Fresh Ground Sets Up Cracking Monday
Right then, let's be having you for a proper Monday afternoon at Exeter. The Devon track is serving up six races on what they're calling 'lovely fresh ground the whole way around' - and fair play to them for getting the vertidrain out over the weekend. Good ground at this time of year is like finding a decent pint in Temple Bar - rare but bloody welcome when you get it.
The Exeter racecard might not be Cheltenham Festival standard, but there's proper meat on these bones if you know where to look. The feature race has to be that novice chase at 15:25 with just three runners, but don't let the small field fool you - there's quality in there that'll make your eyes water.
Sonigino Stars in Three-Runner Thriller
The Watch On Racing TV 'Chasing Excellence' Novices' Steeple Chase is your headline act, and sweet mother of pearl, what a machine Paul Nicholls has on his hands with Sonigino. This nine-year-old carries a rating of 130 that screams class, and Freddie Gingell getting the leg-up tells you everything about the Ditcheat maestro's intentions.
Now, I know what you're thinking - nine years old for a novice chaser? Aye, but some horses take their time finding their calling, and this fella looks like he's found his. The good ground will suit him down to his hooves, and in a three-runner affair, you'd want to be getting very creative with your reasoning to oppose him.
Kilaro from the Tim Easterby yard is unrated but represents a stable that knows how to get them ready. Walking On Air brings experience but looks outgunned on these ratings. Sometimes the obvious answer is the right one, and Sonigino screams 'banker' louder than a Cork man after six pints.
Handicap Hurdle Holds Hidden Gems
The opening handicap hurdle at 14:15 is where the real punting begins, and there's more twists in this than a Galway road. Bitsnbuckles and Mermaids Cave share top billing on 111, but it's the course and distance form that catches my eye here.
Mermaids Cave ticks both boxes with C,D next to his name, and Mr Cian Murphy taking the amateur's allowance is no accident. James Owen wouldn't be wasting his time if this fella wasn't ready to fire. The good ground should suit, and seven years old is bang in the sweet spot for this game.
But hold your horses - literally - because Lewis Stones on Vicki Vale could be the fly in the ointment. This nine-year-old mare has the distance winner tag and is only a pound wrong at the weights. Sometimes experience trumps everything else, and at 9yo, she's seen it all before.
Toby McCain-Mitchell on Shotgun Rider for the Twiston-Davies clan is another to note. Five years old, rated 108, and from a yard that knows exactly how to place their horses. The good ground will be music to his ears.
Juvenile Maiden Serves Up Future Stars
The 14:50 juvenile maiden hurdle is like looking into a crystal ball - you're trying to spot tomorrow's stars while they're still finding their feet. Tralee Girl stands out like a sore thumb with an official rating of 118 when the rest are unrated. Harry Skelton wouldn't be bothering with a maiden unless Dan Skelton fancied a proper touch.
Cotton Socks for Lucy Wadham could be interesting at a price. The name alone suggests a bit of character, and first-time-out maidens on good ground can spring surprises that'll have the bookies reaching for the aspirin.
Marathon Test and Mares' Affairs
The three-mile chase at 16:35 is a proper stamina test, and Brother Boris looks the pick with course and distance form in the book. Mr Cian Murphy gets another ride here, and that amateur's allowance could be crucial over this trip.
The mares' races bookend the card nicely, with Four Decades looking the class act in the 16:00 affair. A rating of 100 in a Class 5 suggests she's been dropped to a handy mark, and good ground will bring out the best in her.
The Verdict: Where the Smart Money Goes
Right, here's how I'm seeing this card shaping up. Sonigino in the feature race is as close to a certainty as you'll get in this game - the class difference is stark and Nicholls doesn't send them to Devon for the craic.
In the opener, Mermaids Cave gets the nod for the course and distance form, while Tralee Girl looks a cut above in the juvenile maiden. The good ground throughout plays into the hands of the classier types, so don't be getting too cute with longshots.
It's a proper Monday card that'll set you up nicely for the week. The ground is perfect, the fields are competitive enough to offer value, and there's quality scattered throughout. Sometimes the best days are the ones that don't make the headlines - this could be one of them.
