2:40 Aintree
FRODON 5/2 with Paddy Power and Betfair – 1 POINT WIN
I think FRODON will be hard to beat here given he has a fitness edge over Santini and Native River. Neither of those horses are hardly going to be primed for this race with the Gold Cup the target later in the season.
FRODON will come here a very fit horse following his easy win at Cheltenham back in October. He didn’t just win either he lumped top weight giving most of the field nearly 2 stone. He even gave Cloth Cap 2 stone in weight and that horse went and won the Ladbrokes Trophy last week, boosting the form massively.
FRODON showed how well he stayed at Cheltenham and this trip of 3m + really brings the best out of him.
One of my favourite horses in training just behind Epatante and I am expecting him to go very close. WIN.
3:35 Sandown
JOLLY’S CRACKED IT 17/2 generally – 0.5 POINTS E/W (3 places, 1/5 odds)
All eyes will be on Mister Coffey here and although he was impressive last time out, he is a quirky horse who may come unstuck against better horses here. The horse who stands out a mile is actually the 11 year old, JOLLY’S CRACKED IT. He is rated 132 by the handicapper but has the talented Kevin Brogan on board claiming 7lb, which takes him down to a mark of 125 and carrying just 10st 4lb.
He may be an 11 year old but here comes here on the back of an excellent effort at Aintree last time out. He came there on the bridle two hurdles out but didn’t quite see out the 2m 4f. Coming back in trip here is going to be ideal and given the ground is Heavy, his stamina and the ability to stay that little bit further will come into play. Given his age he is a very lightly raced 11 year old, with just 20 career starts. He has been as high as 147 in the handicap after winning a Grade 3 Hurdle 2 years ago, again showing how tiny 125 is for the horse.
He is not going to get many more cracks at the whip at his age and I think this has been well planned out by trainer Harry Fry.
His favourite course is Ascot and Sandown is a very similar course which should play to his strengths. E/W.
Good Luck
JPW Racing Tipster
