Weekend racing

Paul Jacobs got it right with his tip for 4/7 favourite Master Minded in the big race of the weekend, the Seasons Holiday Tingle Creek Chase from Sandown Park

Although the feature event of the day is the Seasons Holidays Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park (2.35) there are some interesting contests elsewhere on Saturday for betting purposes.

I am particularly interested in the sand meeting at Great Leighs on Saturday where my top wager of the day is in the 3.30, a class two event.

Many of the local pundits will want to be on the side of Diriculous who continues in great form despite being massively raised in class and what will certainly play in his favour here is the fact that there will be plenty of pace on in the form of Maltese Falcon.

That should also play into the hands of the likes of Matsunosuke and Vhujon.
The former now looks feasibly well weighted off a mark of 90 and despite the eight box draw looks sure to be involved.

But the vote goes to Vhujon, much better than he has shown in recent contests, and was only beaten about four lengths that day and is now 8lbs better off. As long as he can stay in touch early doors his ability to stay further than 6f could be a major asset in what is sure to be a very fast run race.

Okay, back to the main meet of the day at Sandown and the £175,000 Grade One Tingle Creek with a probable short priced favourite in Master Minded.eye.

Paul Nicholls’ comments in the Racing Post will be very interesting to read as he also has Takeroc and Twist Magic set to line up and whilst there is only a year between his second and third strings, the 2007 winner looks relatively exposed at this game whereas Takeroc has yet to reach anywhere near his potential.

The last named ran his best race to date in this country since farming some fair contests in his native Pau when a six lengths second to Tidal Bay at Aintree in the spring. Back over the smaller obstacles, the five-year-old looked in good nick, if in need of the run, when three and a quarter lengths second to Chomba Womba in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton.

He has the make and shape to become a better chaser than hurdler in time, is slick at his obstacles for an inexperienced sort and Nicholls would surely not have thrown him into company this hot if he didn’t think the grey could hold his own.

Tidal Bay reminds me a bit of Kauto Star in that he has a seemingly great range of trip which he is effective over and promises to stay three miles and possibly more in time. The one reservation I have about this lengthy individual running at Sandown is the back straight fences which come thick and fast. If there is one weakness in his armoury it is shortening into an obstacle and that could be his possible downfall here. Sure he has a fantastic engine, nobody can argue against that, but a few of these may have him at it as they go through the Railway Fences.

Master Minded looked very tense and in his toes before his Aintree defeat at the hands of Voy Por Ustedes and I think that run can be safely consigned to the dustbin. He travelled ominously well that day until a mistake two out bottomed him out; he was almost certainly over the top for the season.

His win in the Queen Mother was awesome and I fancy that if he is within 7lbs of his best he will win here. With Nicholls having suffered reverses on the previous two Saturdays we may see his price bigger than it would otherwise be and anything in the 10/11 region he would be worth a reasonable punt.

Elsewhere on the Esher card, Tchico Polos is just preferred to the other improvers in the field for the 3.05, Sunnyhillboy and Spear Thistle, while I also fancy Panjo Bere (2.00) to go well at a price to beat some seemingly more illustrious rivals.

On the all-weather, the 7.50 at Wolverhampton will have loads of pace with the likes of Harry Up and Almaty Express set to kick off from the start and that could set the race up for the likes of either The Tatling or Memphis Man.

The old man may be rising 12, but he has shown in recent weeks that he is more than capable of landing a race of this class and from stall six is perfectly positioned to get a good two around before firing for home down the stretch.

On the same card I also fancy Rare Coincidence to go close in the finale at 9.20 now that he is down to a mark of 55. Roger Fisher’s charge has yet to win over two miles but if Chris Catlin can settle him early doors his turn of foot could prove decisive against the likes of Champagne Shadow and Blue Hills.

The big race at Wetherby, the Fighting Fifth at 1.50, looks a cracker and should the ground trade on the good side of soft rather than the other way around then I would fancy Blue Bajan to continue his upward trend.

However, should the ground deteriorate then Punjabi is much the better option in an event which could turn into a tactical crawl and a sprint down the home stretch.