Key Points
- Today’s betting tip drops to a Class 4 Handicap and he should be too good for these rivals
- The wetter the better for this lover of Heavy ground
- With a recent run and first time cheekpieces he looks primed to perform
For Thursday, we switch back from antepost betting to a daily betting tip. I have been waiting for this horse to run, and today is his day as he heads off to Lingfield for the 2m 4f Handicap Chase. He was a serious eye-catcher last time out at Exeter, so dropped in grade, with conditions to suit, and first time cheekpieces going on, I think he’ll take a lot of beating.
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Betting advice
- 15:20 Lingfield -
Big City Roller
@ 10/3 -
2pt Win
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Big City Roller can give Charlie Longsdon an overdue win
Charlie Longsdon hasn’t been getting the rub of the green just lately. In December he was 0 from 26, in January he was 0 from 16, and for February, his first three runners all failed to cross the line in front. Although Charlie hasn’t had a winner for 66 days now, his horses haven’t been running badly.
During December, January and February he picked up nine second places, with a further nine finishing third. He is definitely overdue a winner, but I think Big City Roller can turn things around for him.
Big City Roller drops to a Class 4 Handicap and he should be too good for these rivals
Big City Roller is a very lightly raced eight-year-old with just four races under Rules, and a further two Point-To-Point runs. There have been suggestions that he is fragile, due to some lengthy absences, but he has shown plenty of ability when he has run!
He won his second Point-To-Point by 11 lengths on Soft ground, which was over 2m 4f at Sheriff Hutton. He was subsequently purchased for £35,000 later that same month. He went straight over Hurdles for Charlie Longsdon, and made his debut a winning one up at Carlisle. He then bumped into The Newest One on his next start, coming in a close second. After a 445-day break, he made light work of his mark of 115, winning his Handicap debut in great style, by 26 lengths.
The handicapper had his say by raising Big City Roller 8lb for that win, and sadly we didn’t see him again for a further 317 days. However, he returned at Exeter last month and was in the process of running a big race, when he made a tired mistake at the last, all but unseating Lily Pinchin. He has been dropped 1lb for that, which now sees him on a mark of 122. As a result, he is eligible to sneak into the top of today’s 0-120 Handicap, and I think he’ll have too much class for this field.
The wetter the better for this lover of Heavy going winner
As mentioned, Big City Roller’s Point-To-Point win came on Soft ground. That race only saw two of the nine contenders finish, suggesting it was pretty testing that day. On Soft, Heavy or Heavy going, he has form figures of 121 under Rules, once again highlighting his love for testing ground.
His most recent run at Exeter was on Good to Soft, and I feel he would have preferred the conditions even softer. For that reason, I feel his last run can be marked up. At the time of writing, the going at Lingfield is Heavy, Soft in places, and there is further light rain forecast. When it’s Heavy at Lingfield, it’s usually absolutely bottomless, and I think he’ll thrive in such testing conditions.
Big City Roller was making eye-catching progress at Exeter before he started to get tired, which unfortunately resulted in a mistake. Given that was his first run for 317 days, I think it is completely understandable and forgivable. With that recent run under his belt, I think he will take a big step forward here physically, which will make him a tough nut to crack.
In addition, the Big City Roller is wearing cheekpieces for the first time today. The timing suggests that his latest run was to blow the cobwebs away, and they now mean business with him. With stamina being his strong suit, and no obvious pace angle in the race, the cheekpieces should see him sharp from the off, and potentially making all here.
Can Big City Roller break Charlie Longsdon’s winless spell?
After watching Big City Roller’s run at Exeter, I have been waiting for him to reappear. I would have been happy backing him in the higher grade race, but the fact that the 1lb drop in his rating allows him to race in Class 4 company, only makes me sweeter on his chances today. It also looks like the stars are aligning for him, with the rainfall producing his ideal ground conditions, and the cheekpieces going on.
In terms of negatives, I don’t have a great deal. His potential fragility is a slight concern, but at the same time, Charlie wouldn’t be running him here if he didn’t believe he was 100% fit and well. The fact he will carry 12st 2lb on testing ground is another consideration, but at the same time, he carries that weight because he is the best horse in this race by some way.
All things considered, I think there is great value in his 10/3 price. I get the obvious appeal of Officer Of State, but I feel he is plenty skinny enough at around 4/6, making him worth taking on. I believe that Big City Roller can take this race, and subject to staying sound, I think he can progress onto bigger and better targets. After all is said and done, I’m playing a 2pt Win here.
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