Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Racing Tips
14.05 Beverley – Scoops Ahoy
14.25 Goodwood – Godwinson
15.00 Goodwood – Tacarib Bay
15.42 Naas – Sunday Sovereign
*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.
14.05 Beverley – Scoops Ahoy
With Cavalier Approach on the wrong side of a mark of 70 and top weight Rock of England surely a much better proposition on a sharper track, tends to pull his chance away early, a solid value selection is the David O’Meara trained charge Scoops Ahoy. He last won off a mark of 67 in May at Redcar and has been kept quite busy by his trainer since then, running on five occasions. He is 4lbs better off with Catch Cunningham for a six length beating earlier this month when he was all over the place coming out of the traps and didn’t get the best passage through the race before running on very late when the leading pair had gone beyond recall.
A slightly easier surface would certainly aid his challenge here, but on the plus side he has a lovely draw in eight for Ben Robinson to decided to go wherever he wants and get a lovely tow into the race, and he again looked a shade unlucky over the course and distance last time out when failing by half a length to catch Willolarupi after a ding dong battle through the last furlong.
Khabib looks sure to start favourite here, but has been found in the market place and although well treated is becoming very frustrating. His turn will come.
14.25 Goodwood – Godwinson
Golden Mile winner Toimy Son is a full 7lbs higher than when winning that ultra-competitive handicap very smoothly and there should be plenty more in the locker from him, but his best form has come on top of the ground, no surprise when you see his smooth action. The four-year-old’s Signcastle City and Magic Memories arrive here in good form, but both need peak performances in what amounts to a better race than they have been contesting so the vote goes to the William Haggas trained charge Godwinson.
Although not disgraced on his opening maiden run on fast ground, he has looked very much at home with a bit of juice and Saturday’s forecast thundery showers may help swing the ground his way before a dry Sunday. Described as a bit of a baby even at the start of his second season, the gelding was a well backed favourite to win the OCS Handicap at Newbury when to my eyes he was simply ridden too prominently and is much better off being held up. It is also worth remembering that this will only be his seventh career start and his form either side of that run entitles him to the utmost respect here with more improvement still in the locker.
15.00 Goodwood – Tacarib Bay
Just the eight will go to post for this valuable six furlong prize and many will be pinning their hopes on the red hot Sergeant Wilko winner of three of his last four starts going from a rating of 78 to 91 here. Any give in the ground won’t be a problem for this son of Bungle Inthejungle and it is just a question of whether he can take another step forward. Rum Runner has been very in and out this season, running a hollow race in the Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot (well backed) when 24th of the 25 runners, but then bouncing back when seventh of 25 in the Stewards Cup over this course and distance. A mark of 102 is very much within his range and any positive betting moves should be noted.
But of all the horses I have in my tracker and most definitely from the Richard Hannon yard, Tacarib Bay is the best handicapped in both lists.
His victory in the Listed Wentworth Stakes in November at Newcastle is still very much fresh in my mind as he picked up the front runners through the last quarter mile. You have to forgive him running five flat races since, but two of them were over the wrong trip and two more came with no pace in the race. With presser Amazonian Dream and the keen Mukaafah set to line up we will hopefully have a properly run race and any give in the turf would be a plus. I am also highly respectful of bottom weight Tiriac who has had a tremendous season for Jack Channon and may not be finished yet.
15.42 Naas – Sunday Sovereign
It would be easy to play in the feature Ballyogan Stakes earlier on the card, but I simply couldn’t find an edge there, but these low grade handicaps in Ireland I always find fascinating and several of these have leading chances if you are the forgiving type of punter which for me is the only way to be when dissecting a race. For example, She’s Smart may only be one from 15 in her career, but she has still shown a deal of promise in her last three outings to be a player here off a mere 2lbs higher mark. Course and distance winner Iva Batt and the lightly raced Woohoo (much improved run last time out at Cork) also have interesting each-way claims, but not more so than the much more exposed selection Sunday Sovereign.
Five wins from 35 starts on the turf with five places is a fair return from this bay gelding with his last win coming off a rating of 69 when he led all the way. On his last two starts, he has been held up and running down the leaders late on to be beaten a length and three and a half lengths and now finds himself down to 62 with Chris Hayes booked. This time around expect him to be a lot more prominent on what is his easiest task since that last success.
Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Racing Tips
14.05 Beverley – Scoops Ahoy
14.25 Goodwood – Godwinson
15.00 Goodwood – Tacarib Bay
15.42 Naas – Sunday Sovereign
*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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