Planetoid the punt at 9/4
Planetoid is a progressive handicapper to keep on side and looks a rock solid bet at 9/4 to land the hat-trick in the 7.40 at Kempton.
David Lanigan’s cot landed a monster gamble when scoring on his handicap debut at at this track after four eye-catching runs in maidens.
He then had to dig deep to follow-up under a 6lb penalty at Newmarket, but ran on strongly to beat A Boy Named Souix by 1/2 a length.
To me he scored with a bit more in hand than the winning margin suggests, and I was told at the beginning of the season that connections thought he would make up into a 90+ horse by the end of the campaign.
If that’s the case then a 4lb penalty is unlikely to stop him going in again off a mark of 84, and given that he is proven on the surface it’s hard to see him being beaten.
The best price currently on offer is 9/4, but I can see him going off shorter and the advice is to snap it up.
Recommended bet: 10pts win Planetoid (9/4 Boylesports, Paddy Power, Hills – BOG)
Wodian of major interest at 8s
Wodian finally gets the step up in trip she has been crying out for in the 8.40 at Kempton and is of major interest at 8/1.
David Lanigan is superb at placing his horses to plunder handicaps, and Wodian has shown enough to suggest she is capable of exploiting her current mark of just 50.
She showed just glimpses of ability when well beaten in three runs as a juvenile, and her three runs in handciaps this season have not been devoid of promise.
Her first run came at Yarmouth over 7f in June, and although she eventually finished just 7th of 14 to Rileys Crane she ran far better than her finishing position suggests.
Held up in touch at the back of the field, she made smooth headway two from home before being buffeted about by runners from both sides.
Ted Durcan had nowhere to go on the filly at a time when the leaders were quickening, and he allowed her to come home in her own time once it was clear that any chances of winning had gone.
She then ran at Kempton, again over 7f, where she was always struggling and after quickly finding herself behind could only plug on at the one pace to finish a never dangerous 8th of 14 to Russian Ice.
I strongly fancied her to show her true colours last time out over a mile at Yarmouth, but the betting told the story and she drifted from 15/2 to 16/1 before finishing a one paced 6th of 10 to Dannios.
Today she is stepped up to 1m 3f, and I am convinced that it will see her in a far better light.
There is no doubt in my mind that she is potentially far better than she has shown, and having dropped 8lb in the handicap in her last three runs it would be no surprise to see her put in a vastly improved effort.
Recommended bet: 2pts each-way Wodian (8/1 bet365, Betfred – BOG, Sky Bet, totesport)