*Navan races have been cancelled due to frozen track conditions*
Paul Jacobs’ Horse Racing Tips
12.39 Wolverhampton – Eurythmical
13.30 Navan – Portstorm
15.09 Wolverhampton – The Thin Blue Line
15.39 Wolverhampton – Corsini
12.39 Wolverhampton – Eurythmical
Several of these young horses have not gone on from their opening runs in their careers, but then again the name of the game at this level is to get yourself well handicapped by running at a trip that may be is not your optimum.
I have plenty of respect for the top weight Serenity Rose who has run on terrible ground once, but shaped with much more promise on her other two starts particularly her second where she ran better then her eighth of nine suggested. But the selection looks particularly interesting after three races over six furlongs. On each occasion she has merely been outpaced in her races before plugging on in the closing stages, twice off pretty moderate gallops. By Territories, it could be that a mile and possibly beyond will suit much better in time, but a faster run seven off an opening handicap mark of 65 will I think make the bay filly worth keeping on your side.
1.30 Navan – Portstorm
- NAVAN INSPECTION: SUNDAY, DEC 18: 8AM
This feature race of the day looks a cracking staying contest with plenty of strength in depth with nine entries rated 130 or higher and the top weight, Run For Oscar to run off 145 less his conditional’s 5lbs allowance. Eric Bloodaxe bounced back to form first time out this season after mixing it in graded company last year, but I thought he was flattered to win that race so easily after getting a soft lead.
He could still be competitive off a mark of 137 as should last year’s fourth and course and distance winner The Jam Man. The veteran A Great View was just behind him that day, but I have a feeling the lightly weighted selection has been laid out for this significant prize as several others no doubt have been.
Quite lightly raced for a seven-year-old, he has more often than not been better off with a run under his belt and following a desperate first run this season, beaten 86 lengths, he shaped with much more promise last time out at this track when staying on stoutly over two and three quarter miles. He gets the nod over Coventry (not suited by a crawl last time out and has the blinkers on for the first time) and the red hot Jungle Prose.
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3.09 Wolverhampton – The Thin Blue Line
It is always an forensic job to try and work out these low grade handicaps at Dunstall Park and this race is no exception. At first my eye was drawn towards Mighty Gurkha who I have been following for some time. A winner of three of his 28 starts, but his last win was way back in January 2021 and even though he has been placed five times since then and he was fourth, beaten four lengths by Rohaan in the Commonwealth Cup Trial only last year, most of his runs in the past six months have still been hugely lack lustre. He was rated as high as 102 and races off 75 here so his time will come and he could well be worth a saver if he is strong in the market.
But in the end I plumped for Keith Dalgleish runner. Four career wins from 36 is his record to date, but his consistency without winning has meant that the handicapper has been unable to drop him too much in the weights in the last few months. However, several of those runs have come in much better company than this class five level and he showed last time out over this course and distance that his turn is close at hand following when running into a wall of horses 100 yards out when finishing off his race nicely. Set to race of the same mark here, the son of Mehmas looks solid each-way material on his very best form.
3.39 Wolverhampton – Corsini
Following a second wind operation, Aryaah has solid claims under top weight and down in grade in what looks a very moderate class six contest. That was the first run from the grey gelding for the first time in 114 days.
But we could have a really nicely handicapped selection in KPDF’s runner despite the filly being of obvious limited ability. Still a maiden after eight starts, the daughter of Mastercraftsman is a prominent racer and may have her way up front. She ran one of her better races on her debut at Wolverhampton when sent off a joint favourite back in March over an extended nine and a half furlongs.
Following a three and a half month break she blew up in the final half furlong when fifth of 13 over a mile and a quarter. Based on breeding, this step up to a mile and a half could bring about some improvement and with Billy Loughnane taking lbs off her back she is fully 20lbs lower than for her handicap debut as recently as June.
*Navan races have been cancelled due to frozen track conditions*
Paul Jacobs’ Racing Tips Today
12.39 Wolverhampton – Eurythmical
13.30 Navan – Portstorm
15.09 Wolverhampton – Thin Blue Line
15.39 Wolverhampton – Corsini
*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.
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