On this week's What A Shout, host Dave Orton is joined by trainer Ben Pauling, the Racing Post’s Graeme Rodway and bet365’s Pat Cooney, as they preview the bet365 Jump Finale Day at Sandown this weekend.
The panel chat to Ben about his 1,000 Guineas hopeful Polly Pott, as he gave an update on how the winter has gone for his Classic contender and how he rates her chances in the 1m race at Newmarket.
Watch all this weekend's racing in Britain and Ireland via the bet365 Sports Live Streaming platform and catch up on the latest edition of What A Shout via the link above, or read on for some of the best bits from the show.
Pauling excited by Polly Pott's prospects
With just over a week to go until Guineas weekend at Newmarket, Ben discussed his star three-year-old filly Polly Pott.
Former champion jockey Oisin Murphy has been booked to ride her in the 1,000 Guineas, where she is 50/1 in the latest betting for the 1m contest.
He said: "It is a baptism of fire for us as we haven’t been training long and we already have a filly in the 1,000 Guineas.
"It is very exciting, but we are not taking it for granted. The Megsons have been fantastic supporters of our yard and Harry Dunlop did a fantastic job last season to get this filly to this point.
"Oisin Murphy has sat on her a couple of times over the last few months. We gave her a piece of work at Kempton and she did very well there.
"She went to Newbury last Sunday and we were impressed with what she did in the final furlong there on grass.
"She is a classy little filly and very straightforward to train. I’m not experienced enough to know where she will feature in the race, but Oisin is very happy with her.
"I’ve watched some of the trials over the last couple of weeks and I thought Richard Hannon’s runner, Mammas Girl, was very impressive.
"You do watch these races and wonder should we have rolled the dice, but there is an element of why burst the bubble before we get there.
"We always thought she’d be more of an Oaks filly if she is at that level. She is a strong filly who has plenty of power. Hopefully, she has improved and we can go there and give it our best shot."
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Rodway predicts Greaneteen success
The Grade 1 bet365 Celebration Chase (1.40) is one of the highlights on the card at Sandown on Saturday.
Just five runners have been declared, but it is a strong field which includes Jonbon (6/5) and Greaneteen (9/4) and Graeme is taking the latter to come out on top yet again at the Esher-based venue.
He said: "Paul Nicholls will have had this race in mind for Greaneteen for some time. He is the master of doing that, as we saw in the King George with Bravemansgame.
"It is great to see Jonbon in the field, as it makes this fascinating contest and probably the race of the weekend. I am still not sure exactly how good Jonbon is yet, despite us being at the end of the season now.
"If I was having a bet, I’d be backing Greaneteen at the prices. He is the highest-rated runner in the field, and probably the most likely winner."
The Goffer gets Rodway's backing
Kitty’s Light tops the betting at 7/2 for the bet365 Gold Cup (2.15) on Saturday, where he is bidding to successfully follow up from his victory in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr last weekend.
Graeme wishes the connections of the horse the best of luck, but he is taking the favourite on with The Goffer (8/1).
He said: "I’d love to see Kitty’s Light win this race and complete the double with the Scottish Grand National. He should have won this race a couple of years ago where he was very unlucky.
"However, I like The Goffer. He finished fourth behind Corach Rambler and Fastorslow in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Obviously, that form has taken a big boost this month.
"He was pulled up in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse last time out, but that is a weird race, so I am willing to put a line through that run.
"He is six years old, so he is still a novice. Sean Bowen has been booked for the ride and I can’t believe he is as big as he is in the betting."
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