UK racing tips – Tuesday 28 February 2023

CATTERICK

Race 1 – STAG HORN 2/1

STAG HORN could add a touch of class to proceedings at Catterick when he makes his fences bow in this novices’ chase. Useful on the level, he struck up a good relationship with Hollie Doyle in the second half of 2020, rising 20lb in the handicap in the process. Sent hurdling in December 2021, he made a successful debut at Hereford before stepping up markedly on that to win the Grade Two Leamington Spa at Warwick, a race won previously by such luminaries as Inglis Drever, Carruthers and The New One. He then found the white-hot atmosphere of Cheltenham too much in the Albert Bartlett and three miles also seemed too far at Aintree when attempting to bounce back in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle. Off the track until the Lanzarote Hurdle last month, he ran too keenly on his first start for 10 months and was pulled up. This is late in the season to be going chasing but if the appetite is still there, Archie Watson’s charge should be in a different league over a trip which should be perfect for the six-year-old.

Race 5 – BETTY BALOO 5/4

Tim Easterby’s BETTY BALOO is a consistent enough mare in her own grade and can follow up her recent course-and-distance win in this handicap chase. She survived a mistake at the last then and still had plenty left to go away and win comfortably. That was only her third run over fences, she clearly handles quick ground and the handicapper has only put her up 2lb, which seems very lenient.

LEICESTER

Race 3 – HIWAY ONE O THREE 83/100

Chris Gordon has enjoyed a stellar season to date and his HIWAY ONE O THREE can defy a penalty to score in this novices’ handicap chase. Having won three in a row over hurdles at the end of last season, he got off the mark over fences at the third time of asking at Market Rasen recently. He fairly bolted up under Tom Cannon on that occasion and Gordon’s long-time riding ally does the steering once again.

15:30 (Leicester) C’EST QUELQU’UN

C’EST QUELQU’UN won at Leicester 12 days ago and he can go in again in this handicap chase. Only six, he was winning for just the second time in 21 races, but he did all his best work near the end over two and a half miles, so an extra two furlongs should not be a bother. A change in headgear was given as the reason for the improvement in form and he should benefit in terms of confidence with cheekpieces employed once again.

Race 5 – COUSIN PASCAL 63/100

Also at Leicester, COUSIN PASCAL is likely to take all the beating in the fifth at Leicester. Since winning the Aintree Foxhunters’ in 2021, he has continued to be a major force in the hunter chase and point-to-point sphere, and arrives on the back of a 17-length romp at Askham Bryan College earlier this month.

SOUTHWELL

Race 2 – STELLA BLUE 5/2

Kevin Ryan’s STELLA BLUE has shown a decent level of form in two outings and can break her duck in this restricted novice stakes at Southwell. Second on her debut at Beverley to the subsequent Mill Reef runner-up Rousing Encore in April, she was not seen again until Southwell in August. She finished sixth of 10 there, looking in need of the run, and while she is returning from another fairly lengthy absence, she may prove to have the most ability of these.

18:30 (Southwell) RAMENSKY 9/4

RAMENSKY finally delivered on his promise when striking at Wolverhampton on his first run since being gelded. He now goes handicapping and there is surely more to come. The step up to 12 furlongs really suited him at Dunstall Park and he starts life in the handicap ranks with a rating of 78 which looks fair enough.