Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Racing Tips
1.30 Southwell – Steps In The Sand
2.35 Fairyhouse – Look To The West
3.05 Plumpton – Defi Nonantais
4.55 Fairyhouse – Zanahiyr
*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.
1.30 Southwell – Steps In The Sand
I thought that Very Classy and Loom Large were both very interesting tackling this trip for the first time and Destinado is also on my short list coming into this class six event in prime form at the moment. But the one that really caught my eye was the mare Steps In The Sand who looked desperately unlucky last time out, coming from off a slack pace and finishing with plenty left in the tank when a closing two lengths fifth of 14 behind Defence Treaty over the course and distance just five days ago.
One win from 26 starts under rules hardly bodes well even in this lowly contest, but the bay has been desperately unlucky on a few occasions to date. It could just be that she always finds trouble in the run, but down to a lowly handicap mark of just 50 and very lightly raced in the last eight months this looks a solid opening especially as there looks to be plenty of pace up top to bring her guaranteed stamina into play when that asset is questionable among a few of the market leaders here.
2.35 Fairyhouse – Look To The West
Much has been made about the slack pace in the Mares Novice Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, but no apportion of constructive criticism has been directed at both Townsend and Kennedy for their rides on the market leaders. The latter in particular knew he was essentially on a strong staying mare yet let the contest roll along into a two and a half furlong sprint. And by the way how far would Dysert Enos have won that with her more natural speed? Jade du Grugy is the obvious place to start here, but I was alarmed by her hanging away to the far side of the track that day and in any case she looks short enough in the betting here and I am happy to let her win at that price and instead have an each-way interest on the Henry De Bromhead second string Look To The West at a huge price.
Theatre Native will be their number one and with the first time hood she could very well take a huge step forward, but her stable mate is a play on ground and trip which will suit. She landed her Navan maiden in bottomless ground in great fashion and then found Jade some six and three quarter lengths too good in the Solerina Mares here last time out. However, she was merely a sitting duck up top on that occasion setting moderate fractions and in this bigger field getting a tow into the race she could well be a different proposition at a huge price.
3.05 Plumpton – Defi Nonantais
I thought that this novices handicap hurdle was by far the most fascinating betting heat of the day with the likes of the exposed All Authorized, Tregale (surely better than when a beaten favourite last time out at Huntingdon) and more lightly raced Impact du Bonheur all in the mix to some degree. But this column is all about value, as subjective as it is, and Joe Tizzard’s charge Defi Nonantais could fit the bill in that respect.
A maiden after four starts over hurdles during which time he has been mildly progressive and shown he has stamina to burn, as he showed in his sole point to point run at Necarne, he could have his day in the sun here. It could be that two and a half miles around here may still be an insufficient test of stamina and maybe connections are lining him up for a wee bet over three miles at the back end of the season, but on my private ratings the son of Waltzertakt could be nicely treated off a rating of just 99. Furthermore, the tweak to his wind along with the first time cheek pieces makes him hugely interesting in a fairly competitive event of its type.
4.55 Fairyhouse – Zanahiyr
The key to the chance of likely favourite Blood Destiny is settling into a rhythm off the pace or at best as a presser. He didn’t do that behind Spillane’s Tower two outings back and paid for over racing in the closing stages, but did drop the bit a lot better last time out in the Flyingbolt Chase at Navan and to the tune of an eight and a half lengths turnaround!
But surely the huge value play here has to be the Gordon Elliott charge Zanahiyr who didn’t get a mention in the aftermath of the Turner Novices Chase at the Cheltenham Festival after all eyes were on the first two battling it out up the hill that day in a spectacular finish. That was a clear career best over fences for the fourth home who jumped really nicely and apart from nipping through the top of the 11th and 13th obstacles which probably cost him a place in the frame. We know that this classy chestnut still retains his high class engine and I fancy that Ratoath track will suit him a whole more than Prestbury Park did.
Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Racing Tips
1.30 Southwell – Steps In The Sand
2.35 Fairyhouse – Look To The West
3.05 Plumpton – Defi Nonantais
4.55 Fairyhouse – Zanahiyr
*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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