Get all of your UK racing tips from the meetings at Warwick, Hexham and Taunton on Thursday 30 March 2023.
WARWICK
Race 1 – CARRAREA 5/6
Irish recruit Carrarea appears well-placed to make a successful first start for Mark Walford in the opener at Warwick. The six-year-old has some smart form to his name for Emmet Mullins, including a third-placed finish behind Metier at Lingfield and a sixth at the Dublin Racing Festival last season. He was narrowly beaten at odds-on in a Kilbeggan maiden hurdle when last seen in action in early September and has since changed hands for £12,000, which on the face of it looks value for a six-year-old with just 10 starts under his belt. Assuming he is fit enough to do himself justice, Carrarea should take some stopping in what does not look a particularly strong contest.
Race 4 – LAC DE CONSTANCE
LAC DE CONSTANCE is given another chance to prove his worth over fences in the fourth. Dan Skelton’s grey looked seriously exciting in winning each of his three starts over hurdles last season and could hardly have been more impressive on his chasing debut at Kempton in November. Faced with a couple of high-class operators in Sunbury, the seven-year-old jumped immaculately in front and came home with 20 lengths in hand, suggesting he would take high rank in the novice division. It is fair to say things have not gone to plan for Lac De Constance since as he unseated Harry Skelton in the Wayward Lad on his return to Kempton over Christmas and his jumping has let him down in his last couple of races at Exeter and Sandown. However, the handicapper has given him some relief by dropping him 3lb, allowing him to get into a 0-140 handicap at his trainer’s local track. With ease in the ground to suit, Lac De Constance is taken to bounce back to form.
HEXHAM
Race 4 – TWOSHOTSOFTEQUILA 2/1
TWOSHOTSOFTEQUILA can make it back-to-back wins in this handicap chase at Hexham. The Rebecca Menzies-trained gelding has a consistent profile overall, but has at times been his own worst enemy, with his keen-going nature meaning he has failed to see out his races on a few occasions. The penny has started to drop this season, though, and he was thoroughly impressive when making a successful step up to three miles at Doncaster four weeks ago. A 7lb hike does not look insurmountable, while the prospect of more testing conditions is of no major concern given he has won and run well on soft ground in the past.
Race 7 – CHANCE THE ROBIN 8/15
CHANCE THE ROBIN is difficult to oppose in the closing event at Hexham today. John McConnell’s charge finished second on his only start in the point-to-point field and again found just one too good on his bumper debut at Ayr in early January. He was unfortunate to bump into a smart one day that in Esprit Du Potier, who has won again since, and there does not appear to be anything of his calibre in this field.
TAUNTON
Race 7 – JOHNNYWHO 9/4
It will be interesting to see how JOHNNYWHO fares in the nightcap at Taunton today. The six-year-old bolted up in an Irish point-to-point in the autumn of 2021 and was subsequently snapped up by leading owner JP McManus and sent to Jonjo O’Neill. The fact he has not been seen since suggests he may have had a problem or two, but given a certain Hermes Allen finished behind him at Rathcannon, connections of Johnnywho will surely be expecting him to get off the mark under rules at the first time of asking.
