Busy Day!

I'm going to play in three races today and whilst I'm keeping the stakes small I think there are valid reasons for backing them all. The bets are:

4.25 Ascot - Hendersyde - 1PT win (available at 7/2 WH, 10/3 generally)
5.20 Thirsk - Blessed Place - 1PT ew (available at 7/1 Sky, 13/2 Bet365, 6/1 generally)
6.20 Chepstow - Queen Excalibur - 1PT win (available at 33/1 SJ, 28/1 VC, 25/1 Sky, generally 20/1)

Once again time has dictated that I have to keep my analysis brief but hopefully they will run their races.

Briefly, Hendersyde is the form pick in the race and should be a shorter price IMO against a horse that has won very easily in poor races but gone up the handicap markedly as a result (Alanbrooke). It is clearly improving but it might not get an easy lead like it has on its last two starts and I think it is too short.

Blessed Place ran a good race last time, is well handicapped and finished a close second in this race last year. There are several horses reopposing today and on the formline of that race I make BP the best in at the weights. It is a front runner who has got the ideal draw and I expected it to be a shorter price today.

Queen Excalibur is a hugely speculative selection but I think I may have spotted something that most punters will not have seen. It ran a very creditable race over hurdles last week when runner up in a seller at Worcester and I saw the trainer interviewed prior to the race and he was expecting a big run. It has never won on the flat but a run over course and distance last July was what caught my eye. That day it was 10lb out of the handicap and yet it only just got pipped on the line at an SP of 50/1. Today it runs off its correct mark (which is lower than last years), it goes on soft ground and we know that the horse is in a reasonable bit of form. This could bomb out but at the prices I'm happy to take a chance.

Good luck if you play.

Gags