Glen Buck and Allen to pay for super Saturday

With the Cheltenham creeping ever closer the racing on Saturday looks to offer punters a serious of opportunities to build the pot for the festival.

My nap on the day is on the AW at Southwell in the 3.50 where i expect Glen Buck to outclass the opposition in this 0-100 Class 2 handicap.

The 6yo gelding has clearly had problems in getting to the track having had just 4 outings. He has Won 3 including a win last time out over this course that provided ample evidence to suggest that the patience and considerable investment shown by the owners can be rewarded in the up coming season.

He won that day by 3/4l off a mark of 83 over 1m 3f staying on strongly to beat the Ian Balding trained Old Harrovian. That horse could not have advertised the form better, when trouncing a good field at Newcastle. In second that day. In third place at Newcastle was Dark Moon Rising who had previously beaten Champagne Prince who this afternoon is well fancied for the Group 3 Winter Derby.

The key to the improvement of Glen Buck has been the step up to middle distances and the extra 1f he faces this afternoon looks sure to bring abut more improvement. The other runners all look exposed and weighted up to their best.

With Glen Buck unexposed especially over this trip he can win this and head into season and progress to contest some valuable 1m4f handicaps on the turf.

Recommend 2pt win Glen Buck 3.50 Southwell BOG after 8.00am

Javert Allen is one of those exciting front running bold jumping 2m chasers that captures the imagination. He is unbeaten this season with two faultless displays of jumping here at Chepstow and then at Newbury.

On each occasion he took lengths off the field with his fast accurate jumping and on both races could be called the winner some way from home. After the Newbury victory in mid December his trainer Jane Williams said they would take a softly softly approach with the horse to give it time to strengthen up. She has been true to her word and he returns to the track after a 66 day break.

The handicapper has not allowed the wins to go without a rise in the weights from 115 to 125 but that looks relatively lenient, especially when you look at the form of his last run over hurdles when beaten just 3/4L behind Lowrys Bar in receipt of just 4lb. Lowrys Bar is now rated 144. A mark that is not inconceivable to think that in time Javert Allen can reach, such is the brilliance of his jumping

Recommend 1pt Javert Allen 3.07 Chepstow Saturday BOG 8.00am