Here’s a strong fancy for the Sky Bet Chase and an each way wager for the Champion Hurdle
Jumps season 2021-2: “max bets” 21 & 22
ANNSAM is a horse that I am convinced is much better than his current chase mark of 140. He could even be one of the best handicapped horses in training.
The fact that his trainer Evan Williams is thinking of giving him a Grand National entry means he must think Annsam is going to win again soon to raise his rating to 145 or higher.
There was a lot to like about the way Annsam put a decent field to the sword in the Howden Silver Cup Handicap Chase at Ascot a week before Christmas, when stepped up to three miles for the first time.
This improving seven-year-old gelding can lift another big prize on Saturday week in the Sky Bet Handicap Chase at Doncaster. If he wins that, there will be even bigger targets for this horse both later this season and next. Take the 16-1 each way with Betfred.
I love the non runner no bet (NRNB) concession that is now being offered by some bookmakers already on the big Cheltenham Festival races.
In the Unibet Champion Hurdle, Honeysuckle is entitled to be odds on as the mare goes in search of retaining her crown in March, and there will be plenty of other runners from Ireland in with a big chance.
But I like the odds available on Nicky Henderson’s mare EPATANTE, who won the Champion Hurdle two years ago. She clearly wasn’t on her A-game for most of last season, although even so she finished third in last year's Champion Hurdle.
All the signs are that she is back to her very best this season and Henderson seems to be exuding confidence. I like the fact that she goes on all ground and that her trainer wasn’t tempted to give his two top novice hurdlers, Jonbon and Constitution Hill, an entry in the race because he was so pleased with his mare this season.
I think the 10-1 NRNB offered by bet365 is cracking each-way wager, especially as she is those odds or shorter with most rival bookies, even those not offering the NRNB concession. Yes, you can get 12-1 with William Hill, but I’d rather bet with bet365 at two points lower just in case she suffers a setback over the next two months.
One for the horse tracker
Corach Rambler faced a stiff task when asked to carry top eight weight against more experienced rivals in the Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick on Saturday. But he stuck to his task when outpaced a mile or so out. This gelding is apparently the apple of assistant trainer Peter Scudamore’s eye. Despite the fact that he is, at eight, quite old for a novice chaser, I suspect his best days are still ahead of him. The Ultima Chase on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival has been suggested as a possible target for him and he could make his presence felt in that contest or other staying chases later in the season.
Maximum bets record for the 2021-2 jumps season
Settled:
1 point each way Spyglass Hill at 20-1 for Grand Sefton Chase, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unseated rider. – 2 points.
1 point each way Coole Cody at 20-1 for the Paddy Power Gold Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. Fell. – 2 points.
1 point each way Manofthemountain at 20-1 for the Paddy Power Gold Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points
1 point each way Potterman at 16-1 for the Ladbrokes Trophy, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Silver Streak at 12-1 for the Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle, 1/5 odds, 3 places. Unplaced – 2 points.
1 point each way Mac Tottie at 12-1 for the Becher Chase, ¼ odds, 4 places. Fell. – 2 points.
1 point each way Alnadam at 10-1 for the Racing Post Gold Cup, ¼ odds. NR – 2 points
1 point each way Silver Hallmark at 12-1 for the Racing Post Gold Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. NR – 2 points.
1 point each way Lake View Lad at 12-1 for the Rowland Meyrick, ¼ odds, 4 places.4th+2 points.
1 point each way Highland Hunter at 14-1 for the Welsh Grand National, ¼ odds, 4 places. 2nd +2.5 points.
1 point each way Hold That Taught at 12-1 for the Welsh Grand National, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Galahad Quest at 9-1 in the Paddy Power New Year’s Day Chase, ¼ odds,, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Notachance at 9-1 for the Classic Chase, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. - 2 points.
1 point each way Quinta do Mar at 16-1 for the Lanzarote Hurdle, ¼ odds, 4 places. Fell. – 2 points.
Pending:
1 point each way Annsam at 16-1 for the Sky Bet Handicap Chase, ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Epatante at 10-1 NRNB for the Champion Hurdle, 1/5 odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Buzz at 20-1 for the Stayers’ Hurdle, 1/5 odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Shady Operator at 14-1 for the Cross Country Chase, 1/5 odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Any Second Now at 20-1 for the Grand National, with bet365, ¼ odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Dingo Dollar at 50-1 for the Grand National, ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Good Boy Bobby at 40-1 for the Grand National, with William Hill, ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Mighty Thunder at 50-1 for the Grand National, with William Hill, ¼ odds, 4 places.
2021-22 jumps season running total -19.5 points.
My gambling record for the past six seasons
I have made a profit in 11 or the past 12 seasons, providing my “maximum bets” in a newsletter to a small group of friends. To a 1 point level stake over this period, I have made a profit of more than 380 points. All bets are either 1 point each way or 2 points win. In one jumps’ season alone, I made more than 110 points.
All of my 17 bookmaker accounts has now either been closed or heavily restricted, so I have decided to write a newsletter rather than take on the old enemy every week myself.
This was my assessment of the October 2021 Cesarewitch at Newmarket in my newsletter sent out more than five weeks before the race:
“Willie Mullins will probably win the Cesarewitch with one of his giant string. Last year I put up Great White Shark at 14-1 as a ‘max bet’ and he romped it, backed into 9-2 favourite. That was relatively easy as the horse was Mullins's only entry in the race and he ticked lots of boxes. This year is much more difficult because the canny Irishman has no less than thirteen entries and I have no idea which horses will and will not run. So I am looking elsewhere for value...
“Dual purpose horses have a good record in the race and jumps trainer Nicky Henderson has just one entry in the race: BUZZ. This gelding is very well handicapped now on the Flat compared with his jumps rating of 155, recorded when he was second in the Grade 1
Aintree Hurdle on his latest start. Buzz goes on most ground and is Henderson's only entry in the race so I am hoping this race is very much his target for the autumn before another hurdles; campaign. Take the 16-1 with Skybet or Betfred paying five places.”
Buzz won the 2021 Cesarewitch at a starting price of 8-1, a 20 points profit to the recommended bet.