6th-Dec-2014

I am backing Dodging Bullets now. There was no disgrace in going down to Uxizandre in the Shloer Chase and, if he hadn’t been ridden to beat Alan King’s horse, he probably would have beaten Simply Ned, to whom he eventually ceded the runner-up spot. He does go well fresh but, even though he won on his seasonal debut last season, he still improved from his first run to his second. There is every chance that he will do so again this season.

Winner of the Wayward Lad Chase at Kempton last year and a close-up fourth in the Arkle, he is a classy young horse who is at his best over two miles on soft ground, which is what he will have today. Also, he is probably better going right (like today) than going left (like he did at Cheltenham last time). His record going right over jumps reads 2311, while his record going left reads 46119712453.

It is interesting that Paul Nicholls fits a tongue-tie today. Perhaps (the horse) had an issue with his breathing at Cheltenham and, if he had, and if the tongue-tie rectifies it, he could run a really big race today. This is not a vintage Tingle Creek, and Dodging Bullets could easily be classy enough to win it.

DODGING BULLETS WON (ADV 10/1, SP 9/1)