DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 14
12.25 HAYDOCK
Paul Nicholls has a decent record in this race in recent times and POURQUOI PAS PAPA can follow in the footsteps of Quel Destin, Frodon, Sir Psycho and Monmiral, who have all taken this prize before going on to better things.
Th son of Manatee was readily brushed aside by one of his main rivals here today, Macktoad, at Sandown on his Uk debut, but since that defeat, he has improved at such a rapid rate of knots, there is every chance he will turn around the form.
His excellent second to the useful Johnny’s Jury was boosted by a win by the fifth at Taunton on Thursday and his victory at Wincanton last time out was a big feather in his cap against the older horses – which is always a good sign.
Proving that he handles heavy ground at the west country venue, conditions here this afternoon will suit him more than most and with a forward-going run style that often pays dividends at this track, he represents better value than Manlaga, who hails from a stable that haven’t got an especially good record in this contest.
POURQUOI PAS PAPA – 1-point win@4-1
2.25 ASCOT
Not that many jump off the page in this competitive handicap but LIGHTNINGUPOURDAYS is one of the few who does give you a little wink and Alistair Ralph’s gelding is fancied to exploit what appears to be a slight oversight by the assessor.
The handicap he was third in at Hereford on his first outing for 339 days recently, was a strongly run one for a race of its kind and it has come as no surprise to see the winner, Came From Nowhere, and third, Good To Be Alive, boost the form with victories since.
Only tiring in the later stages when lack of fitness took its toll, he still came out of the contest with a very heathy speed figure and with his mark only slightly tweaked despite his excellent effort at the Midland venue, a rating of 119 still looks south of where his true capabilities lie.
LIGHTNINGUPOURDAYS – 1-point each-way@5-1 (four places)
3.10 LINGFIELD
LEGAL REFORM might be one of the oldest swingers in town, but he has a fabulous record over today’s C&D and following another solid effort at Southwell last time out, the nine-year-old can show the whipper snappers a thing or two.
Michael Herrington’s gelding arrived at the Midland venue buoyed by a victory at Wolverhampton previously and he ran right up to his best form, just getting touched off by the course specialist, Doctor Khan Junior late on.
Three runs ago, he had finished a close third in a warm contest at today’s Surrey venue and with that performance taking his C&D figures to 3311, it is easy to make a strong case for him maintaining those impressive stats on his return visit.
LEGAL REFORM – 1-point each-way@5-1 (three places)
3.00 ASCOT
Make no mistake, this Class 1 handicap is a substandard race for the grade and JIPCOT, one of the few who is still open to plenty of improvement over fences, is taken to continue his rise through the ranks.
Jonjo & A J O’Neill’s inmate forced a strong pace in a very competitive novices’ handicap at Ayr on his seasonal bow and although he ultimately succumbed to a couple held up off the speed, his effort in defeat gave out clear signals he was a horse ready to strike off his mark of 125.
Sure enough, that theory came to pass at Leicester next time out when he made all the running for a comfortable success and with the speed figure suggesting his performance was an even better one than he produced on his initial outing, he couldn’t be arriving her in any better shape.
Additionally, he has a run style that often complemented by today’s track and having put up a bold show in his only other previous encounter at the Berkshire venue (fell at the last when still in contention), the seven-year-old can do so again with another attacking ride from the front.
JIPCOT – 1-point win@7-2