Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Racing Tips
13:50 Goodwood – Zikany (each-way)
15:35 Goodwood – Megalithic
15:55 Ffos Las – Go Dante
16:00 Naas – Vera Verto
*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.
13:50 Goodwood – Zikany ( each-way)
This two mile affair in what is bound to be quite holding ground has a nice betting shape to it and many of you will want to be on course and distance winner Mark of Gold despite his moderate run last time out. Gary and Josh Moore’s charge (one of four from the yard entered here) is only 4lbs above that mark and will absolutely relish this deep test.
Hurtle Wallop’s last run at Haydock Park was simply too bad to be true following a promising effort here over two furlongs shorter and he may be worth another chance. However, I just wonder if the value call is local trainer, Amanda Perrett’s charge Zikany.
Winner of this race two years ago off 72, he subsequently ran second off 75 in a class four at Newmarket before being on the sidelines for a massive 666 days. However, both of his comeback runs here and at Salisbury were promising and were probably needed and he will come here set for a peak performance. Back down to a rating of 67 is a huge plus and each-way play is advised in a wide open renewal.
15:35 Goodwood – Megalithic
Sometimes it is hard to work out how these young horses will act on ground this tacky, on such a difficult track to handle as Goodwood and, at this stage of the season, if one or more will take a big step forward for both the trip and the fact that they are strengthening up.
I am quite keen though on this top weight Megalithic as I was very impressed by his first career run at Salisbury on quite slow ground when running the 88-rated Pont Neuf to a couple of lengths. Since then he has run a cracker at Epsom and then fast ground on his third start and not being able to handle Chester on his fourth have seen his mark dropped to 79 here.
We know that the son of Wootton Basset goes well fresh and I shall be bitterly disappointed if he doesn’t make his mark at this level back on a more forgiving surface.
15:55 Ffos Las – Go Dante
With five of the 10 runners rated in the mid-130’s this is a fair renewal of the Welsh Champion Hurdle and with plenty of pace to the race as well we should get a good test on the prevailing deep ground. I initially thought that the light weight of Black Hawk Eagle would be a big advantage and he was supremely impressive last back end when reeling off a double, literally on the bridle when winning the second of those starts at Hereford.
Upped considerably in class for the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso, Kerry Lee’s charge could never get into the contest after racing in rear and could well be worth a saver here despite not being dropped by the assessor. I will be watching to see if he is well supported in the market place before thinking of a saver.
However, I think that the Betfair Hurdle third and subsequent winner at Sandown Park of the Imperial Cup, Go Dante, off 129 looks the call. Sean Bowen takes over from conditional Dylan Johnston after he finished with plenty of running left in the tank when a never nearer fifth of none to El Jefe at the Aintree Festival.
And you can significantly upgrade that run as he was reluctant to race and was fully 12 lengths off the field early on. This ground will certainly hold no fears for him and it is worth remembering that he is very lightly raced for an eight-year-old with only 12 timber topping outings under his belt and this extra yardage may bring about even more improvement.
16:00 Naas – Vera Verto
Had there been more rain in the air then our old friend Falcon Eight would have been a confident selection to give the weight away all round to his younger rival, but I fear even with the uphill finish a few of his younger rivals will be quicker than him. Chemistry obviously has plenty of room to improve now that he is finally stepped up to a proper staying trip and Wayne Lordan has been riding out of his skin of late with Ryan Moore away from home base.
But he has not surprisingly been found in the market place and it is the bay mare Vera Verto that makes the best ‘value’ sense in this big field and valuable staying event. I really didn’t think that Adam Farragher made the most of her guaranteed stamina when she was fully nine lengths off Spirit Mixer at Chester last time out, she is way better than that.
Two pounds lower off a mark of 87 here (last win off 90), she is also probably better served by this better ground and regular rider Gary Carroll is back on board.
Of her many rivals, apart from the old boy, Comfort Zone could go well after running an absolute blinder in the Irish Cesarewitch last month, while I couldn’t put anyone off Aidan’s other runner, Portland, especially as the impressive Jack Cleary will be taking 7lbs off his back.
Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Racing Tips
13:50 Goodwood – Zikany (each-way)
15:35 Goodwood – Megalithic
15:55 Ffos Las – Go Dante
16:00 Naas – Vera Verto
*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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