New Year's Day Selection

Wish In A Well rewarded each way support for us at Warwick on New Year's Eve but in truth I was disappointed he couldn't finish closer. he jumped and travelled like the best horse in the race but just couldn't go with the front two. He is still a young horse though and he might just need more time before he shows his very best.

Tomorrow sees some seriously good action on both sides of the Irish Sea with quality cards at Fairyhouse and Cheltenham. One horse I am dying to see is Seeyouatmidnight for Sandy Thomson who goes in the Dipper Chase, a grade 2 contest at 1.10. The trip of 2m4f might be a bit sharp for the striking son of Midnight Legend and he is also stepping up in class. However conditions will be right up his street with the current ground described as heavy and hopefully that will bring his stamina into play. It would be great to see a smaller Northern yard win a graded race at jumps hq.

The horse I am putting up goes at Exeter for a trainer that regular readers of the blog will be very familiar with by now. Only Gorgeous went close for us over course and distance back in October off a mark of 100. The ground was good to firm that day and it is going to be very different here. It is currently described as heavy and that is a bit of an unknown with this 7yo son of Vertical Speed.

However, there is real hope that he will not only handle, but will actually relish the ground conditions at Exeter tomorrow. His sire, Vertical Speed, has had 59 runners on heavy ground. 10 have won and 21 have been placed which adds up to a 53% strike rate of his progeny hitting the frame on heavy. It gets better on the dam side of his pedigree as his dams only win came in a point to point on soft. Her dam is a half sister to Maid For Dancing who loved a slog, as did a couple of other siblings. Interestingly his full brother Mentor won a 19f maiden hurdle on yielding at Cork back in August and he is trained by Aidan O'Brien and owned by JP McManus.

Only Gorgeous proved he handled the track with his run here last time and the handicapper has generously dropped him 3lb to 103 after a moderate run when stepped up in trip at Taunton last time. The Gardener's love to have winners at Exeter and it would be no surprise to see a much improved performance with Lucy on board taking off a handy 3lb. He looks a big price at 18/1 and presumably the bookies reckon he won't handle the ground. As I have illustrated above there is a decent chance he will and at those sort of odds he looks well worth chancing each way.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 2.55 EXETER-ONLY GORGEOUS 18/1 E/W