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Latest Profit & Loss Figures
Another excellent week, taking our profit for the last two weeks to +£45.74, the highlight being Tuesday’s 88/1 treble.
We had a total of 10 winners on the week, along with several placed selections. Saturday was our only losing day out of six, although the victories of Hawk Mountain and Give It To Me Oj kept the losses down to a minimum.
- P/L for the week ending Sunday, October 26th: +£19.91
- P/L for the year 2025 to date: +£42.57
- P/L for the year 2024: +£200.42
- P/L since 1st September 2022: +£528.56
Alan Kelly's Tips - Friday, October 31st
Friday horse racing action is headed by the flat card at Newmarket.
But there is plenty to interest jumps enthusiasts courtesy of the cards at Wetherby, Uttoxeter and Down Royal in Northern Ireland.
2:55pm Wetherby - Thistle Ask (Nap)
A winner at Kelso last Saturday on his first start for trainer Dan Skelton, the ex James Ewart-trained THISTLE ASK (Nap) makes a quick reappearance to contest this valuable Premier Handicap under a 6lb penalty before the handicapper raises the eight-year-old a further 2lb to a mark of 123.
With the 3lb claim of conditional rider Tristan Durrell, the son of Ask should have little trouble following-up in receipt of plenty of weight from his 5 rivals, granted a clear round of jumping that is. After winning a maiden hurdle at Ayr by 24 lengths in the spring of 2023, Thistle Ask wasn’t seen again until making his debut over fences at Ayr 598 days later.
Not surprisingly, the gelding needed that first outing of 12 months ago, weakening to finish second to the Skelton’s Home Free after making much of the running. Unbeaten on both starts since then, the selection looks sure to win his fair share of races for new connections. Deborah Cole’s Magistrato and champion jockey Sean Bowen are on a four-timer following wins at Stratford, Bangor and Wetherby and is the other one to consider.
Recommendation: Thistle Ask (Nap) - 10/11 with bet365
3:05pm Uttoxeter - Jax Junior
Only 5 runners for this beginners chase but it is an absolute cracker, headed by Sam Thomas’s 146-rated Lump Sum, the Authorized gelding 4 from 10 over hurdles along with runner-up spots in Newcastle’s Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle and Newbury’s William Hill Hurdle (Premier Hurdle) under top weight.
The mount of 3lb claimer Dylan Johnston won last season’s Welsh Champion Hurdle following a break of 148 days so is likely to be fit enough on his first start since finishing down the field in Sandown’s Imperial Cup back in March. Olly Murphy’s Junker d’Allier and Vanderpoel from the Ben Pauling stable should pay their way over fences, while Dan Skelton’s Largy Belter is an interesting contender following a promising debut in a Fairyhouse (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race.
I am looking forward to seeing Lucy Wadham’s JAX JUNIOR jump a fence in public, however, and expect this 136-rated son of Jack Hobbs to make his mark among the best novice chasers on this side of the Irish Sea. Following wind surgery around this time last year, Tom Cannon’s mount won novice contests at Doncaster and Ascot by wide margins before finishing a close third in the Listed Sidney Banks at Huntingdon.
After making a lot of the running in the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival before being pulled-up, Jax Junior ended the season with an easy victory at Cheltenham’s April meeting. I expect a positive ride from Tom Cannon this afternoon, and if getting into a nice jumping rhythm, Jax Junior, described by Wadham as “the best we've had in a while,” could take plenty of beating.
Recommendation: Jax Junior - 7/2 with bet365
3:40pm Uttoxeter - Diesel Line
Since joining the Charles & Adam Pogson stable from that of Jeremy Scott during the summer, all but one of DIESEL LINE's five runs have come over today’s course and distance, with form figures reading 2-1-1-3. Charlie Todd’s mount looked like landing the hat-trick on the course earlier this month when leading 3 out only to be caught by Sam England’s winner Platenium jumping the final flight. I expect his rider to delay his challenge a little longer on this occasion and expect the Malinas gelding to make it 3 from 5 on the course.
Two places behind Diesel Line earlier this month was Neil Mulholland's Little Venice, on just her fifth start over hurdles. On 1lb better terms and with more improvement likely, Conor O’Farrell’s mount could be the one to cause Diesel Line most problems.
Recommendation: Diesel Line - 2/1 with bet365
Charlie Hall Chase (Saturday) - The Real Whacker (Each-Way)
Wetherby’s feature race on Saturday is the Grade 2 bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at 2.57pm which has attracted an entry of a possible 10 runners at Monday's declaration stage. The early betting is headed by Dan Skelton’s Protektorat and Pic D’orhy from the Paul Nicholls stable.
Connections of both horses are likely to have bigger prizes in mind later in the season, whereas this is probably the main target for last year's winner, the Patrick Neville-trained THE REAL WHACKER (Each-Way). Last year's winning jockey Brian Hughes had been booked for the ride once again and following a spin over hurdles at Perth last month, the nine-year-old looks decent each-way ante-post value at the 12/1 available with the sponsor.
Recommendation: The Real Whacker (Each-Way) - 12/1 with bet365 (3 places)
* 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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