Tuesday Quintet

Keppage at Leicestershire 

Today we have five runners at our local Devon track, Exeter. Kepagge, Anglers Crag, Barrier Peaks, New Age Dawning and Lock Out make up our quintet of runners. Kepagge runs in the opening contest on the card, a 2m7f handicap hurdle of conditional and amateur jockeys who have ridden less than 20 winners by a particular date. While we don’t have any eligible jockeys for the race based with us at the yard the moment we have secured the services of Toby Wynne for the ride. He is the son of former top jockey Steve Wynne and is  based up north in its Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero. He rode a winner for his bosses at Ayr yesterday and has ridden over 20 winners in his career so is looking one of the most experienced in this race.

Kepagge missed all of last season and ran okay on his first start back but then ran even better last time at Ffos Las. This was the first time he had really finished his race well for a while and he galloped on well all the way to the line to be third. On that evidence the extra distance today will suit and he will love the heavy conditions. Providing he is in the same form he should not be too far away this afternoon.

Angler’s Crag runs in the novices handicap chase at 1.35pm with Tom Scu on board. He was in the process of running a great race at the track last time when falling three fences from home. He does make a quick reappearance but he was none the worse from his soft fall and we have done a lot of schooling with him at home since. He does have his own unique style of jumping but a small field will suit and he will like the testing conditions. Firstly we are hopeful of a clear round today and then I think he will run a big race.

Barrier Peaks runs in the 2m5f handicap hurdle with Tom scu in the saddle. He was much improved on handicap debut at Ffos Las last time out to be third over two miles. The extra distance will suit today and while the favourite is the one to beat at hope we can on these terms, receiving nearly a stone.

New Age Dawning runs in the 3.15pm three mile handicap chase at with Tom Scu again on board. He has run well on both starts this season at Ffos Las. I do think he may be a little better going left handed but he should be fine around this big galloping track in heavy conditions. It is a competitive little race and we are about 9/2 third best in the betting. I think there is room for improvement in his rating and hopefully he won’t be too far away.

Lock Out is the stables final runner on the card and he goes in the Two mile handicap hurdle at with Tom Scu in the saddle again. He is about 11/2 in the betting and I think he is well treated off a mark of 104. He ran well on handicap debut at Lingfield last time staying on strongly at the end of the race. While ideally he may not want the ground as testing as it is today he handled it okay at Lingfield and so fingers crossed he will again today. He is also likely to want a step up in trip in the future but on this track and on this ground he will be fine this afternoon and I think if he handles the ground so he will not be too far away.

Our runners at Taunton yesterday pretty much ran as expected. American Sniper ran another great race to finish a neck second. We have had three seconds lately so it would be nice to get a winner on the board for 2023 today! While American Sniper has run well at Taunton we may well look for a more galloping track next time. I think we will be more at home at courses like Exeter and Chepstow (where is has won) in the future. It was a good handicap debut and he can be winning off this mark.

Alongside Exeter there is also a jumps meeting at Doncaster today and an all-weather card at Southwell.

Last night Oxford held Arsenal to 0-0 at half time in the third round FA Cup game but Arsenal we’re comfortable 3-0 winners in the end.

A man was admitted to hospital after a swallowing six plastic horses. His condition has been described as stable! Have a good Tuesday!