Carlisle
4.00 2m4f Class 3 Handicap Chase – Du Soleil 2/1
Trainer Venetia Williams is having a fine season and she has a fantastic record when travelling to Carlisle, she has 23 career wins at the course from 82 runners, a strong 28% strike rate +23.47 level stake profit, this season she’s had 3 winners from just 8 runners, 38% strike rate and +9.13 LSP, so definitely worth taking a look at her runners at this track. She sends 3 to Carlisle all with solid claims, but her best is Du Soleil, he was a decent hurdler, he won a novices event at Uttoxeter on debut giving him a mark of 119 where he ran some good races including 2nd in a strong form race at Leicester, he only had a handful of races over hurdles with connections eyeing his real target over fences like sister Castor Celeste who was a smart 4yo winner over fences in France. Du Soleil made his seasonal debut over timber at this course in October last year where he shaped and jumped well apart from 1 fence, he was caught one paced over a sharp 2 mile trip, but stayed on well to claim a good 3rd, this step up half a mile will do him no end of favours and has much more scope than this field, also handily has slightly dropped in mark from the handicapper.
Exeter
4.20 3m Class 3 Handicap Chase – For Good Measure 7/2
Philip Hobbs had a fantastic festival Grade 1 winner with Defi Du Seuil and his form since has been sensational, he picked up a treble at the start of the week and has added 4 further victories to his name later this week, he goes mob handed to Exeter today with 4 chances with his best in this staying race. FGM is a full brother to 153 rated Balthazar King who was a very smart staying chaser who won many good races and was 2nd in 2014 Grand National, also trained by Philip Hobbs. FGM yet to live up to his brothers expectations, he was a 137 rated hurdler with 2 wins to his name on heavy ground, so obviously appreciates cut in the ground, he transitioned to the larger obstacles in some tougher races and not really doing all too well but showing ability at the same time, all 4 runs so far have been on good ground which looks an obvious excuse, he’s latest run he was switched to hurdles where he looked much better on softer ground, he stayed on well to claim 3rd, he switches back to fences and will encounter softer ground for the first time in this sphere will show his true ability, he also runs off a mark of 129 which looks very exposable against the weakest company his faced.
Carlisle
4.35 3m1f Class 3 Handicap Hurdle – Sammy B 9/2
This gelding improved tons when upped to 3 miles 2 years ago and completed a hat trick of wins over the staying distance with todays jockey around this time of year, just a few races and big gaps in between runs hasn’t really showed his true ability, he returned after a 440 day break earlier this year where doing reasonably well but obviously rusty, he impressed NTO in his last run and showed past ability, he now looks well handicapped 6lbs under last winning mark and ready to strike any time.
Russell Blair
