John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Tuesday.
Street can Profit from drop in grade
It’s mostly low-grade stuff at the day’s two all-weather meetings, but Profit Street looks of interest in the seven-furlong handicap (13:18) at Lingfield. Fitted with a visor, he’s been notably consistent over the winter and gained his first win since joining James Owen when successful at Wolverhampton in December.
Profit Street has made the frame in all five of his runs since, and with the handicapper showing him a bit of leniency which enables him to get into a 0-55 contest, he’s back in the same grade he won from in December. He’s also reunited with Luke Morris who was in the saddle on that occasion and was beaten a neck on him the only time he’s partnered him since.
On his latest run at Southwell, Profit Street wasn’t seen to best effect, being caught wide with no cover which meant he didn’t really settle, but he still stuck to his task from off the pace to be beaten less than two lengths into fourth behind Betties Bay. Heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by a couple of pounds, the return to seven furlongs which he’s won over in the past should suit Profit Street and he looks the one to beat.
Festival entry Apache Tribe interesting on hurdles debut
The maiden hurdle at Ayr (14:35) looks an interesting race with four of the runners making the journey over from Ireland. One of two representing Stuart Crawford, Green Angel boasts the best form in the field of those who have run over hurdles and looks capable of improving on his debut when fourth at Down Royal on Boxing Day.
However, he might find another of the raiders hard to beat if Apache Tribe can translate his bumper form to hurdles. He’s trained by Noel Kelly who is no stranger to success with his runners in Britain and had winners on consecutive days at Hexham and Perth last summer under claiming amateur Oran McGill who partners Apache Tribe again here.
A winning pointer, Apache Tribe fared best of the newcomers when fifth on his bumper debut at the Galway Festival and then relished an extra half-mile when running away with a weaker race at Listowel in September. The strong-galloping Apache Tribe lost ground before halfway but led on the bridle on the home turn and powered clear to win by 16 lengths, earning the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag. Given an entry in the Albert Bartlett next month, he looks a most interesting hurdles debutant.
Gordon Elliott and Sean Bowen set for good day at Ayr
‘Hot Trainer’ Gordon Elliott and Sean Bowen have a remarkable 50% strike rate when teaming up in Britain this season (11 wins from 22 runs) and it will be a surprise if the partnership leaves Ayr empty-handed on Tuesday. Bowen takes the ride on all four of Elliott’s runners on the card, three of which are top on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings in their respective races. They include Kasanova’s Dream in the three-mile handicap hurdle (15:35) and Poetic Twist in the mares’ bumper (16:35).
Bowen’s other top-rated ride for Elliott is on Big Stage who is 3 lb clear in the ratings in the two-mile handicap chase (15:05). A winning pointer and hurdler, Big Stage is still seeking a first win over fences, but he has been coming down the weights and ran his best race for a while in first-time cheekpieces (replaced by blinkers here) when fourth in a competitive event at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve won by Sammy Smart.
Big Stage does have an ‘x’ on his rating, indicating that he’s prone to mistakes, though it’s encouraging that he has avoided any serious errors in his last couple of runs and he looks ready to strike now.
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