UK racing tips – Thursday 23 February 2023

HUNTINGDON

Race 2 – SAMUEL SPADE 17/100

SAMUEL SPADE could dig punters out of a hole when he lines up in the second at Huntingdon on Thursday. Ben Pauling’s four-year-old was a handy operator on the Flat when trained by David O’Meara and has taken to the challenge of hurdles expertly since switching North Yorkshire for Pauling’s Cotswolds base. He beat some useful opposition in what is traditionally a strong introductory hurdle at Kempton over the Christmas period and then fared best behind Gary Moore’s Adonis-bound Perseus Way when second in a competitive running of the Chatteris Fen over course and distance last month. His age sees him receiving weight from all but one of his rivals here and he could prove extremely tough to beat in a race which should tee him up nicely for a tilt at the Boodles Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival.

Race 4 -BLUE SHARK 15/10

Jonjo O’Neill’s BLUE SHARK will look to keep his winning run going when he lines up as favourite in the fourth – a handicap hurdle. The six-year-old has won four in a row over hurdles since November and shows no signs of stopping judged on his most recent success at Wetherby. He has gone up 6lb for that and, now rated 24lb higher than when starting his winning run, there is a chance the handicapper is catching up. But there looks far from a ‘good thing’ among the opposition and he is the obvious form pick in the contest.

Race 5 – ROOSTER COGBURN 9/4

This appears a competitive handicap chase, but it could be worth siding with ROOSTER COGBURN, who relished the return to good ground when a clear-cut winner at Hereford earlier this month. That was a real turnaround in his fortunes and he has to prove he can string two performances together, but granted similar conditions he could cut a bold sight from the front once again.

SEDGEFIELD

Race 2 – TRAC 2/1

TRAC is racing off a career-high chasing figure in a competitive handicap chase, but Micky Hammond’s charge has been a consistent operator in the north this season and could yet to have reached his ceiling. He justified favouritism in comfortable fashion at Catterick last time and can strike again while the iron is hot.

Race 4 – MULLINAREE 33/20

There could also be plenty to cheer for Milton Harris in the northeast when MULLINAREE makes his second appearance in a handicap in the fourth at Sedgefield. Upped in trip for his handicap bow at Huntingdon last month, the seven-year-old caught the eye when second, beaten less than two lengths. He is just 4lb here and should have plenty more to offer at this distance.

Race 7 – LEGENDARY DAY 33/20

It is rare that Brian Hughes leaves Sedgefield without a victory and the champion jockey looks to have a fantastic chance of getting on the scoresheet in the final race on the card. His mount, LEGENDARY DAY, has been in epic form in both codes since switching to Adrian Keatley – yet to finish outside the top two in four starts for the handler. He was a course-and-distance scorer on his hurdles bow in November and two recent spins on the all-weather should put him spot on for stepping into the handicap ranks off a rating of 112.

NEWCASTLE

Race 1 – DINOO 18/10

DINOO is an interesting prospect on the all-weather at Newcastle, dropping back in trip for Thursday’s opener. It looks like the experiment over a mile-and-a-half is over for Roger Varian’s charge – who was second at Wolverhampton last time – and his form over this distance from before Christmas should make him tough to beat off what remains a really workable mark.