DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
TUESDAY APRIL 28
3.05 PUNCHESTOWN
A horse like SAN HILARIO is always going to divide the crowd, but depending on what kind of punter you are, there is always more than one way to skin a cat and Gordon Elliott’s inmate makes for a strong betting medium in a variety of categories for those opting for a glass half full approach.
Considering the five-year-old has finished runner-up five times in his last six starts, that is enough to set the alarm bells ringing for many but if putting a positive spin on his profile, he is just as likely to hit the frame than not and at the morning odds availble, there are plenty of options to secure some value for him doing so once again.
His latest effort in chasing home the impressive Boedic at Clonmel, for instance, rates a good deal better than the bare facts imply (fast speed figure), and with the well-beaten third, Polepatrick, winning easily next time, that view is further enhanced.
Moreover, the son of Saint Des Saints has already proven he handles today’s track well three times over and with the better ground also likely to be more favourable than the bottomless conditions he has endured all winter, he makes loads of appeal in the each-way and place only markets.
Indeed, with many firms introducting bet builders and place markets in large field sizes down to ten places in some instances, you can actually obtain odds against San Hilario filling one of those positions.
SAN HILARIO – ½ point each-way@12-1 (six places)
SAN HILARIO – 2-point win@2-1 (top seven finish)
3.40 PUNCHESTOWN
Another absorbing and competitive handicap to open up day one of the festival and the one who by far and away makes the most appeal is JET TO MONTE CARLO.
Emmet Mullins’ inmate had flattered to decive on several occasions early this season but at Fairyhouse last time out, everything came together and he finally showed his true worth in argubly his stiffest task so far to date.
In what turned out to be a well-run affair at the Meath venue, the five-year-old travelled strongly throughout and when asked to kill off his opponents after the second last, he did so with a good turn of foot.
The key to his new-found invigoration came about from the drop back to the minimum trip and even a mandatory rise in the ratings might not be sufficent to prevent him from dishing out similar damage.
JET TO MONTE CARLO – 1-point each-way@13-2 (five places)