s worth taking a chance on.

BOTOX HAS 14/1 1pt E/W (6 Places)

P/L

Week One +1.3pts

Overall +1.3pts