UK RACING TIPS: Friday 24 February 2023

EXETER

Race 1 – MASTERS LEGACY 5/4

MASTERS LEGACY is capable of giving weight and a beating to his two rivals in the opener at Exeter on Friday. The Philip Hobbs-trained gelding beat a decent field when scoring over the course and distance in early November, with the runner-up Sizable Sam since returning to Exeter to go one better. Masters Legacy on the other hand fluffed his lines 10 days after his win, cutting out quickly and finishing a tailed off last of three. The eight-year-old has undergone wind surgery during the intervening period and if the procedure has the desired effect, he could still be well handicapped.

Race 4 – D’JANGO 11/2

D’JANGO can secure his second victory in the space of a fortnight in the fourth. The 10-year-old was a Grade Three winner in testing conditions at Auteuil a few years ago but appears more at home on a sounder surface these days. David Pipe’s veteran notched back-to-back triumphs at Worcester last summer and while he has endured a frustrating run since, he was not winning out of turn when snapping a 12-race losing spell when scoring by eight lengths at Lingfield last week. With his confidence hopefully buoyed, D’Jango should prove hard to beat if he is in the same mood as he turns out 10 days later under a 7lb penalty.

LINGFIELD

Race 3 – SPIRIT OF NGURU 2/10

SPIRIT OF NGURU rates the best bet on the all-weather in the third at Lingfield. The William Haggas-trained gelding was a hot favourite to strike gold in first-time blinkers at Kempton last week, but had to make do with minor honours in third. The front two did get first run on him, though, and he is given another chance off the same mark in the hands of Cieren Fallon.

WARWICK

Race 2 – HENRI THE SECOND 91/100

HENRI THE SECOND impressed in a Grade Two at Sandown on his next start, but could finish only fourth when asked to carry a penalty on soft ground next time. However, he takes a drop in class for his latest test and the fact he wore a tongue-tie last time suggests he may have a wind issue, so it could be he is seen to better effect back on quicker ground.

Race 3 – IRON BRIDGE 4/1

IRON BRIDGE can make it three from four over fences in this handicap chase. Snapped up by Jonjo O’Neill after winning an Irish bumper, the seven-year-old won each of his two starts over hurdles last term and maintained his unbeaten record in some style when switched to the larger obstacles at Carlisle in October. He ran no sort of race at Chepstow next time, but jumped and travelled better when scoring at Haydock recently, although admittedly it is hard to know exactly what he achieved given his only rival was pulled up with an injury before the home turn. Iron Bridge nevertheless remains a horse of high potential and is taken to prove it against a few more experienced but exposed rivals.