Timeform Radio Tip: Wily selection can outfox rivals

"Wily Fox looks overpriced at around 14/1, and appeals as a solid each-way bet despite there being only 3 places. The upside of that is a bigger price on the exchange place market, and I'd be disappointed if he isn't thereabouts at the business end."

Competitive fare on offer at Pontefract, and Rory Delargy heads to the Yorkshire circuit for his best bets...

Pontefract stages a cracking card on the Flat today, and with the going no worse than good to soft, the galloping track should throw up true results. Race of the day appears to be the 1¼m handicap at 16:15, for all the Jamaican Flight handicap over the 2¼m trip will appeal to the traditionalists, myself included.

That 1¼m handicap looks a wide-open affair at first glance, and it's hard to rule many out, but David Barron's old warrior Sirvino looks well treated on the pick of last season's form, and has run respectably on all his previous runs here. A solid third on his return at Meydan shows that he can still go well fresh (has won first-time-up in the past), and he's much better off with Las Verglas Star for a defeat at the hands of that rival over C&D last autumn. Having started last season on a BHA mark of 100, he really ought to go well having been dropped to 89, despite plenty of evidence that his ability hadn't waned markedly in the meantime. Barron has started the new turf season in typically forward fashion, and his record with older handicappers at Pontefract is excellent.

Dangers abound, although Licence To Till is omitted from calculations having run poorly in this race last year, and the most intriguing of a quartet starting off for new yards is Spanish Duke. An unpredictable sort for John Dunlop, he's just the sort that Brian Ellison does well with, and ought to go well having twice won after a break of 60 days or more. It's worth backing both at current odds.

In the staying contest at 15:40, it's worth siding with James Eustace's Wily Fox. The son of Observatory isn't an obvious stayer on pedigree, but has proved suited by a test of stamina since tried in a hood (can be a bit free in his races), and plugged on well when second in the mud at Newbury (2m) last back-end.

Wily Fox has since shown improved form over hurdles, splitting subsequent winners when third at Taunton (19f) before winning over the same trip at Market Rasen. He didn't get the run of things when fancied at Newbury last time, but it's easy enough to forgive that run, and he returns to the Flat on a potentially lenient mark. He certainly looks overpriced at around 14/1, and appeals as a solid each-way bet despite there being only 3 places. The upside of that is a bigger price on the exchange place market, and I'd be disappointed if he isn't thereabouts at the business end.

Recommendations:
All at Pontefract
Back Wily Fox in the 15:40 @ 14.5n/a to win & 4.47/2 to place
Back Sirvino and Spanish Duke in the 16:15 @ 6.411/2 & 6.05/1 respectively

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Timeform Irish SmartPlays: Jenari confident selection on handicap bow

Tipping / Timeform / 04 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

Jessica Harrington trains Irish SmartPlay Jenari

"He [Jenari] developed into a smart bumper performer on good ground last term, finishing third in a Grade 1 at the Punchestown Festival, and has progressed in chunks over hurdles so far"

There's an interesting card at Leopardstown to get stuck into today and Timeform's Irish team have come up with three more win bets.....

The two-mile handicap hurdle at 15:00 looks a competitive affair at first glance, but on closer inspection Jenari really does stand out on his debut in this sphere. He developed into a smart bumper performer on good ground last term, finishing third in a Grade 1 at the Punchestown Festival, and has progressed in chunks over hurdles so far, chasing home a subsequent Grade 2 winner in a novice at Navan last time. His initial mark looks fair and it's reasonable to expect plenty of improvement now he's back on a sound surface. He represents a yard who have come back to form with a bang of late as well.

Donnas Palm battled well to win a Grade 2 at Navan last time but the balance of his form suggests he isn't the force of old, and he looks vulnerable to the strong-travelling Slieveardagh in the novice chase at 15:30. Slieveardagh has form on a par with Donnas Palm over fences, a good second to Bog Warrior last time, and should be ideally suited by today's conditions, while Barry Geraghty is back in the saddle.

The 21-furlong handicap chase half an hour later contains quite a few in-form sorts. Montan comes here at the top of his game and Mister First won by a wide margin at Naas last time, but it's Colbert Station who looks to have the most compelling credentials. He won a seventeen furlong maiden chase in good style here in January and looks open to plenty of improvement upped in trip for his handicap debut over the larger obstacles. The booking of Ruby Walsh is a further plus, making Colbert Station a confident selection.

Timeform Smartplays

Back Jenari in the 15:00
Back Slieveardagh in the 15:30
Back Colbert Station n the 16:00
..........
Timeform Horses to Follow 2012 is out now! Includes Fifty to follow on the Flat, top trainer interviews & much more! Click HERE for more information.

Today's bets run at Leopardstown and Sedgefield...

The standard of racing isn't high today but winners are winners and these are David Cleary's Sunday selections for you to consider......

Followers will know their fate early on today - the selection runs in the opener at Huntingdon...

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Timeform Irish 1-2-3 Tips: Darwin's Theory the natural selection at Navan

Tipping / Billy Nash / 10 June 2011 / Leave a Comment

Jim Bolger will be hoping to keep his good run going at Navan

"[Darwin's Theory's] initial mark of 74 looks quite lenient (Timeform rating 82p) and he is refitted with a tongue tie here."

We've got three bets on a busy evening in Ireland, two on the Flat at Navan and one in a handicap chase at Wexford....

Cloudgazer, a well-bred son of Dalakhani, was noted making very good late headway in the maiden won by Irish Review at the Curragh on debut last month and can improve enough to win what looks an ordinary contest at 19:55. Colm O'Donoghue's mount was still in rear turning for home that day, then got squeezed for room as he attempted to make ground along the inside but finished with rattle once switched to the outside. That experience is sure to stand to him, this stiff track will suit and he is taken to get the better of the equally unexposed Casimir Road.

Casimir Road's trainer, Jim Bolger, has his team in great shape at present and his Darwin's Theory is a most interesting contender in the one-and-a-quarter mile handicap at 20:25. A good-looking son of Montjeu, Darwin's Theory finished sixth to Recital on debut at this track last year and chased home a pair of next-time-out winners (Nantucket Bay & Brown Butterfly) when filling the same spot behind Admiral of The Red at Leopardstown on reappearance. An initial mark of 74 looks quite lenient (Timeform rating 82p) and he is refitted with a tongue tie here.

The handicap chase on Wexford's card looks a very winnable race and, especially given that the pair currently heading the market both have questions to answer about their finishing effort, the value looks to be with Turtle Gale. A two-time winner over fences, Turtle Gale made a most encouraging return when fourth to Benalma at Killarney, travelling strongly until the lack of a recent outing told. He's faced stiff tasks either side of that run, but with the drop in trip a clear positive for his return to handicaps, the [8.4] currently available looks too big.

Back Turtle Gale @ [8.4] Wexford 19:45
Back Cloudgazer @ [5.3] Navan 19:55
Back Darwin's Theory @ [4.9] Navan 20:25

Weight-for-age performed gallopers in the form of Love Conquers All, Beaded and Black Piranha stand out as the obvious winning hopes in Saturday's Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm. The race is due off at 06:40 BST on Saturday. Timeform's Gary Crispe runs the rule over the field...

Two backs and a lay for Friday from Timeform's US team......

Massive fields and competitive racing at York today. Last year this meeting's placepot paid a shade over a grand. Here's hoping for a similar scenario......

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