The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Tiggy too good for punters to miss out on
RACING: Likely to be better than her current mark of 103 suggests
MISS TIGGY is the pick in the Racing UK Jump To It Mares’ Handicap Hurdle at Ayr.
She could well turn out to be better than her current perch of 103, having recovered from a broken hind leg to win on her return at this track in November.
While she fell short last time out when third at Newcastle, she was keeping on well and should make her presence felt once again.
FRONTIERSMAN may not be the most straightforward of horses, but he can make his class tell in the Betway Live Casino Conditions Stakes at Wolverhampton.
The five-year-old doubtless has plenty of ability, as evidenced by his second place in last year’s Coronation Cup, but he can be a bit wayward when push comes to shove, as he proved in that very same Epsom run.
That said, Frontiersman batted away with some success at a decent level last term, placing a couple of times in Pattern company before he eventually got back on the winning trail in a Newmarket Listed heat last October.
First-time blinkers appeared to work the oracle, but they did not have quite the same impact on his final start of last year when sixth in the St Simon at Newbury.
However, the ground was against him that day so it might be a bit harsh to take that at face value, although it is interesting Charlie Appleby is leaving off the headgear this time.
Stepping up to two miles is an unknown, but Adam Kirby will be alive to the idea of ekeing out his stamina and given the conditions of the race leave him upwards of 6lb well-in with his rivals, it will be disappointing if Frontiersman is not a notch or two above these.
HUMBERT recently returned from a long lay-off with victory in a Kempton maiden and should step up again on that in the sunbets.co.uk Handicap.
He had shaped with a fair amount of promise as a juvenile for Hugo Palmer, but something clearly went amiss as he was then off the track for 15 months before winning an average event in Sunbury.
He was very keen but still had plenty in the tank at the finish, winning by four and a half lengths to be awarded a starting mark of 83.
Only time will tell if the handicapper has pitched Humbert in at the correct level, but you should not rule him out here. SELECTIONS: AYR: 1.10 Grand Morning, 1.45 Miss Tiggy, 2.15 Conquer Gold, 2.50 Paddling, 3.25 Casual Cavalier, 3.55 Dakota Grey.
WOLVERHAMPTON: 4.35 Oneroa, 5.10 Energia Flavio, 5.40 Humbert, 6.10 Elite Treaty, 6.40 FRONTIERSMAN (NAP), 7.10 Perfect Cracker, 7.40 Fareeq.
DOUBLE: Frontiersman and Humbert.