Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Horse Racing tips
12.40 Southwell – Gincident
12.53 Kelso – Fingals Hill
13.55 Leopardstown – Sequestered
15.05 Leopardstown – Comfort Zone
*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.
12.40 Southwell – Gincident
A cracking class four event over a mile, there are several really nicely handicapped entries in this field of 10 and there have been signs from a few of them that there turn is around the corner following some promise last time out. A winner off 80 around about this time last year on the turf, Repertoire is interesting, while Siam Fox definitely caught the eye when coming from some way back to finish a never nearer fifth behind Feel The Need over the course and distance last time out and is worth keeping an eye on in the market place.
But it is the Richard Fahey-charge Gincident that looks the value call here. His last three runs here have resulted in form figures of 525. The last of those can be upgraded as he was drawn out in the car park in stall 11, while a repeat of the other two runs would probably be good enough to win this event.
The key to his chance is reliant upon relaxing in this event (too keen last time out) so Jack Garritty will need to bury him in the pack before making his challenge turning for home. Last a winner off a mark of 82, placed at that level as well, I simply cannot let him go unbacked here off just 77.
12.53 Kelso – Fingals Hill
This looks a really competitive handicap hurdle for the level, class three 0-125, and you could make a really solid case for several of the 12 runners. I am sure that Bertie B will be involved here on the back of his smooth win at Plumpton where he jumped with great aplomb and eased clear after the turn from home from before two out.
This is more difficult but I suspect the extra yardage will be a plus. Down the bottom of the weights, Guernesey drops below a three figure mark in the handicap for the first time. I have yet to see young Joshua Thompson ride in public but his 7lbs claim could be huge.
I Am Max and course and distance winner Young Jack are also worthy of respect, but in the end I thought that Peter Atkinson’s charge Fingals Hill was the big value play here. The eight-year-old badly needed the run on his seasonal debut in a class two he was never going to win, but showed last time out at Wetherby that this was probably going to be his peak performance so far.
Always in touch with the leaders in that two and a half mile event, the tip was then outpaced before the third last before staying on at the one paced to finish a nine length third. Dropped 4lbs for those two runs and upped in trip, this looks by far his best chance of a return to winning form since winning a weakish looking class two for the grade at Carlisle just over a year ago off a 3lbs higher rating.
13.55 Leopardstown – Sequestered
About eight months ago at the Dublin track, PJG’s charge was a massive eye catcher when fizzing home in the three mile handicap hurdle when a never nearer 14 lengths off Maxxum off a rating of 122. Since then his attentions have been turned to chasing and he is zero from three a return that hardly fills the mind with confidence in this big field staying event.
However, his last of four behind Croke Park in a beginners chase at Fairyhouse was way better than his finishing position suggests. Always in the first two that day, Sequestered had every chance at the second last, but he jumped out to his left and then emptied out.
A mark of 123 on his handicap debut looks very interesting and I suspect he will be given a much more patient ride in this much bigger field by Jack Gilligan. Of his rivals, top weight Dunboyne is 11lbs lower than when a close up fourth in the 2023 Troytown Chase, while Sam Magee was hugely impressive when upped in trip to 2m5f at Fairyhouse. He has another big hike in the weights to contend with here, but stepping back up to three miles again looks sure bring about another step forward.
15.05 Leopardstown – Comfort Zone
The aforementioned Maxxum runs off top weight here and a mark of 144 in this Listed handicap hurdle and simply cannot be written out of the equation here at his favourite course after being given two near impossible challenges in graded races at the start of this season. Three miles may suit him better, but he could well be worth a small each-way saver at a huge price here, but ultimately several of his rivals getting bundles of weight may just prove that bit too strong here.
The very lightly raced Mr Percy takes a big hike in distance and remains a work in progress. He is no certainty to see out the two and a half miles on breeding, but the style of his work on his last two starts strongly suggests otherwise.
But the one for me with the drying ground could well be Comfort Zone, who won a valuable flat handicap at Naas off 86. But the key piece of form that flags his chance here was a close up third behind The Wallpark at the Galway Festival, beaten just two lengths over an extended two and three quarter miles. This drop in trip is almost certainly his optimum set-up and he is set to run off a 2lbs higher mark here.
Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Horse Racing tips
12.40 Southwell – Gincident
12.53 Kelso – Fingals Hill
13.55 Leopardstown – Sequestered
15.05 Leopardstown – Comfort Zone
*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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