Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Racing Tips
13:42 Naas – Helvic Dream
15:00 Warwick – Petty Cash
15:20 Kelso – Imperial Merlin
16:30 Kelso – Step Above
*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.
13:42 Naas – Helvic Dream
This looks like a pretty good renewal of the Grade Three Kingsfurze Novice Hurdle, and the make-up of this race looks all-important, with several of these last-time-out winners set to be at the sharp end from the get-go. Mirazur West set off at a good gallop when making all at Fairyhouse, but he was entitled to win in that fashion as his main market rival suffered a fatal injury and he beat a load of slow horses that afternoon. He has always been well-regarded at home, but his price will be shorter than it should be due to connections and stable mate Fun Fun Fun, Undeniable Alibi, and Mahon’s Way have achieved just as much. However, the Noel Meade charge Helvic Dream looks the unexposed sort in the line-up and would benefit most from an end-to-end gallop. He travelled beautifully through his contest when landing a Navan maiden last time out after running the smart King of Kingsfield to 12 lengths at Leopardstown, and previously not disgraced behind Firefox.
15:00 Warwick – Petty Cash
A competitive handicap hurdle for those rated up to a mark of 110, and despite being a beaten favourite and pulled up last time out, Big Blue Moon is just about top of my private ratings, and it will be interesting to see which way he goes in the betting. Bobalot did too much too soon last time out and is becoming difficult to restrain early on, which means that the logical double-figure priced play has to be Henry Daly’s charge Petty Cash from a yard in really good form at the moment. Although returning to the track for the first time in 359 days, this strong staying gelding is very nicely treated on bits and pieces of hurdles form after failing to make a mark in two outings over fences, falling on each occasion. A winner off 107 and then placed off 114, the son of Getaway now gets a chance to run off 105 here with the talented Alice Stevens set to reduce the burden by 5lbs.
15:20 Kelso – Imperial Merlin
Back down to a mark of 109, Guernesey is a possibly big player here, especially if Jamie Hamilton doesn’t ride him as far forward as he has done at both Catterick and Newcastle. But the nod goes to the Brian Hughes’ mount Imperial Merlin, who has a lot more improvement in him than the majority of his rivals following a desperately unlucky run last time out over the course and distance. Indeed, the son of Kalanisi wasn’t fluent over a few of his obstacles, but he jumped better as the race went on and, to my eyes, would have beaten Special Rate had he not got the last all wrong. Hopefully, he will have learnt from that mistake, and he has a chance of running off a mark some 2 lbs lower here. Cadell is preferred to the top weight, Barbados Buck’s, of the remainder.
16:30 Kelso – Step Above
Course and distance winner Eloi Du Puy has been in grand form this season and has formed a cracking partnership with young Bruce Lynn. However, he will probably need a career-best performance to land the gold medal again, having gone up from an initial winning mark of 91 to 106. He should still run well, as should Harper Valley, winner of three of his last five and still looking ahead of the handicapper at Catterick last time out. With a fast run race almost assured here, his hold-up style of play should be suited to this race and, indeed, the track with its long run home from the bend. I fancy that Rebecca Menzies’ trained runner is the likely, biggest danger to our ‘value play’ selection Step Above. Zero wins from three starts over fences, he looked slightly reluctant on his last start at Haydock Park. The return to hurdling looks a good idea, especially back over this intermediate trip as three miles has looked beyond him of late. Any give-in-the-ground is also a plus, but I get the feeling he doesn’t want it bottomless, as he finds it hard to jump out of such a testing surface.
Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Racing Tips
13:42 Naas – Helvic Dream
15:00 Warwick – Petty Cash
15:20 Kelso – Imperial Merlin
16:30 Kelso – Step Above
*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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