Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Racing Tips
14:15 York – Irish Nectar
15:40 Fontwell – The Height Of Fame
16:00 York – Pink Crystal
17:10 York – Bass Player
*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.
14:15 York – Irish Nectar
Three-year-old sprint handicaps are always a conundrum, and this event fits very snugly into that category. Mon Na Slieve interested me after some good runs this year, including a five-length fifth behind the classy Big Evs in the Listed Westow Stakes over the course and distance, the second time he has run well here. A recent wind operation should also help, and I think we haven’t got to the bottom of him yet.
But at the respective odds, I think that his stable mate, IRISH NECTAR, looks by far the better value, especially with Oisin Murphy booked. A winner of a soft ground nursery over the course and distance off 80 last year, he returned to close to that form last time out when staying on fourth at Carlisle after getting squeezed out. The bit of rain that is forecast would obviously be a big plus for this son of Invincible Spirit, and a rating of 82 looks very fair based on that run at the Cumbrian track.
15:40 Fontwell – The Height Of Fame
We tend to look at tactics more in flat races than over the sticks especially in small fields when perhaps the reverse should be so. This two and a half mile event looks a cracking example to look at the set up here with just the five set to go to post.
I fancy that we will see the normally free-rolling Hiconic out in front under Kielan Woods and with his slick jumping style, try and get away from his rivals down the hill for the final time before trying to last home against the grain from the home turn. However, I am not sure the form of his Uttoxeter success amounts to an awful lot though.
Sergeant looks sure to hunt him up under Sean Bowen, and is feared under bottom weight and with more to give off his current mark. But with Finest View probably in the handicapper’s pocket, I came down on the side of THE HEIGHT OF FAME as the value call.
She has shown that this trip holds no fears for her following her runaway Newton Abbot success. I thought she was unlucky not to overhaul Minella Double last time out at Worcester, fighting back on the run-in, and she will be the one finishing best of all as long as the pin-pointed front runner doesn’t stop this up front from halfway.
16:00 York – Pink Crystal
There is an absolute bundle of early pace on in this Listed event over six furlong with Quinault and Night Raider set to blast out of the traps and try and gallop their rivals into submission, and that could set this valuable contest up for a late closer.
I expect Korker to run well from off the pace, only his second career start over this trip on his 33rd outing, while Twilight Calls has more than enough talent to play a part if things fall his way, but he is very hard to catch on a going day. However, I fancy that PINK CRYSTAL could cause a minor shock here.
The William Haggas’ trained charge has run well at the track on all four starts, with her best effort being a one and three-quarter lengths fourth to the classy Swingalong in the Group Three Summer Stakes last year.
Matters haven’t really gone her way this year, with little pace in two of the three races she has contested, and in the third one, she was badly squeezed out at the start. As long as she can get into a nice early rhythm here I think that the daughter of Shamardal can play a part in the finish late on.
17:10 York – Bass Player
With 20 runners set to go to post for this amateur rider’s handicap over 10 furlongs, you can be sure that this will be a well-run event, and seeing out the trip will be of paramount importance.
Glistening Nights has been in fine form for Richard Fahey this year. He has only gone up 8lbs for his three wins this season and confirmed he was still in really good form when just touched off by Ludo’s Landing at Beverley at the back end of last month. Along with Carlisle winner Poet’s Dawn and Unplugged, he looks like an each-way play here, the latter a victim of his remarkable consistency in the past season and a half.
However, I am going to take a chance at a bigger price with the Kevin Frost-trained entry, BASS PLAYER.
Only one win from 21 outings in his career hardly lights up the punting juices. Still, after wind surgery, I made a note of the gelding after an eye-catching run at Newbury when the five-year-old ran on late behind Flatley over an extended ten furlongs, four lengths behind Unplugged but better off at the weights. His last run at Sandown Park came in a slightly better race, and I can partly excuse it, as there was absolutely no pace on that day, which will not be a problem here.
Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Racing Tips
14:15 York – Irish Nectar
15:40 Fontwell – The Height Of Fame
16:00 York – Pink Crystal
17:10 York – Bass Player
*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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