Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Racing Tips
13:00 Lingfield – Daaris
14:00 Lingfield – Ravensbourne
14:13 Fakenham – Lyrical Genius
15:30 Lingfield – Raqraaq
*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.
13:00 Lingfield – Daaris
With the small fields at Fakenham, ‘value plays’ are in short supply, so Lingfield is my main port of call. Comparatively speaking, Kevin Frost’s charge DAARIS, although at the head of the market, looks a wee bit of value in a race with absolutely no strength in depth whatsoever, as long as he retains his current level of form.
The chestnut gelding ran well at each of the all-weather venues, and finally got off the mark at Wolverhampton, two outings back, when readily seeing off Swinging London and company by a length and a half and in smooth fashion to boot. I was impressed by the ride, given to the selection by young Andrea Pinna, always having his partner in the right place at the right time and hitting the front in the final half furlong. His follow up ride, when upped to 2m at the Colwick Park track, was equally as good and the partnership were a bit unlucky not to cut down Son Of Red from what was a slightly-less exacting gallop. That factor may have been the difference between victory and defeat, and off a 1lb higher mark, he looks the call to make it back to the winner’s enclosure at the main expense of first-time visored Devizes.
14:00 Lingfield – Ravensbourne
This is a poor race even for a class six level, and the biggest factor in the 12-rider field, is there’s a bundle of early pacers here which means the set-up could suit a closer.
Top weight Voodoo Ray is obviously well handicapped, but just when you think everything is in his favour, he always seems to disappoint. He has five wins from 21 starts on turf (last off a mark of 57), but is zero for six on the sand and looked awkward here last time out. Should he come in for some support, in such a moderate contest, that should be heeded.
However, RAVENSBOURNE, although 0-13 in his career to date, has hit the post on a number of occasions and has a lovely sit in box No.4. By coincidence, young Pinna partners him and as long as he doesn’t sacrifice his good box position, it’s hard to see him not playing a major part in the finish of this lowly 0-55. At an even bigger price, Barnsnape Boy could be interesting, following a break and a recent wind operation, as he remains less exposed than the majority of the field being a lightly raced three-year-old.
14:13 Fakenham – Lyrical Genius
Three miles and five furlongs takes some getting at any national hunt venue, but at the Norfolk track it’s a whole different ball game. That is because runners and jockeys can go a step too quick around the square shaped and sharp tracks and have nothing left in the final third of a circuit which is against the collar. That’s why we see so many staying chases here change completely in comparison to the home turn.
Top weight Gold Clermont won the race 12 months ago off a 1lb lower mark, but on much softer ground, and by contrast this looks an easier renewal – so he cannot be left out of calculations even under a welter burden and Philip Armson has struck up a good relationship with the eight-year-old.
Sublime Heights is finally becoming well weighted again, off 108 and although he is a far from straightforward ride this specialist sharp track could suit him, as Plumpton does. Both of the above have solid claims, but the nod goes to the Sarah Humphrey charge LYRICAL GENIUS who by and large has raced in better contests than this in the past 12 months. He was rated as high as 115 last year including a career best effort second of seven to Fenland Tiger at Carlisle.
His comeback run at Huntingdon earlier this month can be safely ignored, as the son of Milan nearly always jumps left handed. However, he was still only beaten three lengths that day, and should relish going left handed again, and arrives here as a fresh horse.
15:30 Lingfield – Raqraaq
A mere 3lbs penalty for winning easing up at Kempton Park last week makes top weight Swatch a huge player in a race which looks very winnable. But, I think I may well save my stake for RAQAAQ over Tom Queally’s mount.
A winner once on the all-weather and placed on three further occasions, his form figures at this track read at 41, much better than other sand venues up and down the country. Soft ground was no use to the son of War Front three outings back at Bath, and then too much use was made of him at Kempton over a mile, on his return to an artificial surface. Although only eighth of 14 at the Sunbury-On-Thames venue last time, returned to seven furlongs, he was only beaten by three and a half lengths and as a consequence his handicap mark has reached a new low – and for the very first time dipped under 60 by 2lbs. Stall seven is perfect for Tyler Heard, to get him buried in the pack, and I shall be disappointed if he doesn’t outrun his big price against the likes of the top weight and the frustrating H Key Lails.
Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Racing Tips
13:00 Lingfield – Daaris
14:00 Lingfield – Ravensbourne
14:13 Fakenham – Lyrical Genius
15:30 Lingfield – Raqraaq
*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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