Robin Goodfellow’s racing tips: Best bets for Saturday, February 12
Winning back-to-back Betfair Hurdles may be as rare as a Downing Street apology but SOARING GLORY (Newbury, nap, 3.35) can buck that trend.
The seven-year-old ran out a hugely impressive winner of this afternoon’s feature 12 months ago and, although that smooth success was achieved off a rating a stone lower than today’s mark, there are reasons for believing the selection is capable of a repeat performance.
Firstly, Soaring Glory is much better suited to the hurly-burly of a truly-run handicap hurdle than the small field Listed and Graded hurdles he has contested of late.
Sportsmail’s racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Saturday’s meetings
His stats when competing in fields of 10 or more read 121111 as opposed to nine or less which read 23443 and those figures suggest a horse which travels strongly in his races ideally needs cover and to arrive late on the scene to deliver his best.
That wasn’t the case here on his penultimate start against only three rivals or last time out in the Christmas Hurdle when chasing home Epatante in a five-runner affair.
Neither event allowed Soaring Glory to drop his head and be smuggled into the race by regular rider Jonjo O’Neill jnr, although the selection did stick to his task manfully at Kempton when left trailing by a filly thought likely to run a bold race in the Champion Hurdle.
There is the prospect of a true gallop with the likes of Jetoile and I Like To Move It in the field and Soaring Glory could have the ideal set up for a horse who needs a pace collapse late on.
Of his rivals, Broomfield Burg is the most feared as he looks incredibly well handicapped on a mark of 134. Although it has taken a while for the penny to drop, the six-year-old looked a happier horse with the hood removed at Kempton last time as he slammed a horse which has since landed a gamble at Hereford.
Like Soaring Glory, Broomfield Burg looks the type to improve again if granted a truly-run race as he can be keener than ideal and if he does settle, he looks the type to be involved at the business end.
NEWBURY
ROBIN GOODFELLOW
1.15 Bravemansgame
1.50 Risk And Roll
2.25 Clan Des Obeaux
3.00 Funambule Sivola
3.35 Soaring Glory (nap)
4.10 Make My Day
4.45 Filanderer
GIMCRACK
1.15 Bravemansgame
1.50 Risk And Roll
2.25 Clan Des Obeaux
3.00 Sceau Royal
3.35 Tritonic (nap)
4.10 King Ottokar
4.45 Authorised Speed
WARWICK
ROBIN GOODFELLOW
1.00 Camdonian
1.35 Marie’s Rock
2.05 Brave Seasca
2.40 Fine Casting
3.15 Jacamar
3.50 Mr Harp
4.25 Samourai One
GIMCRACK
1.00 Fair Frontieres
1.35 Indefatigable
2.05 Third Time Lucki
2.40 Genuflex
3.15 Cheddleton
3.50 In Rem
4.25 Gaelic Park
UTTOXETER
ROBIN GOODFELLOW
12.50 Corey’s Courage
1.25 Heartbreak Kid
1.58 Ulverston
2.33 Zambella
3.08 Sunset West
3.43 Eaton Miller (nb)
4.18 On The Platform
4.53 Hiway One O Three
GIMCRACK
12.50 Rio Silva
1.25 Oscars Leader
1.58 Notre Pari
2.33 Zambella
3.08 Barrowdale
3.43 Breizh Alko
4.18 Bobmahley
4.53 Flintara
Northerner – 1.25 Heartbreak Kid (nb); 3.08 Sunset West (nap).
LINGFIELD
ROBIN GOODFELLOW
1.45 Melakaz
2.20 Patsy Fagan
2.55 Kodias Sangarius
3.30 True Icon
4.05 Trevolli
4.37 Notre Belle Bete
GIMCRACK
1.45 Koeman
2.20 Patsy Fagan
2.55 War In Heaven
3.30 True Icon
4.05 Trevolli
4.37 Reine Du Bal
WOLVERHAMPTON
ROBIN GOODFELLOW
5.15 No Diggity
5.45 Twistaline
6.15 Deciduous
6.45 Alrehb
7.15 Caroline Dale
7.45 Reset Button
8.15 Hector’s Here
GIMCRACK
5.15 Sparkle In His Eye
5.45 Twistaline
6.15 Wendell’s Lad
6.45 Fieldsman
7.15 Caroline Dale (nb)
7.45 Hooves Like Jagger
8.15 Menai Bridge
Newmarket – 5.15 No Diggity (nb); 7.15 Existent (nap).
