Paul Jacobs’ Friday ITV Racing tips
13:05 Chepstow – Can You Call (each-way)
13:20 Kempton – Larchmont Lass
13:40 Chepstow – Melon
13:55 Kempton – Sir Gino
14:10 Chepstow – Tune In a Box
14:30 Kempton – Soul Icon (each-way)
14:50 Chepstow – Stuzzikini
15:08 Kempton – Bass Rock (each-way)
*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.
13:05 Chepstow – Can You Call (each-way)
There are plenty of question marks about this bunch. Le Milos is better over further, does Paint The Dream retain all of his old ability and has the handicapper got Nocte Volatus in his back pocket now? That leads me in the direction of the bottom weight Can You Call who has needed both of his first two starts this campaign and should be ready for his peak performance on this more testing ground. A double figure price would suffice for me as an each-way play.
13:20 Kempton – Larchmont Lass
Pawpuri is interesting on her first start over three miles after looking badly in need of the run on her seasonal debut behind the smart Kateira in a Listed race here last month. However, this trip on good ground around here could also benefit the selection Larchmont Lass who floundered in the hock deep stuff at Sandown Park last time out and will be much better suited to this flatter terrain. The question with West Balboa (once thought of a potential Paddy Power Stayers Hurdle contender) is, does she still retain all of her old ability?
13:40 Chepstow – Melon
Rated only 65 on the flat, Melon is a different beast over hurdles and I loved the way he went through the race at Doncaster. That still leaves him about 9lbs behind the best of these on my private ratings, but it is early days for most of these juveniles and he gets the vote over the form horse in Nietzsche Has who was placed at Grade One level in France last time out.
Hot Fuss and Static were both put firmly in their places by East India Dock at Wincanton and Cheltenham respectively, but the former jumped with great fluency to land an Introductory hurdle at Sandown. I suspect the latter will go out up top and try and make this a stiff test of stamina down the long home stretch.
13:55 Kempton – Sir Gino
The two outsiders in this fascinating renewal of the Wayward Lad are all pressers and that should set this up for the two market leaders. Ballyburn will have to give 6lbs away to Sir Gino, a weight differential which brings them mighty close together on their novice hurdle form with the edge on experience over fences going to the Irish raider.
But to my eyes Nicky Henderson’s entry looked an improved physical specimen when hosing up in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and has reportedly schooled quite brilliantly. He may have the toe to outpoint his rival down the home stretch.
14:10 Chepstow – Tune In a Box
Madaket won his opening race here last season off 102 when powering home from off the pace and made a pleasing comeback when third off 118 at Newbury behind Hermino AA where he had Woodie Flash just ahead of him and there should be little between the pair at the weights.
Both may need to take another step forward here to see off Tom Lacey’s charge Tune In a Box who will relish this step back up to three miles following a fair run in a Cheltenham handicap over 2m5f on the back of his much needed run in the Silver Trophy on his seasonal debut. A mark of 124 possibly requires a career best but that last outing should have brought him to his peak.
14:30 Kempton – Soul Icon (each-way)
I thought that Edwardstone was still travelling nicely when coming down at the fourth last in the Tingle Creek, but last year’s winner Editeur Du Gite looks a shadow of the horse that readily saw off Nube Negra off 156 12 months ago and even though he is 6lbs lower this time around this looks a deeper renewal. Matador started his winning run off 124 and now sits on 151, fully 16lbs higher than winning at Ascot last time out.
Boothill missed a recent engagement because of the deep ground so the each-way nod goes to Keiran Burke’s charge Soul Icon each-way. Testing ground was no good to him in the Henry VIII last time out, but this could be his optimum set-up off a light weight.
14:50 Chepstow – Stuzzikini
As always the key factor for the Welsh National will be the ground and with little or no rain in the past four days, this going is likely to be on the sticky side which could make this an even stiffer test than normal. Unbeaten in three starts here, Monbeg Genius ran a race full of promise behind Fontaine Collonges at Haydock and an 8lbs pull in the weights brings them closer together.
However, both have been found in the market place and preference is for last year’s second Iron Bridge and the selection Stuzzikini. The former had the perfect warm-up for this with a staying on third behind Val Dancer at Carlisle and is 5lbs better off for a four length beating.
Gordon Elliott’s charge looks a natural for this step up in trip after staying on powerfully to land the Troytown and may defy a stiff uplift in the weights. Galia Des Liteaux has been knocking on the door for one of these big staying prizes, not seeing it out at Aintree and then finding the ground too quick at Newbury. A mark of 142 is about right and this is a much better set up for her.
15:08 Kempton – Bass Rock (each-way)
Now that he is proven over three miles Frero Banbou could make another step forward but he will have to see off a 12lbs higher rating. That could give the edge to my selection Bass Rock (each-way) now that he has had a change of scenery and has moved from Sandy Thomson to Georgina Nicholls.
Rated as high as 140 last year, he has plummeted in the weights down to 122 and showed last time out at Ludlow that his turn is just around the corner. Granted a clear round of jumping the eight-year-old gets the nod over Golden Sun (had a second wind op) and the Venetia Williams’ trained charge.
Paul Jacobs’ Friday ITV Racing tips
13:05 Chepstow – Can You Call (each-way)
13:20 Kempton – Larchmont Lass
13:40 Chepstow – Melon
13:55 Kempton – Sir Gino
14:10 Chepstow – Tune In a Box
14:30 Kempton – Soul Icon (each-way)
14:50 Chepstow – Stuzzikini
15:08 Kempton – Bass Rock (each-way)
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at the time of publishing but subject to change.
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