One selection for Saturday in the hope racing survives the cold weather.
West Balboa in the 3.18 Kempton
The weather continues to play havoc on National Hunt racing, with both fixtures on Tuesday abandoned, while Catterick abandoned today.
The main weekend fixtures are also under threat, particularly Warwick, who received 30mm of rain on Sunday evening which burst the banks of the river nearby and as a result parts of the track are under water.
Temperatures are also forecast to drop below freezing in the coming nights, which will obviously have an adverse effect on the drying out process.
Kempton is also waterlogged in places – the lake bend is currently un-raceable – and also don’t have a positive forecast in the lead up to Saturday with further rain, sleet, snow and plummeting temperatures expected.
This has prompted the BHA to look at alternative options, especially as both scheduled ITV meetings last weekend were both abandoned.
Richard Wayman, BHA director of racing and betting said: “The BHA racing team is expecting to make changes this weekend and is currently reviewing options, including the possibility of whether a jumps fixture could be staged elsewhere.”
So, where does that leave us? In limbo, that’s where, but we will still have a look towards the main action at the weekend in the hope racing does go ahead somewhere.
You may wish to wait until Thursday before striking any bets under the circumstances (you will get your money back if a fixture is abandoned, though).
Whatever the case, conditions are likely to be testing on ground which will probably be holding, placing the emphasis on stamina, and how well the field sizes will hold up remains to be seen
The Coral Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle is the big betting race at Kempton on Saturday and has attracted a healthy 33 entries and has a maximum field of 20.
One horse who I think may have been aimed at this race since a change of direction, and won’t be deterred by likely conditions, is the Dan Skelton-trained WEST BALBOA, who started her season out over fences.
She didn’t jump too well on her debut in that sphere on her seasonal reappearance at Worcester in October – started the 5/2-on favourite – and didn’t really build on that experience as expected in a Listed mares’ event at Bangor next time.
However, she wasn’t suited by the drop in trip on that occasion, and was far from knocked about, never involved but finishing with running left under a considerate ride.
It was therefore a little disappointing that she didn’t make a bigger impact returned to hurdles at Doncaster last month, starting at 2/1 having been an odds-on favourite earlier in the day, and she just ran out of steam after being upsides the runner-up jumping the final flight.
West Balboa took a step back in the right direction returned to Kempton last time, impressing with how she travelled through three quarters of the race, but again her finishing effort wasn’t there, and she weakened in the straight having moved up into a threatening position on the home turn.
It may be that she is just not as good as she once was, but her back-class is what makes her of interest.
West Balboa won the Lanzarote in 2023 on just her fourth start over hurdles from a mark of 130 and went on to win a competitive, big-field handicap at Aintree by five lengths on her next start from a mark of 135.
She confirmed herself a smart hurdler when completing a hat-trick in a minor event back at Aintree on her return last season, beating very smart performer Brewin’upastorm by 12 lengths (in receipt of 9lb), and it is worth remembering she was sent off 3/1 favourite for the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot next time.
Admittedly, West Balboa failed to beat a rival on that occasion, and for whatever reason, her season kind of curtailed afterwards. She is now down to a mark of 138, which does look attractive, and she represents one of the best target trainers around in Skelton.
As big as 33/1 for this year’s Lanzarote, I can’t resist a small bet with this drop back to an intermediate trip likely to suit.
Leave a Reply