Our star daily duo of Rory Delargy and David Massey look ahead to today's action and highlight their best bets for Wetherby.
Racing betting tips: Thursday January 22
1pt win Genois in the 13:20 Wetherby at 9/2 (General, min 4/1)
1pt e.w Sweeper System in the 13:55 Wetherby at 11/1 (1/5 1,2,3,4 General, min 9/1)
1pt win Taxus Baccata in the 14:30 Wetherby at 11/4 (min 9/4)
GENOIS has been inconsistent in his career, but both of his wins for Jonjo & A J O’Neill have come over this course and distance and he was suited by a waiting ride when scoring here on his most recent outing, the first time he’s been ridden in a race by Ben Macey. Macey retains the partnership here and the gelding remains well treated on the form he showed when winning here in late-2024 from a mark of 127. The race he won here at Christmas wasn’t really run to suit and he can be marked up for coming from a long way off the pace in a tactical contest. Those tactics clearly suit him, though, and I’d imagine his rider will keep him in rear and try to get him in a rhythm and if he can do that, then the son of Saddler Maker looks up to defying a current mark of 120.
Pleasington is an obvious danger, although I’d be concerned about this trip given he has shown his best form at around 2m, with two in-frame efforts at the shorter trip sandwiching a disappointing effort at Aintree when he weakened in the straight having travelled up well enough. He’s bred to stay well but is yet to show he can do so on the track, and he’s without the hood he’s regularly worn here.
This handicap hurdle is well contested for the grade and there are a few to consider, but I’d be disappointed if there isn’t a fair bit more to come from SWEEPER SYSTEM, who makes his handicap debut after catching the eye on his final qualifying run at Southwell last time. Kept at 2m at Southwell, he made good progress to challenge for the lead in the straight before staying on under a hands-and-heels ride to finish third to stablemate Irandando Has. That race has thrown up a winner from further back and looks a believable piece of form, while Sweeper System was very much looked after when headed and promises to improve for a longer trip.
The handicapper has not been harsh in allotting Sweeper System a mark of 99 for his handicap bow and he’s shown marked improvement from run to run so far, suggesting that he will do similar now handicapping.
14:30 Wetherby – Class 4 (0-110) Mares’ Handicap Chase 2m3f85y
Robbie Llewellyn showed again what a good trainer he is when producing Annie Express to win after a long absence and on her first run for the yard at Ludlow last week. That demonstrated his ability to coax the best out of horses others have struggled with and TAXUS BACCATA is another who fits that bill, having failed to win in four runs this season for Matt Crawley. She did manage to win last March in a handicap chase at Plumpton in March when running off a mark of 100. Back at that trip here, and now just 3lb above that winning mark, she starts out for Lewellyn having had a breathing operation and fitted with a first-time tongue tie, and is capable of going close.
Preview posted at 09:25 GMT on 21/01/26
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