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Latest Profit & Loss Figures
Despite a 12/1 winner on Monday, we ended the week with a small loss of -£3.29, the handicaps at Newmarket’s three-day Cambridgeshire meeting in particular proving difficult to solve with a draw advantage that seemed to change from day to day.
- P/L for the week ending Sunday, September 28th: -£3.29
- P/L for the year 2025 to date: +£4.57
- P/L for the year 2024: +£200.42
- P/L since 1st September 2022: +£490.56
Alan Kelly's Tips - Friday, October 3rd
Light rain is forecast for the meetings at Ascot (flat) and Hexham (jumps) on Friday afternoon.
Good ground is currently the case for both cards, although conditions could become softer throughout the day.
2:20pm Ascot - Shaladar (Each-Way)
A seriously competitive amateur jockeys’ handicap to start Ascot’s card. Top amateur Simon Walker partners Denis Quinn’s unexposed Stenmark, the trainer also responsible for the hat-trick seeking Cancan In The Rain. I Still Have Faith, The Bitter Moose, Dannick and Tadreeb are others with claims, while any market support for Jim Boyle’s ex French-trained Amused should be noted.
Down towards the bottom of the weights is the Kevin Ryan-trained SHALADAR (Each-Way), who gets the vote racing off a career-low mark of 65 and with talented 5lb amateur Henry Callan in the saddle. The six-year-old has run well on several previous visits to Ascot, including when finishing a neck second to fellow rival Terries Royale last September and due to meet Mick Appleby’s charge on 13lb better terms.
Fifth on this course last month in a female amateur jockeys contest, Shaladar will be better suited by today’s 18-runner field and a big run is expected.
Recommendation: Shaladar (Each-Way) - 16/1 with bet365 (5 places)
2:45pm Hexham - Slemish
Jockey Charlie Deutsch makes the long journey to Hexham for just the one ride, the lightly-raced SLEMISH for Northants trainer Laura Horsfall in this very winnable 2m 4f novices’ limited handicap hurdle. Sent off at big prices for maiden hurdles at Sedgefield and Huntingdon (twice) without showing a great deal, the grey son of Jet Away made his handicap debut in a Class 5 contest at Fontwell just over a month ago racing off an opening mark of 78.
In finishing second, beaten less than two lengths, Slemish may have come up against a well handicapped horse in Olly Murphy’s Pertemps Diamond, who was also making his handicap debut. The third horse home on that occasion was 100/30 favourite Grasshopper Time, some six lengths away, while in fourth place was Sophie Leech’s Stiletto, who has since gone on to win races at Worcester and Perth.
Connections could hardly have found a better opportunity for Slemish to open his account. Brian Hughes is an interesting jockey booking for John Dawson’s Cap Ricochet, runner-up here for previous trainer Paul Collins back in April and making his handicap debut off a mark of 91.
Recommendation: Slemish - 11/8 with bet365
2:55pm Ascot - Double Meaning (Nap)
Gelded before his first run when finishing 5th of 9 in a Newmarket maiden last August, the ex Godolphin-owned/Charlie Appleby-trained DOUBLE MEANING (Nap) left that powerful partnership following two less than inspiring efforts to join the stable of John Berry earlier this year.
Making his handicap debut for Berry in a mile and a half contest at Doncaster during the summer, the son of Farhh showed his first signs of promise when staying-on to be beaten less than six lengths behind more experienced rivals. Switched to an artificial surface for his next start when stepped-up to 1m 6f at Southwell, Double Meaning made a mockery of his handicap mark of 63 by winning eased-down in the field of 12 by a long-looking 10 lengths.
Running off a 6lb higher mark at Lingfield four weeks ago, Marco Ghiani’s mount won by a more conservative five lengths at the Surrey track over today’s distance of two miles, since when the improving stayer has been raised to a current rating of 76. The lightly-raced gelding is clearly improving at a rate of knots and is fancied to land the hat-trick in a race where decent recent form is thin on the ground.
William Stone’s Dashing Panther is also on a hat-trick following two wins at Chelmsford towards the end of last year but has an absence of 10 months to overcome. A bigger danger to the selection may be Oisin Murphy’s mount Calvert, fourth behind Ed Walker’s Miss Alpilles at Goodwood last time, the winner then going on to win Newmarket’s Listed Jockey Club Rose Bowl Stakes last week.
Recommendation: Double Meaning (Nap) - 7/2 with bet365
* Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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About Alan Kelly
A passionate follower of horse racing for over 50 years, Alan has enjoyed a 40-year career in the betting industry, 28 of which he spent running his betting shop as an owner/manager.
A successful punter with a keen eye for value, Alan has had many betting highlights, including a Scoop 6 win and has shown a consistent profit in the battle with bookmakers since joining Freebets.com in 2008.
You can follow Alan Kelly on Twitter for more racing insight.
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