Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Racing Tips
12:30 Sandown – Act Of Authority
13:15 Ffos Las – Puddlesinthepark (each-way)
13:50 Ffos Las – Farland
15:25 Sandown – Certainly Red
*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.
12:30 Sandown – Act Of Authority
There is a distinct lack of giant fields in operation this afternoon, mainly in the big races of the day here at Sandown Park and at Naas, so the lower end of the class scale makes for much better possible value plays. This conditional jockeys handicap hurdle looks very competitive for its class three level (horses rated up to 130), and some quality handicappers are set to line up here. I am interested in seeing how Falco Des Pins goes in the marketplace beforehand, as we know the Venetia Williams’ yard typically has purple patches during the year.
Her horses seem in good form, including winning a nice prize at Ascot last Saturday. But the call has to be the ACT OF AUTHORITY. Next to his name, you will merely see a ‘9’ on his seasonal debut, but it simply doesn’t tell the whole story. That run was in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow, and the six-year-old travelled with great purpose under Sean Bowen before lack of condition told between the final two flights, and his esteemed jockey accepted the situation quickly. That run came off 128, and with Lewis Saunders claiming a big chunk off here, he is now fully 10lbs lower. Add to the argument that he ran well here last year in the big novice hurdle final in spring, and he looks rock solid enough to run another big race with that starter under his belt.
Of his rivals, I have the most regard for Vincenzo, who will relish the return to good ground and is even more unexposed than the selection, having run a cracking third in the Persian War Hurdle last time. This lightly raced individual has more in the locker than from Don’t Tell Su. The last name has a cracking record when fresh, and any positive price movements should be heeded.
13:15 Ffos Las – Puddlesinthepark (each-way)
This is probably the first and last time this winter you will see the words good to soft on a card at the West Wales track as the winter months set in. Village Master makes the marketplace here, having won his last five, starting from a rating of 78 and is now set to run off 112, with the booking of Harry Cobden an obvious plus. The top weight has undergone a wind operation since that last run in June, which could bring further improvement, but indeed, the percentage call is to oppose him, and several rivals have solid each-way claims.
Impatient is better than he has shown, but will he fulfil that potential? Phantom Getaway was a fair novice hurdler, so Kim Bailey has kept him in training after some problems. Seeing the yard in good form and any money for the seven-year-old is interesting. But in the end, I have come down on the side of PUDDLESINTHEPARK.
Probably the strongest stayer in the line-up, the bay gelding looked severely in need of his comeback run at Fontwell Park in September and duly stepped up when making eye-catching late headway down the long stretch at Chepstow without really being out into the race by his young and inexperienced jockey, and this should be his peak run now. Stable rider Adam Wedge takes over here and having been dropped from a mark of 97 to 91, he looks a solid each-way play in a race with a lot of dead wood.
13:50 Ffos Las – Farland
Value is most certainly in the eye of the beholder and you have to consider a previous run to note if a horse would have been a specific price had they run better in ideal circumstances. That kind of slow run race set up over two miles was exactly what Farland did not want at Chepstow last time when the field went a snail’s pace, and FARLAND pulled and hung all over the shop! Even in a fast run race, two miles may have been too sharp, but this is his chance to step up in a big field over an extra half mile and blow away the cobwebs with that experience behind him.
We do know that he has a high cruising speed and a big motor and is held in high regard by Nicholls. I hope his price will hold up because of that disappointing first run and the fact that some exciting rivals are set to line up against him, the pick of which is likely to be Jacours. A lovely and athletic-looking son of Gris de Gris, Aintree, Taunton and Worcester would all have been too sharp for him, and this more galloping track over an extra four furlongs makes him an interesting contender. Like the selection, he is held in high regard, and with the stable on fire, he looks sure to contend here.
15:25 Sandown – Certainly Red
Yes, just the four set to go to post for this veterans’ chase, but three of the four ran against each other last time out at Chepstow when the rejuvenated Copperhead beat Certainly Red by three and a quarter lengths with Good Boy Bobby a further four and a half lengths away in third. However, the weights have taken a massive turn here, with CERTAINLY RED now being 11lbs better off with the winner and only 2lbs worse off with the third.
This track suits Lydia Richards’ charge best of all, a view cemented by his brilliant run in the Bet365 Gold Cup earlier in the year when he still had every chance at the last before finishing a three and a half lengths fourth of 20 behind Minella Crooner. At his best, Copperhead won the Reynoldstown Chase at Ascot as a novice chaser and was rated 145, and talk was he was a grade one horse of the future. But then he went off the rails after falling at the last in the SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Wins off 111, 114 and 119 have jacked up his mark to 130, less Freddie Gingell’s 3lbs claim, but he will need another significant step forward here to make it a four-timer.
Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Racing Tips
12:30 Sandown – Act Of Authority
13:15 Ffos Las – Puddlesinthepark (each-way)
13:50 Ffos Las – Farland
15:25 Sandown – Certainly Red
*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.
Read More
- Get all the latest Horse Racing News and Racing Tips at Paddy Power News
- Horse Racing Tips:10 to follow for the 2024/25 Jumps season with Paul Jacobs
- Horse Racing calendar: Key Flat fixtures and races for 2024
THE PADDY POWER GUIDE TO SAFER GAMBLING – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
