Get all of your UK racing tips for Wednesday 26 April’s meetings at Perth and Catterick!
PERTH
Race 2 – HUELGOAT 9/4
Paul Nicholls is chasing prize money to break his own record so everything he runs this week is of interest.
He is sending HUELGOAT all the way in this novices’ limited handicap and should be rewarded, despite top weight. FUSSAIN was out of his depth in a Grade 1 at Aintree last time out, however, his previous two victories suggest that a mark of 122 may underestimate his ability. UNIVERSAL FOLLY scored over hurdles last month and has to be of some interest off the same mark now switched back to fences.
Race 4 – CARNFUNNOCK 5/1
CARNFUNNOCK looks the one to beat in the fourth at Perth today. Stuart Crawford is always to be respected on his journeys across the Irish Sea but this challenger has also proved his mettle at home.
MAKIN’YOURMINDUP has improved with each run over hurdles this season and further progress can’t be ruled out for Paul Nicholls’ charge, but a 5lb penalty may be enough to thwart his bid in landing a fourth career success. A chance could be taken on the lightly-raced REGAL BLUE finding the necessary improvement to land this Listed contest, with the six-year-old creating a good impression when winning on his NH debut at Ffos Las in January.
Race 5 – BRIDES HILL 11/8
Gavin Cromwell is another Irish trainer who places his horses exceptionally well and the fact he brings BRIDES HILL over for this mares’ chase rather than stay closer to home at Punchestown is a tip in itself. PINK LEGEND arrives at the top of her game having won a handicap at Cheltenham on Thursday and rates as an obvious threat, with Kapard making the most appeal of the remainder.
CATTERICK
RACE 2 – CHANGEOFMIND 85/40
CHANGEOFMIND looks good enough to defy a penalty in this novice stakes at Catterick. A difficult horse to weigh up, he nevertheless looked above average when he won his only start to date at Chester. Declan Carroll is not necessarily known for his first-time-out juvenile winners so it bodes well for this Sioux Nation colt that he was so clued up for his debut.
Chester is not an easy place for a first run – plenty do not handle the tight turns at all – but he ran around the Roodee as if on rails, looking very professional in making all the running. He did not beat just anything, either. He turned over an odds-on favourite in Silencer, then trained by Richard Hannon and who had his first run for Charlie Fellowes in Qatar recently.
Now while Silencer is an eight-race maiden, he is rated 93 having finished fourth to Streets Of Gold in a valuable nursery at York. Tom Dascombe’s Felix Natalis was fifth and he went on to win a big sales race at Naas. Changeofmind has to give 7lb to William Haggas’ 72-rated HIGH OVATIONS, but it will be slightly underwhelming if he fails to do so.
RACE 3 – PREMIER OPTION 7/1
Tim Easterby’s horses generally need a run at this time of year so PREMIER OPTION can be taken to improve for a satisfactory first outing when he returns to Catterick for this handicap test.
Third over course and distance a couple of weeks ago, he showed that day soft ground is no barrier to him. Second twice as a juvenile, he still looks unexposed and could be a fun horse for the stable. Others to consider include DOCTOR MOZART who is seeking a hat-trick, and SERA DAWN whose mark of 70 could prove lenient on her handicap debut.
Race 5 – SPECIAL MAYSON 15/8
Pam Sly’s SPECIAL MAYSON is our final pick of the day and is tipped to impress in this handicap outing.
A half-brother to the useful mare Eileendover, he is from a family that tend to improve with age. Subsequent events have shown Simon and Ed Cisford’s Inverlochy faced quite a tough task on her debut up against Mawj. The Saeed bin Suroor-trained filly went on to win a Group Two and finish third in the Cheveley Park having won on her debut at HQ.
Inverlochy never ran again but the second, Believing, is now rated in the 90s and even the third has shown useful form so finishing fourth was no disgrace. She is a half-sister to Charlie Appleby’s very useful Ottoman Fleet so better can be expected this season.
