Get On Gassin At Newbury

Minmore Oscar was desperately unlucky earlier not to get a place, and everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Not once, but twice, she was nearly brought down in the early stages, and just as she was coming to mount a challenge for 3rd she ploughed through the 2nd last.

She just failed to get up for a place by a measly head, and that just about sums up our luck at the moment. With a less eventful passage I am certain she would have got a place, and hopefully the handicapper drops her another couple of pound for her next run.

Gassin Golf often hits form at this time of year.

I have no selection for tomorrow, so instead I am going to suggest backing a horse for the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday. The one I like is Gassin Golf, and given his excellent record when fresh at this time of year, and his mark, I think he looks a massive price for each way purposes at odds of 25/1.

 Kerry Lee has her string in fine fettle at the moment, and this former course and distance winner looks primed for a big run.This 8yo son of Montjeu had a couple of outings back in November after a spell off the track. He ran a nice race first time up at Fontwell (17.5f soft) chasing home Remiluc off a mark of 135. He wasn’t as good next time at Newbury over 20.5f (gd/sft) off the same mark, but he has never been effective at that sort of trip.

The handicapper has dropped him to 133 after those two runs, and his last win came here in a class 2 handicap off 135 by 4.5L. He has an excellent record when fresh in the Spring, and his form figures when returning from a mid-winter break read 223, including a close 3rd in the Imperial Cup back in 2015. I would imagine he has been laid out for this contest, and he won’t mind the tacky ground. He looks a massive price at odds of 25/1, and he has to be worth a punt each way at that price.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: 15.35 NEWBURY (SAT) GASSIN GOLF E/W 25/1