Monday Talking Points: David Ord with a look at the day's racing
David Ord picks out three considerations for the day's racing with Daryl Jacob in action at Musselburgh.
Double green team target Musselburgh
2.15 Musselburgh Liva
12.45 Musselburgh - Neyn Point
Daryl Jacob wouldn’t be a frequent visitor to Musselburgh but – via a Sunday stint at Kelso – he’s in Scotland to partner Liva in the Enjoy The Jumps On Racing UK Introductory Juvenile Hurdle.
There’s a contractual obligation to do so – the Donald McCain-trained three-year-old carries the colours of his retainer Simon Munir and Isaac Souede - but he’s an interesting horse, too.
He was a 72-rated performer on the Flat for Eve Johnson-Houghton, a level of ability which would suggest he can make a fair stab at the winter game, and there was certainly a lot to like about his first effort at Catterick.
He ran into a useful sort in Travel Lightly but with a bit of improvement in the hurdling department, he looks a huge player here.
It’s a big day for the McCain yard with Nefyn Point making his debut over timber in the British Stallion Studs EBF 'National Hunt' Maiden Hurdle.
He was given a positive mention by the trainer in Ben Linfoot’s pre-season stable tour and it’s a measure of the nature of this four-runner heat that he was put in as outsider of the quartet on the early forecasts.
Thibault certainly sets a decent standard judged on his reappearance second and the other two have interesting pedigrees and connections, but don’t be surprised to see Nefyn Point make them all go for a yard that’s ticking over nicely again.
Train to arrive on time?
4.30 Wolverhampton Steel Train
David O’Meara is a fine trainer and his Steel Train is a fascinating runner in the Sun Racing No1 Racing Site Claiming Stakes at Wolverhampton.
The seven-year-old could outclass these but you’re taking a leap of faith if siding with him.
The negatives are he’s only had two runs all year – separated by six months – and clearly things haven’t been entirely straightforward.
Also, when he did return at Wolverhampton on the first of the month he was sent off an unconsidered 66/1 chance and didn’t beat a rival home.
But – and now the positives – he was slowly away and pulled far too hard in a tactical affair. He was racing from a mark of 98 there and it’s only just over a year – and three runs - ago that he was winning from 95 at Chelmsford.
With the freshness out of the system he should be ready to put his best foot forward and if he does the others have a battle-and-a-half on their hooves.
All singing and dancing?
12.30 Lingfield
W S Gilbert made a huge impact on British popular culture. His equine namesake may not.
He has some act to follow though, the human version teaming up with Arthur Sullivan to pen 14 comic operas including The Pirates Of Penzance, HMS Pinafore and The Mikado.
The horse, a half-brother to Cabaret Girl (nice), has been beaten a combined total of 238 lengths in two career starts at Hereford and Chepstow. Amazingly he has finished in front of three rivals during those efforts but even so it’s a stretch to think he’ll be making many Placepots on Monday.
But where there’s life there’s hope (not a line I can find anywhere in the Pirates as we call it in theatreland) and things can only get better (D-ream) but at least his name brings a bit of clout to a bumper that launches the Lingfield card.
GET THE FULL PICTURE: Don't miss out on FREE video replays and our fantastic My Stable tracker. Log in now and become a Sporting Life Insider.
Related horse racing links
Next Off
Most Followed
MOST READ RACING
