12/1 Le Beau Bai handicapped to strike
Richard lee has his team in terrific form and Le Beau Bai looks good each-way value at 12/1 in the Southern National at Fontwell today (3.15).
The gelding relishes a stamina test and has now been given a chance by the handicapper to belatedly get back in the winners’ enclosure.
He has not won since February 2010, but that victory at Bangor came off a mark of 134 and he is now 3lb lower.
The eight-year-old also showed enough last season to suggest he would be up to winning a race of this nature when a plugging on third to the classy Silver By Nature in the Grand National rial at Haydock off a mark of 137.
Although no match for the runaway winner that day, he did have some useful staying types behind him and the form looks rock solid in the context of this race.
He was clearly badly in need of the run on his seasonal reappearance at Chepstow last month when never in contention at nay stage, but that outing should have blown away the cobwebs and put him spot on for this.
There is little doubt that he is handicapped to play a leading role, and this slof will suit him down to the ground.
Daily Sport recommended bet: 2pts each-way Le Beau Bai (12/1 generally available – use BOG firms)
Bally Legend a solid bet at 9/2
Bally Legend shaped with bags of promise on his comeback run and at 9/2 rates a solid bet in the 2.05 at Fontwell.
The gelding shaped well in several novice events before breaking his duck in runaway style in a handicap at Ludlow back in February when scoring by an eased down 13 lengths off a mark of 118.
He was then far from disgraced off a 12lb higher mark when 9th of 15 to Via Galilei at Newbury and rounded of the season with a solid 5th of 14 to Arthurian Legend in a decent novice contest at Chepstow.
Caroline Keevil’s charge was then well-backed to make a winning reappearance at Chepstow last month, and ran a blinder until race fitness took it’s toll to finish third to Gambo.
He is sure to be a lot sharper this afternoon, and I think that the handicapper has given him a tremendous chance off 125.
The way he opened his account at Ludlow suggested that he had plenty of improvement left in the locker and would be a force to be reckoned with in races of this nature as he matured.
This looks a golden opportunity to prove just that, and at 9/2 he rates the best bet on the card.
Daily Sport recommended bet: 3ptswin Bally Legend (9/2 generally available – use BOG firms)
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