Jake Price looks to build on his profitable column with three tips for Perth & Ludlow today.
Welcome To The Perth Festival Maiden Hurdle
13:40 Perth
There is a heavy reliance on the wind operation working its magic here, but if it has then OFF THE JURY will surely take all the beating.
Since joining Mickey Bowen for a staggering £250,000 this gelding has consistently flattered to deceive in good Novice/Maiden Hurdles, with a very typical effort when finishing second to the talented Crystal Island. That rival won again at Ffos Las on Tuesday to prove he is a good horse, but our selection jumped the last together with that rival before finding nothing on the run to the line. That prophecy was fulfilled once more at Ffos Las on his next start where this time he gave Bobby's Nelson (129) something to think about before the dreaded run in too.
He went off for a wind operation procedure following that effort, but upon his return connections stepped him up in trip to 3m where he clearly did not stay - as he quite spectacularly jumped the penultimate flight in a share of the lead before being pulled up before the last. Connections clearly felt that first procedure did not do the job as he went straight off for a second surgery after that run, and now returning from a 67-day break, he has the best form in this contest should he be able to go through with his effort this time. This 2m4f trip is much more his bag, and the favourite Gee Force Flyer is a bit of a rogue himself who probably won't appreciate the drying ground.
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Templar Medical Handicap Hurdle
15:00 Ludlow
A horse who came onto my radar following his Handicap Hurdle debut in March was THE EGYPTIAN GINGE, as I thought he ran a really nice race to finish second behind Static (124) on his first start over a trip further than two-miles. He stuck to his task nicely that day when finishing ahead of some useful types, and perhaps just the ticket to get him to win is this step up in trip to three-miles.
He was entered up for another Handicap on the same weekend where he ended up running in another Maiden Hurdle at Ascot instead, and that run actually enhanced his form claims even further – as this time he ran a nice race for second behind Gnomon (120) off level weights, as regular rider Mr Jamie Neild was unable to claim his usual 7lbs that day. He certainly was not stopping when running through the line over 2m3½f, and considering he is a half-brother to 2m7½f winner As The Fella Says, there is every chance he can improve again for this new trip.
The assessor raised his mark 3lbs to 115 for that second place at Ascot, but now he returns to handicap company Jamie can now claim 7lbs off his back. Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies are not in the best of form but their shortest price runner in the past 14 days was a 13/2 shot, and they also have Un Sens A La Vie running in the Ludlow opener who should end their cold streak.
Bedmax Capercaillie Handicap Chase
15:40 Perth
AEROS LUCK was entered up for the Premier two-mile Handicap Chase at Ayr on Saturday, but had he ran in that he would have been 7lbs out of the handicap, so it was probably a blessing he ended up being a non-runner due to the unseasonably slow ground. Instead, he gets to rock up in much shallower waters at Perth, where he will run off his actual mark of 125 against much weaker Class 3 opposition – and regular rider William Maggs even claims 3lbs to boot. In Ireland last June he already defied this mark of 125 at Punchestown, and he has slowly but surely started to get back down to that rating this season since joining Sandy Thomson.
His best effort came at Musselburgh on the 1st February where he attempted to make all and was only headed in the final strides by recent subsequent winner Pure Carbon (118+). At the end of that month he then went to Kelso and ran another good race - as he was pestered for the lead throughout by eventual winner Doyen Du Bar (139). In the end trying to take on that winner cost him second place, but he was only run down for that position by another recent winner in Breizh River (118+). When you look at his rivals here Heltenham is simply not a two-miler, and Sunnyvilla is now an 11yo. With Jigoro and The Other Mozzie unreliable at best, this looks his best opportunity of picking up a win this season. Sandy Thomson has hit form too, with three of his last four runners winning.
