Newsboy has high hopes that a former Gordon Elliott hurdler can come good for Olly Murphy in the 2.50 at Plumpton on Monday and he also rates Landlordtothestars in the 6.30 on the Wolverhampton all-weather
GOOD TO BE ALIVE is the Nap choice to put a spring in his backers’ step with a win in the Southern Cranes Handicap Hurdle (2.50) at Plumpton today.
The winner of a heavy-ground maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse last February when in the care of Gordon Elliott, the son of Shirocco failed to build on that victory in his two subsequent starts for the Cullentra House stable.
Good To Be Alive then moved to Olly Murphy and the evidence of his two outings in Britain is that the five-year-old is ready to double his career tally.
My selection started his career in Britain in a two-mile handicap hurdle at Huntingdon in November and stayed on stoutly for a half-length second to Mr McLoughlan.
Stepped up to two and a half miles at Hereford five days before Christmas, Good To Be Alive again took home the silver medal, going under by two and a half lengths to Came From Nowhere.
That was no disgrace – the winner has since defied a 7lb rise in impressive style on Ascot’s Clarence House Chase undercard – and a 2lb nudge up the weights may not be enough to stop Sean Bowen’s mount from going one better.
At Wolverhampton, LANDLORDTOTHESTARS gets the vote to return to winning ways in the Always Gamble Responsibly At BetMGM Handicap (6.30). Newsboy’s selections PLUMPTON 1.20 QUAY ITEM 1.50 AMBIENTE FRIENDLY 2.20 SUPERSTYLIN 2.50 GOOD TO BE ALIVE (NAP) 3.20 EITHER OR 3.50 SHANTOU LUCKY 4.20 FRANK STAMPER HEREFORD 2.00 DRACO MALFOY 2.30 FOLLOWCATO 3.00 ROYAL MER 3.30 LATIN VERSE 4.00 STATTLER 4.30 PRINCESS KERI WOLVERHAMPTON 3.55 MASTER DANDY 4.25 PORFIN 5.00 JAMIE SOMMERS 5.30 WHIZZY DIZZY 6.00 CHANTELLE 6.30 LANDLORDTOTHESTARS (NB) 7.00 EUPATOR 7.30 CARAMAY 8.00 DANCING BAY DOUBLE: GOOD TO BE ALIVE and LANDLORDTOTHESTARS
