Exeter Racing Tips

A very difficult start to the card with several potentially smart Novice hurdlers making their debuts over timber, but OUTLAW PETER made a very good impression when winning a bumper at Worcester 4 weeks ago. Backed into evens favourite on the day, he made a lot of the running and powered away in the home straight, the 5^th placed horse has since won a Ludlow Novice to give a boost to the form and he could get Paul Nicholls off to the perfect start.

A few nice types making their debuts here, but Paul Nicholls may again hold the key with HUFLOWER. A French recruit from the Fouassier yard, he had a subsequent Grade 1 winner in behind when winning a bumper at Angers in February and should be ideally suited by the conditions on his UK debut.

This race revolves around Paul Nicholls, and he has an extremely strong hand this year, so it is very hard to see the prize not returning to Ditcheat. GREANETEEN is a clear standout and despite the big weight on his back, Bryony Frost has a perfect record of 3-3 on his back and should be able to get him ideally positioned behind the leaders. Hitman retains a lot of potential and should be the horse to chase him home for a stable 1-2, but 5-year-olds have a very poor record in this race and so he may find his stablemate too hot to handle.

On paper this looks to be a match between HONEST VIC and Threeunderthrufive. The latter arrives here with the sexier profile and could be part of a very good day for Paul Nicholls, but all his best hurdle’s form is on flat speed tracks and so he may not be suited by the undulations of Exeter. Honest Vic was only a head behind him at Chepstow last month, despite making several errors and he has lots of solid form on more galloping courses to suggest this race may suit him better than his rival.

An almost impossible staying handicap chase so it may be worth taking a chance on LAMANVER PIPPIN each-way. Colin Tizzard had a very poor season last time around so that may explain the selections poor return last year, but the yard has been in much better form recently and because of a winless 20/21 campaign, Lamanver Pippin has dropped 9lbs in the weights. He produced his best performance on his seasonal reappearance last year when he finished 3^rd at Cheltenham, having also finished 3^rd in the National Hunt Chase at the 2020 Festival, so there is hope that he has been freshened up and the return to a more galloping track should help him rediscover his form.

Another very difficult handicap puzzle to solve. Several arrive here in good form, although the majority of the field find it difficult to get their heads in front, so this race may instead fall to the less exposed POGO I AM. Harry Fry’s mare has had just 3 starts in handicap company and ran with a lot of credit when returning from a 322-day absence to finish 3^rd at Warwick in September, keeping on nicely from rear in a manner that suggested there was more to come. Dropped a further pound to 109, she could go close if building on that comeback run.

An 18-runner handicap hurdle to end the card where BEAU HAZE makes more appeal than most. A winner of his final 2 starts in the spring, he returns here on a mark just 1lb higher than for his last win at Ffos Las in May. Conor Ring has been onboard for all 3 of his wins over timber and if ready to go after a break, he could be capable of completing the hat-trick in a competitive race.