The Jump Zone: Featuring The Racehour, Donn McClean & Tanya Stevenson

Gambling

02 February 2024

Horse Racing Tips & Angles

Welcome to the The Jump Zone which features tips and analysis from Racehour regular Cian Kirby, Donn McClean & Tanya Stevensonfor all the national hunt racing action.

As always, you’ll find the most up-to-date odds with horse racing betting sites, but don’t sleep on our tipster’s predictions as those odds could soon be snapped up by the betting public. Odds stated are correct at the time of publishing.

Tanya Stevenson's Selections

Tanya Stevenson's Tip for the 2.15 at Musselburgh - Christopher Wood each-way @ 14/1

There are so many short prices, especially in Ireland for the DRF that I'm going to take a couple of chances with my picks.

I was weighing up whether to pick Brinkley at Wetherby, as there were glimmers on Thursday that David Pipe was back, but instead, I am heading to Musselburgh.

Many will rightly hone in on Paul Nicholls's 33% strike rate at the course and he is sending lots of good chances. Take Monmiral ridden by Bryony Frost (6 from 16 at the course) in a race named after Frodon.

I'm looking for a bit of each-way value, a bit left field as well and for that, I’ve gone for Christopher Wood in the Edinburgh National. It’s a massive ask, this horse has never run beyond 3m and the furthest he has won over is 2m.

Take A Look At All Of Tanya Stevenson's Racing Articles Here

So it's intriguing why he is stepping up to nearly four miles. Though something has given Venetia Williams cause to enter him.

He has had lots of layoffs throughout his career and is only having his second run since being off the course for 219 days.

His hurdle rating is 140, yet his chase rating has dropped dramatically, from a one-time 147 to 129.

A year ago he was only two lengths behind Saint Segal receiving 2lbs. I'm buoyed by his Carlisle run in December, when he ran on over 2m5f.

Danny McMenamin is a great booking, it will be his first ride for Venetia Williams. Venetia has a great record at Musselburgh too with seven winners from 26 runners.

Tanya Stevenson's Tip for the 2.15 at Musselburgh - Christopher Wood each-way @ 14/1

Tanya Stevenson's Tip for the 2.50 at Musselburgh - Park Annonciade each-way @ 10/1

I may be going to the well one time too much, as Park Annonciade has already rewarded supporters twice when backed this season. Yet on watching him last time there appears to be more to come.

His latest run was at Musselburgh, which has allowed both horse and jockey to familiarise themselves with the pace and tempo required at this speed venue.

On watching Park Annonciade he seemed taken off his hooves early, and was still behind by some way approaching the last but closed rapidly near the finish for not much pressure. He has been dropped 2lb for his troubles.

Now the problem, is Caithness is in the race, so whatever the pace of the previous contest, this will be faster.

The first two from last year return, then there is Benson who has won both his races at Musselburgh.

It will be run at a frenetic pace though it could see them stop approaching the last, which is when Ben Bromley needs to be lucky and be in the right place as it could be a bit crowded.

This horse is a featherweight, and he does stay further. He beat Stainsby Girl last time out, who led Ashroe Diamond until the second last in a Grade 2 on Saturday.

Stuart Crawford is having another excellent season sending his runners to these shores, let's hope it continues.

Tanya Stevenson's Tip for the 2.50 at Musselburgh - Park Annonciade each-way @ 10/1

Donn McClean's Angles

Look Beyond The Obvious Mullins Runners

The Dublin Racing Festival is upon us, a two-day feast of National Hunt racing during which most of the best National Hunt horses in training in Ireland will be in competitive action, and it is correct that Willie Mullins dominates the preamble.

There are eight Grade 1 races set for the weekend, and, as things stand now, the wizard of Closutton is responsible for the favourite in seven of them and the second favourite in the one in which he doesn’t have the favourite.

It may be that Willie Mullins will dominate the weekend as much as he does the preamble, it may be that the fancied ones will go in.

Sure enough, Willie Mullins won six of the eight Grade 1 races last year. However, significantly, he didn’t win them all with the most well-fancied of his runners.

It is not ideal that a lot of the top National Hunt horses in Ireland are housed in the top two or three yards, but it does help that those top trainers are happy for their horses to take each other on.

And sometimes it pays to look beyond the obvious.

Of Willie Mullins’ six Grade 1 winners at last year’s Dublin Racing Festival, four of them beat a better-fancied stable companion: Gala Marceau beat Lossiemouth, El Fabiolo beat Appreciate It, Gentleman De Mee beat Blue Lord and Il Etait Temps beat Facile Vega.

It may pay to look beyond the top Willie Mullins horses this weekend.

Spring Juvenile A Triumph Pointer

The McCann Fitzgerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle is a fascinating contest in its own right, but history tells you that it can also be a really good pointer to the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Quilixios and Vauban completed the Spring Hurdle/Triumph Hurdle double in 2021 and 2022 respectively. Then, last year, Gala Marceau won the Spring Hurdle, beating her stable companion Lossiemouth into second place.

Lossiemouth turned it around at Cheltenham, winning the Triumph Hurdle, beating her stable companion Gala Marceau into second place.

Looking further back, Our Conor completed the double in 2013, Commanche Court completed the double in 1997.

In February 2018, Mr Adjudicator won the Spring Hurdle with Farclas chasing him home. The following month Farclas won the Triumph Hurdle, with Mr Adjudicator chasing him home.

In 2017, Mega Fortune and Bapaume finished first and second in the Spring Hurdle, and they finished second and third behind Defi Du Seuil in the Triumph Hurdle.

In 2016, Ivanovich Gorbatov finished fourth in the Spring Hurdle and won the Triumph Hurdle, while in 2014, Tiger Roll finished second in the Spring Hurdle behind Guitar Pete, before going to Cheltenham and winning the Triumph Hurdle, with Guitar Pete finishing third.

In 2012, Countrywide Flame finished third in the Spring Hurdle behind Hisabaat, and he won the Triumph Hurdle, with Hisabaat finishing second behind him.

And in 2011, Unaccompanied won the Spring Hurdle and finished second behind Zarkandar in the Triumph Hurdle.

Sir Gino sets a good standard in the Triumph Hurdle this year, Nicky Henderson’s horse looked very good in beating Burdett Road in the Finesse Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday, but you can be sure that the protagonists from the Spring Hurdle on Saturday will be big players in the Triumph Hurdle picture.

Cian Kirby's Racehour Selections

Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle @ Leopardstown Saturday 1.50pm - Jetara- 7/2

The DRF kicks off with a quality Grade One event, where six runners head to post and Predators Gold heads the market at 13/8 with betting sites, but he looks plenty short.

Jetara looks like a mare heading in the right direction. She disappointed on her seasonal debut, but has since won her last three starts this season in a facile fashion.

Her most recent win was in the Grade 3 Mares Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas and odds of 7/2 on her to follow up on Saturday looks more than fair.

Ladbrokes Novice Chase @ Leopardstown Sunday 1.50pm - Grangeclare West- 11/2

This is a top-quality novice chase and it's no surprise to see Gaelic Warrior head the market here after impressive displays at both Punchestown and Limerick.

He does have a preference to go right-handed though, so Leopardstown may not play to his strengths, which make him opposable at odds-on.

Fact To File was very good at this venue over Christmas too, but at the prices a chance is taken on Grangeclare West at 11/2.

The eight-year-old has improved massively since being sent over the bigger obstacles and he has enough ability to get himself into the mix on Sunday.

Dublin Racing Festival Preview

If you’re on the look out for free bets and betting sign up offers, be sure to visit our latest sports promotions page where you’ll find the latest ones to be released by bookmakers.

You can see this week’s sports betting sign up offers in order to take advantage, with customers needing to follow some simple steps for each one.