DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
MONDAY MARCH 24
5.00 WINCANTON
A retched race in which to conclude the card with decent recent form at a premium to say the very least, but it does provide a reasonable opportunity for BASMAN PALACE (NAP) (best price 4-1) to be a little more competitive than he has been of late, and a chance is taken on the locally trained five-year-old coming up trumps.
The most noticeable feature about his form is three of his best career efforts haver all come over today’s course, including last time out in a hot little race for the grade two months ago. Although never involved, he did plug on well to finish a respectable distance behind impressive winner, Chicago Storm, and with the data saying the race in question was easily the best on the card, it’s come as no real surprise to see the form work out accordingly.
Not only has the winner gone in again, third home, Just Aidan, has won twice since and so to has Siam Park, who finished one place ahead of Basman Palace in seventh.
Not totally disgraced at the west country venue the time before behind the useful 118-rated Don’t Tell Su, his performance when third to Fire Flyer in a novice hurdle over the same C&D reads well considering the winner is rated 125, the runner-up, Thank You Ma’am 127 and fourth, Zhang Fei is now 106.
Dropped a further 3lb to 76, he runs off a bargain basement mark against what can only be described as selling platers and with the potential of today’s extra half a mile seeing him in a better light, the son of Silvano makes far more appeal than his morning odds suggest.
BASMAN PALACE – 2-point win@4-1
7.30 WOLVERHAMPTON
BLING BEGGAR (best price 11-1) has found Southwell’s five furlongs a little on the sharp side on his last two runs but now returning to a more realistic test based on his overall profile, Mick Appleby’s gelding can easily outrun his morning odds.
In fairness to the seven-year-old, he may have gone a good deal closer at the Midland venue on his latest outing had he received anything like a clearer run inside the final two furlongs but all the same, he is better judged on his narrow-margin defeat over tonight’s C&D previously.
Looking all over a winner when kicking for home two furlongs out, he only just got nutted right on the line by the strong finishing Coachella but with the speed figure very good and grade of race higher that what he faces on his return visit (Class 3 to Class 4), a performance of a similar level from a good draw can see the son of Equiano right in the mix again.
BLIND BEGGAR – ½ point each-way@11-1