Ross Millar: my weekend wrap and Monday horse racing tips

We were all hoping for a super Saturday, but sadly the effects of a summer drought left us all high and dry.

Of course it’s disappointing for fans who were excited to see the return of Constitution Hill, Edwardstone and L’Homme Presse and the subsequent outrage on social media was fairly predictable, but maybe as fans we need to exercise a little bit of the patience demonstrated by the horses’ connections.

As someone who grew up waiting week on week for the next episode of the A-Team and for Teletext to update the racing results, I’m acutely aware that we live in a time where we can watch episodes back to back and have information instantly at our fingertips. But relax folks – these horses will appear, just as soon as the rain does.

I’ve always preferred to look for the good in situations and there were plenty of feel-good stories if you were prepared to look yesterday.

Top of the pile was loveable enigma Goshen in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot. You never know quite what you’ll get with him but on his day he’s a top-class animal and his victory capped off a great hour for the Gary Moore team as talented 7lb claimer Caolin Quinn gave Botox Has an excellent ride to win the valuable Betfair Exchange Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle at Haydock.

In the Charnelle Pharma 1965 Chase it appeared that Saint Calvados was a bit too hot to handle for his amateur pilot David Maxwell allowing another old favourite, Coole Cody, to scoop the pot just a week on from pulling up at Cheltenham.

The Betfair Chase produced a huge upset as A Plus Tard failed to show his best. Let’s hope it was just an off day and not a sign of anything more serious, but surely the reaction of bookmakers in pushing him out to a best-priced 12/1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup is a huge overreaction?

Protektorat delivered a career best performance to run out an impressive winner, his jumping looking far more assured than I’ve previously seen it. The Skelton team aren’t shy of a challenge and you can be sure all roads for him lead to Cheltenham in March.

On Sunday we did get to witness the return of one horse with Champion Hurdle ambitions. State Man wasn’t fully extended to win the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown and in the preliminaries he looked like he would improve for a run, so the comfortable manner in which he cleared away from a laboured Sharjah and stablemate Saldier would be pleasing enough. He’ll need to improve again, but he looks capable of doing so.

12.40 Kempton: Blow Your Wad

He’s almost certainly a talented individual, so it’s surely a source of some frustration to connections that Blow Your Wad is yet to win a race.

In his bumper at Wincanton he hung so badly left that he actually collided with the rail and hedge on the run-in and that surely cost him victory, though that form hasn’t worked out too badly with the winner Tahmuras now an unbeaten Listed winner over hurdles.

On his own hurdling debut Blow Your Wad was very keen in the early stages before narrowly going down to the well-regarded Leave Of Absence at Ascot and, with that experience under his belt, I’m expecting a more professional performance from the Tom Lacey-trained youngster. If that is forthcoming he’ll win this comfortably.

1.50 Kempton: Come On Gruff

Johnny Burke is riding with supreme confidence and has really caught my eye in the early stages of the season.

Come On Gruff was possibly in need of his return at Worcester in October after travelling well before his jumping rather unravelled up the home straight, albeit under a less than vigorous ride.

On the form of his Ludlow win in March he’s still on a fair handicap mark. He stayed on dourly on soft ground over the 2m5f trip on that occasion to beat the now 126-rated Picanha by just over two lengths. Even allowing for the 7lb he received from the runner-up, his mark of 117 here looks workable.

Three miles looks ideal on this better ground and going right-handed will not be an issue. He can keep up Burke’s fine start to the season.

2.20 Kempton: Dorking Lad

Plenty of Gary Moore’s runners seem to be taking a good step forward from their first runs of the season.

Dorking Lad seemed to find it all happening a bit to quick for him over 2m2f at this course last time, though it was pleasing to see how well he finished having been one of the first off the bridle.

The handicapper has dropped him 2lb for that run and, while that does still leave him 6lb higher than his last winning mark, I’m sure he’s capable of more - after all, that last win was a twenty-length demolition of the 103-rated Honorary Colonel who was in receipt of 4lb.

This step back up in trip on his second start of the campaign can see a much improved performance and any rain would only enhance his chance.