Nick Luck
Nick Luck’s William Hill blog: DRF Sunday Tips
William Hill ambassador Nick Luck previews Sunday’s ITV action from the Dublin Racing Festival and Musselburgh
Leopardstown, Sunday
KAID D’AUTHIE might be a small bet to upset the Final Demand applecart in the ITV opener to the belated DRF today (1.10). The favourite is a proper horse, but conditions will blunt any horse’s brilliance and the selection – as well as being pretty high class – looks a very thorough and resolute stayer, whose performance on New Year’s Day probably went a bit unheralded. He ground his way clear of a very smart and reliable rival, and he can at least give the favourite a fright here.
KING RASKO GREY might be the novice name on everyone’s lips after today (1.40). He trounced a champion bumper 3rd on his Irish debut, and has the profile to move forward quite a bit given his relative inexperience. In addition, conditions are likely to suit him better than one or two of his rivals.
MAJBOROUGH is confidently expected to come to the party in style in the Dublin Chase (2.10). He really has very little ground to make up on his two rivals from Christmas, but he will love the ground, while they will be less effective on it. It is easily forgotten that his Triumph Hurdle romp came on heavy, and this will enable him to establish a smoother rhythm and thus help his jumping. Cheekpieces will also help his application in that department.
KIM ROQUE might be one of the better handicapped horses in training anywhere (2.45). He’s run two stormers at Cheltenham for this yard, while giving the strong impression a bigger day was in the offing. He moved particularly well on soft ground on the first of those runs – as befits the evidence from France – and was a little unlucky off the pace in a tempo led affair last time. Handsome amends await.
EL FABIOLO is surely the value in the Irish Champion Hurdle (3.20). He will relish a stern test of galloping at this trip, and I can see him bulldozing the turn of foot out of his rivals. He looked to love being back over hurdles last time in a race which has worked out very well, and the bald truth is that – for all his infamous frailties – he was capable of running bigger numbers multiple times over than any of his rivals have ever achieved.
Musselburgh, Sunday
MOSSY FEN ROAD should win the Musselburgh opener at cramped odds (12.55). Not my kind of price, but he’s rapid and the ground there is getting pretty quick.
QUEENS GAMBLE can complete a short odds double for the stable (1.25). She remains unexposed in this discipline, and has likely been crying out for top of the ground. Ifs and buts about her rivals make her more compelling still.
AEROS LUCK is interesting at a price in the two mile handicap (1.55). He’s run two okay races at Kelso for this yard against much better opposition, ridden quite conservatively. His Irish form suggests a quick surface and a sharp track will suit him considerably better, and the handicapper has given him a chance to slip down into a much more comfortable grade.
NEWTOWN RAMBLER looks one to be with (2.30) for a stable that is really gathering momentum. He opens in the UK off a pretty tasty mark given some of his runs for Henry de Bromhead, and the jockey booking and choice of venue for his opening shot for the yard suggests a degree of intent.
ROCK MY WAY can be another top weight of consequence for Joe Tizzard and Brendan Powell in the Edinburgh National (3.05). He’s done nearly all his racing at Cheltenham, a place I’m fairly sure he hates. Anytime he’s been faced with a flatter track and good ground, he’s looked really good and certainly not beyond winning off this mark. Stamina is assured, and he should make a bold bid.
DOUBLE POWERFUL only went up 2 pounds for thrashing everything in a super competitive field bar the ridiculously well treated winner in the Lanzarote, and can win if repeating that effort in the Pertemps Qualifier (3.40). Everything is spot on for him, he got the trip well enough on good ground last year, and has a bit more to offer.
