Tuesday's UK placepots can be played via Tix at Hereford, Huntingdon, Lingfield & Southwell.
But, what is Tix?
A video explainer can be found here.
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A few more pointers can be found in these articles:
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/exotic-betting-multi-race-bets-part-1/
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/exotic-betting-multi-race-bets-part-2/
Today's pools
Today's UK meetings, pools and minimum guarantees are as follows...
And with Southwell having the biggest guaranteed pot, let's head there for the following six races on standard going tapeta...
5.00 Southwell, an 8-runner, Class 6, 3yo+ handicap over 1m6f...
Blenheim Lad comes here on a hat-trick after back to back wins over course and distance in September/October and although up 6lbs here should be winning again here, especially as there's not much else to write about when it comes to the form of his rivals.
None of the seven made the frame last time out, none have won any of their last seven races, but Alex The Great has finished second and fourth in his last two and Gentle Fire was a runner-up two starts ago and now makes a yard debut for Tony Carroll, who also trains Alex The Great.
The pace/draw heat map looks like this...
...and Instant Expert like this...
...so I'm going with (1) Blenheim Lad, (3) Alex The Great & (8) Gentle Fire
5.30 Southwell, a 12-runner, Class 6, 2yo handicap over 7f...
Rotation won a seller back in July but has struggled since, Seed Investor was 3rd of 11 at Catterick 24 days ago and We've Got This has three top-four finishes from his four starts (2934). Isla Bella makes an A/W debut and although last home of nine at Thirsk most recently, she did win at Brighton in May and was a Class 3 runner-up at York on her subsequent outing.
Zadkiel has been third in each of his last two starts and both Sherlock and Realise The Dream were third last time out too, but bottom weight Whizz By comes here off the back of a fairly comfortable win over course and distance on handicap debut just under three weeks ago and looks the one to beat.
Isla Bella looks like setting the tempo of the race here...
...so although she's going to be a big price, I'm going to add (5) Isla Bella to my ticket builder along with form picks (7) Zadkiel & (12) Whizz By
6.00 Southwell, a 10-runner, Class 5, 4yo+ handicap over 7f...
Novak comes here off the back of three placed (312) runs in tight finishes and was only beaten by a neck over course and distance last time out, whilst three of his stablemates all won last week. Ideal Guest has two wins and a place from his last five starts and Monopolise looked quite comfortable when winning at Kempton by the thick end of two lengths eight days ago.
Ideal Guest and Monopolise also feature in the front half of the pace averages...
...which also suggests bold efforts from Royal Parade and Mark's Choice, but the former has only made the frame in 2 of 10 A/W starts (0 wins) and whilst the latter made the frame in back to back 7f Tapeta handicaps (1 over C&D) last November, he hasn't raced since finishing 10th of 12 at Newcastle 11 months ago!
So from that pace graphic, I'll discard those two and keep the two form picks along with Novak...
6.30 Southwell, a 10-runner, Class 5, 2yo fillies novice over 6f...
Cressida Wildes has already made the frame in three of her last four starts, only missing out when beaten by less than two lengths in a Listed race at Newbury in August and she has been a Class 2 runner-up and it is hoped that her first-time cheekpieces do the business for her here. Marvelously has steadily improved and was third over course and distance last time out, whilst Nazuki hit the ground running here (also over this trip) when a runner-up on debut almost four weeks ago.
This trio look the pick on form from those who've already had race experience, whilst of the debutants, Nakaaha is the most interesting. She's by Bated Breath and her dam was a winner at both 1m2f and 1m4f. This 2yo cost 80,000 gns as a foal and then 62,000 gns as a yearling and represents a yard in good nick with a healthy record at this venue...
This quartet are my shortlist and the one I'll omit is Marvelously.
7.00 Southwell, a 13-runner, Class 3, 3yo+ handicap over 6f...
Dutch Kingdom has won two of his last three including by 2.5 lengths over this trip at Chelmsford last time out and he'll seek to improve upon an already impressive 38% win and 59% place strike rate on the A/W. Secret Guest now returns to the A/W after a decent Flat campaign (placed in three of his last four) and finished 42621 on the Tapeta last winter. He was badly hampered at York in a big-field handicap last time out, but his prior run when beaten by a neck at Ripon (6f, Class 2) was excellent.
City House has made the frame in two of his last three also and Completely Random has made the frame (1 win) on both Tapeta outings to date and has made the frame in three of his last five runs, whilst Cajetan completes my 'form shortlist', having won two of his five starts this year. Those two wins are his entire A/W career and both came over 6f on tapeta, albeit at Newcastle rather than here.
There's not much in the way of pace here and Dutch Kingdom might be afforded an easy lead...
and in a tricky contest, he's on my ticket builder along with A/W 100%-er Cajetan and Completely Random who also seems to like the Tapeta.
7.30 Southwell, a 12-runner, Class 3, 3yo+ handicap over 1m...
Lion Of War was third last time out and has a win and two places from his last five, Cruyff Turn won three starts ago whilst Chalk Mountain has 5 wins, 4 seconds and a third from his last ten A/W handicaps (1st and 2nd in two runs here, both over 7f). Shaw Park was a runner-up here over 7f last time out, but the one to beat looks like being Qazaq who brings a 2 from 2 record to the table after a 7f win at Chelmsford last December and a subsequent 7f win by 6 lengths at Kempton three weeks ago, despite not having raced for ten months! He was impressive that day and if he comes on for the run, the others might need binoculars to watch him finish.
A high draw is preferable here...
...as is early pace...
...so we're definitely having Qazaq!
Chalk Mountain does seem the most likely challenger based on form, draw, pace and consistency...
Lion Of War probably edges third pick for me. he has just two A/W runs under his belt to date and was only two necks away from winning at Kempton last time out finishing third in a tight 14-runner handicap with the runner-up going on to finish second again next time out over this course and distance despite stepping up in class . His other A/W run was on the tapeta at Newcastle back in June '22 and he landed a 7f Novice race by some ten lengths eased down.
*
All of which gives me...
Leg 1: (1) Blenheim Lad, (3) Alex The Great & (8) Gentle Fire
Leg 2: (5) Isla Bella, (7) Zadkiel & (12) Whizz By
Leg 3: (2) Novak, (3) Ideal Guest & (4) Monopolise
Leg 4: (3) Cressida Wildes, (6) Nakaaha & (7) Nazuki
Leg 5: (1) Dutch Kingdom, (6) Completely Random & (8) Cajetan
Leg 6: (1) Lion Of War, (6) Qazaq & (8) Chalk Mountain
...and here's how I'd play them, whilst trying to stay close to a nominal £20 total stake...
Tricky day today, but good luck!
Chris
Other Recent Posts by This Author:
- Tix Picks, Saturday 04/01/25
- Tix Picks, Friday 03/01/25
- Tix Picks, Thursday 02/01/25
- Tix Picks, Tuesday 31/12/24
- Tix Picks, Monday 30/12/24
