*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
14.56 – Chepstow – THE COLA KID
This is not a great card even by the standards of the track on a Bank Holiday, but this class six sprint has a lovely shape to it. The golden highway during the last few meetings has come on the stands’ side and the Grace Harris charge THE COLA KID could make his box eight sit count in a field of just 11.
The five-year-old simply hasn’t got home over seven furlongs on his last two outings, but as a result of those two below-par efforts, he has been dropped a very fair three pounds by the handicapper. Furthermore his last success on March 1st came in a class five event off a 2lbs higher rating when there was a bundle of pace on and the same scenario looks set to take effect here with two front runners and a whole bunch of pressers in attendance. Of his 10 rivals, I have the most regard for course and distance winner Rhubarb who has been in red hot form in the past few months and bottom weight Hagia Sophia. The last named fell out of the traps last time out at the track when beaten by another of today’s rivals, Clashaniska, albeit in a slightly lesser contest.
WELCOME TO PADDY POWER NEWS!
15.20 – Southwell – SHYJACK
When a basement handicap horse has a record of one win in 20 on the all-weather and a single victory from 15 starts on the turf, you would hardly say that he is crying out to be backed even in the basement grade of a classified stakes race.
However, there are reasons to believe that this exposed seven-year-old could be ready to strike in what is an awful race. First up, he can be relied upon to run to a specific level over this course and distance as he did when running up a sequence of 22262 at the back end of 2021 off marks between 54 and 56.
There is very little between the majority of those races and this event and indeed you could argue that three of them where of a slightly better standard. We can readily forget his run last time out at Yarmouth as the blindfold was taken off way too late and he is better judged on a fair fifth at Chelmsford when a soft early pace wouldn’t have favoured his run style.
The selection gets the nod over the likes of Ivan Furtado’s Chantreys and Well Prepared. The last named ran his best race for some time when third at Lingfield Park.
15.50 – Epsom – SARATOGA GOLD
This amateur rider’s Derby has attracted one of the bigger fields in recent times with the decent ground obviously a major factor and I think you could make a fairly solid case of for at least eight of the 12 runners off their current marks and on the pick of their form in the last 12 months or so.
Off a 1lb lower mark, last year’s winner, Captain Haddock, looks sure to go close again, albeit this race has plenty more strength in depth to it. With recent Sandown winner Fast Steps not sure to see out a well run 12 furlongs, at the respective prices, I think that the Charlie Hills’ runner SARATOGA GOLD looks the call here.
The selection has been racing in slightly better company than this through the first part of the season and a drop in grade worked wonders with a smooth victory off a rating of 71 last time out.
Again this looks a tougher task off a rating of 74, but the son of Mayson will be suited by the likely fast pace and this better ground will also be a plus and I shall be surprised if he is not involved at the sharp end.
STUDY THE FORM IN STYLE & GET ALL THE RESULTS YOU NEED FIRST
- CHECK OUT OUR SNAZZY RACECARDS FOR EVERY RACE, EVERY DAY
- WE HAVE ALL THE HORSE RACING FAST RESULTS YOU’LL EVER WANT
16.16 – Ripon – ENFORCED
With Matchless in the back pocket of the handicapper and comfortable last time out, and course and distance winner Cosmos Raj requiring plenty more in this better event, I like the Newmarket raider ENFORCED as something to bet on. Twice a narrow winner at Brighton and Newmarket earlier on in the season, it could have been that the lightning ground back at Headquarters that counted against him back at the July course, but an even bigger excuse would have been that the race may well have come too quickly for him.
Off a career high mark of 90, the son of Zoffany then sat just too far out of his ground in a similar contest at Ayr before galloping in really strongly under Ben Curtis. Rather surprisingly dropped a pound to 89 for this event, I suspect that Andrea Atzeni will bide his time again, but the long home stretch at the ‘Garden Track’ will aid his cause and he can get the better of the Tim Easterby trained Jewel Maker, a beaten favourite in a fair race on the all-weather track at Lingfield last time out.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
Paul Jacobs’ Monday horse racing tips
14.56 – Chepstow – THE COLA KID
15.20 – Southwell – SHYJACK
15.50 – Epsom – SARATOGA GOLD
16.16 – Ripon – ENFORCED
READ MORE
- When is the Irish St Leger 2022? Curragh date, start time and runners
- Fancy cheaper tickets for Irish racing meetings? Paddy’s Rewards4Racing partnership is here!