In-Running Week: Galway Jack an ideal back-to-lay?

Neil Munro has spotted a few horses worth noting

Neil Munro has spotted a few horses that might be worth keeping an eye on this week...

I was having a chat with a colleague (not a friend, I hasten to add!) the other day about some in-running horses and he mentioned a particular one with a number of low trades in the run to his name that he wanted to get involved with. The horse in question was Galway Jack and so I pushed him on why he was trading on the horse.

'Bloody obvious isn't it, it looks like it is going to win when it runs but it doesn't'.

Sometimes I think I put too much effort into the game. We both played on the horse and my conservative trading stood me in good stead where as he was a little brave and just missed out on his getting his lay bet sorted. But below you will find my analysis of the horse and all I can do is thank Gareth (@dirtygringo on Twitter if you want deep insight) for giving me another horse to add to the database.

Horses for the Database

Galway Jack

The lightly raced eight-year-old made his belated seasonal reappearance at Market Rasen while the snow was falling around him just the other day and once again travelled well before emptying out very quickly. Galway Jack wasn't able to use his preferred front-running tactics as another confirmed pace setter, O Crotaigh, led from start to finish, but he still travelled well for the majority of the race. Then, three fences out, he jumped right and we very soon saw the distress signals as tiredness kicked in. Some punters will say this was down to the long time off but he has done this before. So put together a regular front runner and a horse that does not find as much as you would expect and you have a solid trading horse.

Back Galway Jack pre-race at BSP and then lay out your stake at the matched price. The lay out as much as you want at odds on. 

Lord Singer

Gary Moore had a good January with both his all-weather and national hunt string but historically he has done well with the jumpers in February, and although Lord Singer has never won in this month he does tend to hit form in the first three months of the year. He definitely doesn't win enough, with three wins in thirty one starts and that is mainly down to the fact that he struggles to settle completely and thus doesn't find as much as you would expect at the business end. I think the interesting stat is that he has traded odds-on eight times but only gone on to win three of those. Seven of those trades have come on soft or heavy going.

Back Lord Singer on soft or heavy going at BSP and then lay out your stake at the matched price. Then put up various offers at odds-on to have a decent green book leaning towards the field.

Cannington Brook

Colin Tizzard's nine-year-old produced another fine performance on heavy ground at Ffos Las in the West Wales National (are we devaluing the National tag slightly?) last weekend. He kept the reinvigorated Carruthers on his toes all the way to the line having travelled in mid-division and delivered with his usual late appearance. On this ground Cannington Brook is as game as they come as proved by his record on heavy or soft ground of four wins, four places in eleven runs. As he travels into the business end of the race he tends to travel low and allow you to create a green book.

On heavy or soft ground back Cannington Brook at BSP and then lay out your stake the matched price. The put up various offers around the evens mark and lower the green up your book.

Something for the weekend

There is nothing that says valentines like a visit to watch the horses so keep quiet about it but Mrs In-Running will be having a lovely day at Newbury at the weekend. With this in mind I had better try and make it pay for the day and the slap up meal later at Chez Hamburger Monarque.

Denman Chase

I will be very interested if connections of The Giant Bolster run him more prominently than recently as I think getting into a rhythm near the pace is key for a better performance. What will Ruby do on Silviniaco Conti as dictating in a small field worked last time? I don't think he will this time as he is more guaranteed to get a nice lead from others. And the reason for that is there looks to be plenty of pace in the race at this stage andt the one I like if he has recovered from his recent fall is Little Josh who has hit his BSP in the run 77% of the time and odds on 45%. He should be a very tradable price.

Petit Robin is interesting in the Betfair hurdle later on the cards off top weight. For those who have never seen him he runs up and around the pace but with a very low head carriage at times but I have a lot of time for the ten year old who has traded his BSP in eighteen of his twenty runs.

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