Bob Could Bounce Back At Newbury

Usually Friday is a day in the racing week where there is a fair amount of quality on the cards, however with Cheltenham just around the corner all the best horses are wrapped up in cotton wool and though there are a host of meetings on, it is definitely a case of quantity rather than quality. However, as you all know by know I love a low grade handicap, and at Newbury today I have my eye on a horse that goes in the 2m6f class 4 event at 16.00.

Last weekend Killala Quay did us a favour by getting the job done nicely at Kempton and my main selection A Vos Gardes didn't disgrace himself either. The Longsdon yard fired in another winner during the week and the stable looks to have well and truly turned the corner. He runs two in the 4.00, and there has been a few quid overnight for what looks like the first string, Long Lunch, who will be ridden by Aidan Coleman. However, my eye is drawn to his other entry, Bob Tucker, who will have a handy 3lb taken off his back by improving claimer Graham Watters.

This horse also failed to complete on his last run, pulled up over 3m on soft at Sandown off 130, and he also ran poorly on his penultimate run, again over 3m on soft at Ascot off 128. However, he absolutely hosed up on the run before that, his seasonal comeback at Worcester (23f good) off a mark of 118. He has won 4 of his 23 starts under rules and 3 of those wins have come on decent ground, with 2 of them at 23f.

He has run twice at Newbury, first over 23.5f on soft when he was 4th off 118, beaten 14l, and then again last March, again off 118 over today's trip of 22f when he was 3rd, beaten by just under 4L. He showed he had improved for his Summer break by winning first time up back in October, and the handicapper has been very generous in dropping him from 128 to 124 after his last run. Watters takes off another 3lb which leaves him just 3lb above his last winning mark and he also returns to class 4 company for the first time since his last win.

The so called 'first string' Long Lunch has serious stamina doubts and on all the evidence I have seen he looks a blatant non stayer beyond 20f. His only two wins have come at 16f and if Bob Tucker adopts his usual bold front running style it is hard to see Long Lunch lasting home. He hasn't been seen since his fall in December and the priority could well be a clear round. It is Bob Tuckers optimum trip, the ground is grand and with Watters (2/16 for yard) taking off a handy 3lb he could run a huge race back in class 4 company at a track where he has run well before.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 4.00 NEWBURY BOB TUCKER E/W 20/1