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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 - Thursday, October 30th
Thursday’s card at Stratford is likely to take place on ground described as good to soft, soft in places, with light rain forecast during the afternoon.
In contrast, Newcastle have been watering the course for their jumps meeting, the going currently riding on the firm side of good.
12:47pm Stratford - Sea Thrift
Jennie Candlish’s Dickens has already won 5 races this year and will appreciate dropping down into selling company after finishing second on his last two starts, the most recent when outclassed by Tony Martin’s Irish raider Zanndabad at Sedgefield 11 days ago. Running off a mark of 116 (due to go down 1lb in future), the seven-year-old is rated 39lb higher than the Daisy Hitchins-trained SEA THRIFT, the mount of 7lb claimer Robbie David.
The latter is lightly-raced over hurdles however, and has shown enough on her last two starts to suggest the 23lb she receives from Dickens (including both rider’s allowances) could be enough for the daughter of Bullet Train to take this modest contest.
Sea Thrift, following an excellent second on her handicap debut at Worcester on the final day of August, may have been unsuited to the step-up to 2m 7f on that course two weeks later when weakening into third place after holding every chance. Today’s extended 2m 2f should see the six-year-old in a better light.
Recommendation: Sea Thrift - 11/1 with bet365
2:47pm Stratford - Range (Each-Way)
On his first run over fences, Dan Skelton’s Be Aware is easily the most interesting contender for this Class 3 handicap chase, Harry Skelton’s mount, after beginning last season with a half length second in Cheltenham’s Greatwood Hurdle, ran with credit in valuable handicaps on his other three starts.
It will be interesting to see how the six-year-old takes to the chasing game off a stiff opening mark of 136. Alan King’s top weight Grandeur d’Ame has an excellent record following a break and will find this much easier than when contesting major handicaps at Cheltenham and Aintree last season.
With the stable just starting to hit form, it would be no surprise to see Tom Bellamy’s mount concede the weight to his 7 rivals. I think we have yet to see the best of Sam Thomas’s RANGE (Each-Way) over fences however, and first time out could be the best time to catch the mount of 3lb claimer Dylan Johnston.
The Shantou gelding was going well in the lead when falling 5 out on his chasing debut in a competitive handicap at Chepstow 12 months ago, after which he ran out an impressive winner on that course just over three weeks later. While Range didn’t enjoy the best of luck after that, the eight-year-old is fancied to go close in a race sure to throw up plenty of future winners.
Recommendation: Range (Each-Way) - 5/1 with bet365 (3 places)
3:38pm Newcastle - Whizz Kid (Nap)
Despite winning 4 of his 21 starts over hurdles, the Dr Richard Newland/Jamie Insole-trained WHIZZ KID (Nap) has yet to open his account over fences, the nine-year-old’s last victory coming over the smaller obstacles at Wetherby two years ago.
Sent off a well-backed favourite for a four-runner handicap chase at Ludlow earlier in the month, Charlie Hammond’s mount ruined his chance by jumping markedly to the left at that right-handed track. The Teofilo gelding will be much happier on this left-handed course; now racing off a career-low mark of only 111, this is Whizz Kid’s best chance yet of getting off the mark over fences.
Third, beaten a length over hurdles at Bangor-On-Dee during the summer off a 9lb higher mark, Whizz Kid would only need to run up to that level of form to beat his four rivals in this very ‘winnable’ Go North Monet’s Garden Series Qualifier. Second best is the Iain Jardine-trained Half Shot.
Recommendation: Whizz Kid (Nap) - 15/8 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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