Horse racing tips: Monday picks for Naas and Pontefract
Tom Thurgood likes runners on the Flat at Naas and Pontefract on the eve of the Punchestown Festival and five days of top-class jumps racing. Enjoy every moment live on Racing TV!
4.10 Pontefract: Didtheyleaveuoutto
It’s fair to say his best days are behind him, but the 10-year-old showed more promising signs last time and he should be sticking on at the finish when others have cried enough.
Didtheyleaveuoutto is an assured stayer at this marathon trip - something which can’t be said for several of these – while others in this line-up have more general questions to answer in a field lacking compelling recent form.
Didtheyleaveuoutto got better the further he went at Southwell last time and I think his hold-up tactics could see him pick off rivals with something to prove in the latter stages. His finishing speed was good from off the pace over two miles on his latest start, while he has an extra five furlongs to organise his challenge now and the extra distance makes greater allowance for an exaggerated waiting ride.
Tarbat Ness is respected and he posted better sectionals than the winner more or less throughout at Redcar last time, but while he receives plenty of weight and likely has more to offer as a stayer that recent run is very much the anomaly on his CV so far. Didtheyleaveuoutto is capable of hitting the frame at least and at an each-way price for a yard that is going along well currently (10 winners and 8 more placed from 45 runners since the start of March; 22.2%, +£20.38, 1.61 A/E.)
This looks a winnable handicap and presentable opening for Squeezebox on British debut.
Despite superficially unimpressive form figures he shaped with promise in four maiden runs in Ireland in the second half of last season for John James Feane, showing decent early dash on debut at the Curragh before staying on to good effect under more patient tactics at Down Royal and most notably on his final start at Navan.
This looks his most feasible assignment so far and an opening mark of 67 looks pretty workable given a profile that looks potentially progressive at this level. He starts off for Mick Appleby over the five furlongs and, from a plum draw in stall 2, you wonder if they might elect to kick on here with their new recruit's assured stamina at a track where front-running tactics can often prove decisive.
As a whole, runners by Slade Power improve from three (9.2%) to four (11.2%) and Squeezebox is a lightly-raced sprinter who could potentially rank a good bit higher in time.
The figures for Mick Appleby stable debutants in Flat turf handicaps read notably well, with the yard sending out 32 winners from 152 qualifiers since 2010 (21.1%, +£139.78, 1.56 A/E) and Danny Tudhope is an eye-catching booking, with the top jockey taking only his 18th ride for the yard.
5.35 Naas: King Of Scotia
This is a pretty tight-knit handicap with several who like to get on with things but the joint top-weight appeals most on this first start at six furlongs on handicap debut.
A strong traveller, he took the eye in several decent races last season and most notably on debut at the Curragh, where he made ground from a wide draw in what has turned out to be a strong maiden.
He still looked a bit green when asked to justify odds-on billing in a Dundalk maiden on his latest start in December and, while he's still learning on the job, that success was slightly harder work than perhaps looked likely turning into the straight. In truth, he's yet to fully convince with his finishing effort and this strong-looking type shows natural pace in his races.
I think this step down in distance could unlock further improvement, while his physique and racing demeanour from last season suggests he has the potential to be better this term.
7.40 Naas: Something Nice
Hopefully this smart colt can live up to his name once again and strike on handicap debut in this valuable prize.
Something Nice has run with credit on all four starts, making lovely headway on debut at Navan last autumn before racing a tad too freely without cover second-time out but only fading late and shaping better than the result.
He was maybe in the right place but his second on the opening day of the season at the Curragh came in a maiden that is working out pretty well and he was strong at the line in victory at Cork last time, settling a bit better than has previously been the case over the straight seven furlongs which I think generally proves a good test at the trip.
There are several runners who like to get on with things here and I think being able to slot in behind a decent pace from a good draw will really suit this customarily strong finisher as he steps up to mile for the first time under first-time rider Declan McDonogh.
Something Nice handles heavy ground but he doesn’t have a noticeable soft-ground action and his sire Estidhkaar went on quick ground. The sample size is too small to make firm conclusions, but the stallion’s progeny have fared best on good to firm ground so far (+£39.98, 1.17 A.E from 73 runners) and it is reasonable to hope Something Nice could improve for a slightly better surface now.
Mick Mulvany continues in decent form after starting this Flat campaign in strong style. The trainer has had 55 handicap debutants since 2010, with his strike-rate (9.3%) better than the yard’s prevailing one on the turf in Ireland (7%). The stable’s handicap first-timers sent off at 20-1 or less have posted a profit in that time-frame, too (+£3.38, 13.9%, 1.4 A/E.)
Win a fabulous trip to the 2023 Galway Festival!
We have teamed up with Galway Racecourse to offer you the chance to win a VIP Race and Stay Experience to the 2023 Galway Festival. The luxury package includes return UK flights, a three-night stay in the The Glenlo Abbey Hotel and admission to two days of the Festival. .
