Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Racing Tips
15:00 Exeter – Mister Barclay
15:43 Bath – Badlomero
16:53 Bath – Chantico
17:12 Leopardstown – Sixpack
*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.
15:00 Exeter – Mister Barclay
This low grade staying handicap hurdle is going to be a real slog around the stiff West Country track and only the tough need apply. That view is cemented further when you consider there are five entries that like to race at the sharp end of the field. Rivers Corner has been in grand form and it was a combination of a rise in the weights and running way too keenly that cost him completing the hat-trick.
Top weight Behind The Curtain bounced back to form out of nowhere at Wincanton, but that was a relatively weak race that fell apart around him and I much prefer the claims of the 10-race maiden MISTER BARCLAY.
The main thing that has stopped the bay gelding winning has been his jumping as he is sloppy at best and it was the same again on his first start over three miles at Wetherby when he could also have done with a stronger gallop. That shouldn’t be a problem here and I’m hoping that an end to end gallop will help his hurdling and bring his undoubted stamina into play. The other advantage in this ground around here is that he has a nice racing weight compared to those at the head of the handicap.
15:43 Bath – Badlomero
With top rated entries running off 107, 105 and 104, this looks a cracking class two handicap over five furlongs where the draw is going to play a huge part with the likelihood of the majority of the field coming near side. I love that there is also plenty of pace in the race as well so the ability to stay an extra 220 yards will be beneficial, especially over this very-stiff track. Democracy Dilemma is about 8lbs higher than last year and was disappointing at Jebel and Meydan, but this dig in the turf is no problem for him and he could easily resume his progress.
I can see several of these being taken out because of the going, but the one I really like is Mick Appleby’s charge BADLOMERO who has been given a real chance by the assessor, placed several times off 90 and set to run off 84 with the promising Frederick Larson on board. He raced at up to a mile recently, mainly at six and seven furlongs, and that staying guarantee counts for plenty here. Of those at the top of the weights I have plenty of respect for course and distance winner Rumstar who was last seen hunting the leading runners in the Group Three Bengough Stakes at Ascot.
16:53 Bath – Chantico
I backed Expressionless in the Spring Mile Handicap at Doncaster and I think he raced too freely in the opening exchanges which gave him little chance of getting home. It certainly wasn’t the ground that failed him as he won back to back races on a soft surface last year at Nottingham and Epsom and he is now back down to his last winning mark of 74, although I have a slight question mark as regards the trip.
Regardless of that, he looks a player here along with Big Bear Hug, a real mudlark who made really good strides last year. He ran in a lower class race at Doncaster at the opening turf meeting behind Destinado and needs to step up on that second when he just backed out inside the final 75 yards or so, but has fitness on his side now.
But even though he has yet to race on ground this slow in an 11 race career, we have yet to see the best of Adrian Keatley’s runner CHANTICO. He has plenty of stamina on both sides of his breeding, by Kingman out of a Dubai mare, so it’s interesting this is the first time he has attempted this trip since being tailed off in a better race at Newbury last season. However, this is easier and he is a massive 13lbs lower.
17:12 Leopardstown – Sixpack
One of those low-grade Irish handicaps I love to get my teeth into, and if go back far enough in the form of over half of this field, you can shape a really good case for several of these. My eyes were first drawn towards See Me Through, who was an eye catcher at the Curragh, when coming from a long way back to finish fourth of 23, beaten two and a half lengths having been 15 lengths off the pace just before the home turn.
He may well be worth a saver if taking another step forward running off the same mark of 68. But the nod just goes to the top weight SIXPACK who is very lightly raced for a horse of his age having visited the race track just the five times.
JP Murtagh finally got some action into him in the first half of 2023 with a career best effort last time out at Gowran Park when he dropped back to nine and a half furlongs. Ultimately he was beaten by a moderate pace and settled out the back as he was never going to get to those up top once the pace quickened. I trust his esteemed trainer will have him ready after a break of 294 days.
Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Racing Tips
15:00 Exeter – Mister Barclay
15:43 Bath – Badlomero
16:53 Bath – Chantico
17:12 Leopardstown – Sixpack
*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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