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Dec 27 Racing Thread

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  • Dec 27 Racing Thread

    Celtic Cailin (12:50 Leopardstown)

    Mumbo Jumbo seems certain to start an odds-on favourite in what is a relatively weak Paddy Power Maiden Hurdle and could well run out an impressive winner. However, he’ll need to overcome two potential negatives to score here, namely his fluency over timber - or lack thereof – and his ability to prove effective over the trip.

    Mags Mullins’ charge will almost certainly prove the best long-term prospect in the field, but he should ultimately prove much better over far longer distances. The hurdling technique he displayed on debut at Listowel was far from faultless and an obvious each-way alternative to the favourite comes in the form of Celtic Cailin. Her limitations after 13 starts over hurdles are clear, but she’s been making steady progress of late and could well bustle up the favourite if she consents to settle better.

    Dancers Dilemma and Raise The Beat could make the frame if handling the terrain, but that prospect is far from certain.

    Sizing Europe (13:25 Leopardstown)

    Sizing Europe may be a patently uninspired selection in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase, but it’s almost impossible to oppose one of the best chasers of recent years with anything assembled here. He’s been running as good as ever over longer trips this season and a return to three miles has long been mooted by trainer Henry de Bromhead. However, any such experimentation in the King George at Kempton or in the Lexus at Leopardstown has been scuppered by the weather gods.

    Opposing Sprinter Sacre over two mile at Cheltenham is likely to prove an exercise in futility, but over a furlong further, on soft ground, against this opposition, he should deliver.

    Rubi Light could be the one to follow him home after travelling well enough on his seasonal reappearance before appearing to blow up through lack of fitness.

    Bright New Dawn (14:00 Leopardstown)

    Jezki is going to prove a tough nut to crack in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle and boasts the best form, but Bright New Dawn’s win over the much-vaunted Ned Buntline may have been underestimated by the market. The latter shed his maiden tag over hurdles less than 24 hours ago and Bright New Dawn accounted for him in reasonably convincing style on his seasonal debut at Fairyhouse earlier in the month after failing to settle on his first attempt over hurdles back in February.

    While the drop back in trip is hardly a positive, the presence of inveterate front-runner Rory O’Moore in the field could negate that major concern and he looks the type to perform better in better races. Indeed, the latter could well cause an upset if granted an easy lead, but such a scenario isn’t guaranteed.

    Sizing Rio has strong claims of at least reaching the places, but one to oppose may be likely second favourite Waaheb. The Dermot Weld inmate was hugely impressive in bumpers last season, but appears to have been priced largely on his performances in that discipline, with little regard to an inconclusive hurdling debut.

  • #2
    Horse racing
    Steve Hughes tips: Able looks good enough
    December 27th, 2012 by Steve Hughes

    Kempton stages another excellent card with the rescheduled Peterborough Chase added to an already strong group of races. From a betting point of view the races get more exciting as the day wears on and the last two races are where I am concentrating on for today’s selections.

    Kempton 3.15: BRACKLOON HIGH (9-2 William Hill, Boylesports)
    A promising novice chaser last season, Brackloon High bounced back from a brief lull in performances with a fine second place at Sandown last time and has the necessary stamina to go one place better at Kempton this afternoon.

    Apart from his chasing debut over 2m6f at Fontwell last season, where he placed second, all his runs over fences have come over 3m or slightly beyond, and he has also run well several times on slow ground which will be vital on the heavy going today which will have become considerably cut up by this final chase on the card.

    He won twice last season, both on right handed tracks at Hereford and Leicester, and was highly tried on quicker ground at both the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals in the spring where he lacked the pace to get involved. Well fancied for his return at Ascot last month, he was unfortunate to fall at the first fence. However he jumped well enough around Sandown last time, running on strongly to fail by just a half-length to catch State Benefit. The slower ground today will be in his favour, and he should have come on fitness wise from that first completed outing of the season.

    Kempton 3.45: ABLE DEPUTY (11-2 general)
    After several near misses, Able Deputy’s turn at winning is becoming overdue, but he can put the record straight in the finale of Kempton’s meeting.

    He first showed signs of ability when third to Darlan at Cheltenham at this time last season, and showed that to be no fluke when second at Southwell next time, before finishing sixth in a competitive and large field back at Cheltenham in January on his handicap debut.

    All those races came on quicker going, but he showed he handles cut in the ground well in his first two efforts this term. There was decent support for him at a big price when trying to make all at Cheltenham again last month, only giving best on the run-in. He built on that when ridden with far more restraint at Sandown on ground that will be similarly heavy to today, finding only Tanerko Emery too good. That well handicapped rival has won again since and there was plenty more money for him at Haydock on Saturday, only for him to be knocked over at the first hurdle. He is clearly physically none the worse for that mishap and more patient tactics could be the answer again today as that clearly suited him well at Sandown.

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