Horse Racing tips: Paul Jacobs’ 10 to follow for the Flat season

It's a UK Classic weekend at Newmarket and five-time Racing Post naps table winner Paul Jacobs has 10 to follow this season.

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* Odds quoted on the widget are Future Racing / Antepost prices which means that if your selection does not run in the race for whatever reason – you will lose your stake under traditional Antepost rules

ANCIENT RULES (Charlie Appleby)

It’s hard to pick out one three-year-old from the Godolphin set up such is their strength in depth from their various yards, but this once raced son of Lope de Vega impressed me on his sole outing at two when a strong finishing second to stable mate Military Order at Newmarket last back end. Outpaced and running green two furlongs out, he finally got the message 200 yards out and was bearing down on his stable mate inside the final 75 yards and would have won in another 50. A mile and a half will be well within his compass this year and he is an exciting prospect who holds an Epsom Derby entry.

COURAGE MON AMI (John & Thady Gosden)

There have been many examples of top class horses cutting their teeth on the all-weather before taking up higher order races on the turf and this son of the great Frankel could well fit the bill from a yard that has taken this route with several of their recent stable stars.

Travelling very strongly on his debut over 7f at Kempton, when set alight Courage Mon Ami surged clear for a five length success. Then under a 7lbs penalty he pulverised three rivals over an extended mile and a half at Newcastle. On both occasions he showed a good turn of foot to put those races to bed very quickly and then galloped right through the winning line very strongly.

Judged on his breeding and his style of racing, two miles in time could well be his preserve and in time I fancy we could well be seeing the making of a Cup horse, for which he holds an entry at Royal Ascot. That may well appear a long way off and a forecast of fancy, but in a category that has little strength in depth, his time may well come before many expect it to.

GLAM DE VEGA (Roger Varian)

Nicely progressive as a juvenile, and yet another son of Lope de Vega on this list, he wrapped up a four race two-year-old campaign with a clear cut win off a mark of 83 at Hamilton over nine furlongs. The second has returned this season and finished second off 99 in a class two handicap, so the form looks rock solid. Varian had earmarked him to run in the City and Suburban Handicap at Epsom last month, but that meeting was hit by heavy rain so he was taken out. The Newmarket maestro not surprisingly considers him very well treated and 10/12 furlongs will be well within his compass and a nice handicap should be his for the taking in the first half of the season.

INFINITE COSMOS (Sir Michael Stoute)

Regally bred being by See the Stars out of a Notnowcato mare (Waila, winner of the Listed Aphrodite Stakes and placed at G3 level at 12f), this athletic looking filly ran a fine second on her debut at Doncaster where greenness ultimately cost her a winning start behind Sea Of Roses. Her conqueror subsequently ran a fine second in a G3 in France. Her comeback run at Sandown was scuppered when the meeting was abandoned, but reports of her at home have been glowing and connections are desperate to get a run into her before possibly sending her to the Epsom Oaks. She holds an entry at Newmarket on Friday 4.45pm.

LETHAL LEVI (Karl Burke)

I loved the way that this smart spring handicapper went about his business last year. Even for a speedster he had a busy campaign racing 10 times, winning on four occasions from marks ranging from 78 through to 92. He was probably slightly over the top when sixth of 17 on his final start in a heritage handicap at York, but was only beaten under three lengths by Summerghand. All ground comes alike to this son of Lethal Force and he’s entered on Newmarket on Saturday 2.50pm and I suspect something like the Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot could be a reasonable early season aim.

    LOSE YOU WAD (Charlie Hills)

    Coincidentally he ran in the same race as Ancient Rules on his debut, keeping on nicely in the closing stages finishing 4th of 11 beaten a shade over four lengths, despite being very green and free through the first quarter mile or so. He has already made his 3yo debut, winning a 7f novice at Kempton Park and the runner-up, Royal Cape, has cemented that form nicely by landing a Windsor novice by 10 lengths. His lines are mixed as far as distance are concerned, but there is no reason he couldn’t stay a mile and a quarter in time if settling better. He also holds a King Edward VII entry over 1m 4f at Royal Ascot.

    MONTASSIB (William Haggas)

    Promised plenty as a four-year-old, but a big handicap prize eluded him last season, won a minor race off 87 and then placed off a 10lbs higher mark. He returned for the Lincoln but a combination of horrible ground and a slow start saw him finish 19th of the 22 runners. He left that well behind on a fast surface at Haydock last month when returned to 7f and heavily punted when held up miles off a hot pace, but to my eyes not given the best of rides by Cieren Fallon. He was continually switched but finished like a rocket to be beaten two lengths into fourth spot. I suspect either the Buckingham Palace or Hunt Cup (on quick ground) will be his short terms aims and he should be backed where ever he appears next under suitable conditions.

    ONSLOW GARDENS (Richard Hannon)

    Here is a second season four-year-old to go to war with when he races on a sound surface, he only floundered on the third of his three starts last year when unable to handle the soft ground at Haydock Park. The form of his two other runs, in maidens at Ascot and Newmarket, have been well and truly elevated with winners all over the place including at Listed level. Hannon has had him gelded since last year and he looks a fascinating player up to a mile in the better handicaps.

    TAJ NEOM (Karl Burke)

    I was at Pontefract the day that this son of El Kabeir made his debut. He totally missed the kick and was always on the back foot going uphill down the side of the M62 track. When asked to take closer order two and a half furlongs out he was absolutely clueless throwing his head up and swerving all over the place.

    He rocketed home to be beaten by a closing three parts of a length and granted another 50 yards or so Karl Burke’s charge would almost certainly have made a winning debut. The form of that race was well and truly franked when his conqueror, Harry’s Halo, readily landed a class four Doncaster handicap of 71. Of course that is only moderate form, but he has the pedigree to train on as a three-year-old and should stay at least seven furlongs.

    ZOOLOGY (James Ferguson)

    A novice winner at Yarmouth on his career debut, James Ferguson was suitably impressed to ramp him up in class for the Group One Middle Park Stakes, but his inexperience cost him dearly as he was unruly in the stalls and missed the break. Thereafter he had no chance of playing a part in the finish and Oisin Murphy looked after him. He returned with a smooth success on his three-year-old debut in a novice at Southwell and then ran in the Greenham at Newbury.

    But after travelling kindly for five furlongs he simply couldn’t handle the sticky ground that day (was withdrawn from a soft ground maiden as a juvenile). Back on a sound surface this well regarded son of Grade One winning Australian sire Zoustar can still make his mark at Group level and holds an entry in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. Failing that, a drop to six furlongs could well be the making of him such is his high-cruising speed.

    * 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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