3 minute read
High Velocity can make it three wins from four career starts as he makes his handicap debut at Wolverhampton.
James Tate's runner has shaped like a potentially decent performer so far, with his only defeat coming at the hands of subsequent Group Three winner Light Infantry on his racecourse debut at Yarmouth in September.
Beaten six and a half lengths at the seaside track, the Gutaifan colt was just unfortunate to bump into one like that first time up and made no mistake subsequently at Chelmsford, landing the odds by a length and a quarter.
Tate then gave High Velocity a winter break before returning to action at Newcastle last month, where he little trouble in disposing of five rivals over the minimum trip.
That was admittedly not the best of races, but High Velocity certainly was not extended in victory and an opening mark of 81 looks a fair assessment for a runner on the up.
Jeremy Scott is more famed for his jumping exploits with the likes of Dashel Drasher, but in Celtic Art he has a nice horse who is clearly well at home on the all-weather.
The five-year-old joined Scott before Christmas after changing hands for £39,000 and he made an immediate impact in finishing second at Lingfield on New Year's Eve.
He then proved half a length too good for the reopposing Protected Guest when winning at Lingfield before that rival made full use of a 4lb advantage the next time to reverse the form in winning by a length.
Celtic Art got the best of round three last time though, when he made plenty of the running and looked beaten before rallying to edge out Desert Emperor by a head with Protected Guest back in third.
The difference that day was 1lb and it is 2lb this time, but Celtic Art can find the necessary extra in the Betway Handicap.
Najat is one to keep an eye on in the Play Coral Racing-Super-Series For Free Fillies' Novice Stakes.
She returns from a 254-day absence after last being seen when disappointing in a Listed heat at Newmarket back in June.
Najat had previously impressed with a cosy verdict in what was an average Thirsk maiden and she might still be able to confirm that positive impression.
Geometrical can follow up on his successful debut for Toby Lawes by taking the starsports.bet Novices' Hurdle at Southwell.
Bred and previously trained by Jim Bolger, Geometrical had been placed at both Group Two and Listed level in Ireland but had found wins hard to come by, triumphing just twice before being sold for 30,000 guineas last autumn.
Geometrical offered an immediate return though when winning on his first try over hurdles at Doncaster, travelling beautifully before coming home two lengths clear, despite appear to perhaps a idle a little at the finish.
This looks a nice next step to bigger things.
Albert's Back should relish the likely testing ground at Wetherby in the Join Racing TV Now Handicap Hurdle.
Two miles is possibly a bit on the sharp side for this runner but heavy ground should negate that a bit and he has now fallen to a very reasonable mark.
SELECTIONS:
LEOPARDSTOWN: 1.25 Pats Choice, 2.00 Reserve Judgement, 2.35 Pinkerton, 3.10 Bonnie Kellie, 3.45 Siberian Star, 4.20 Mt Leinster, 4.50 Echoes Of Family, 5.20 Largy Shark.
SOUTHWELL: 1.00 Sam Barton, 1.35 Bebraveforglory, 2.10 Activial, 2.45 Geometrical, 3.20 Kyntara, 3.55 Farmer's Gamble, 4.30 Tarseem.
WETHERBY: 1.45 Miss Wachit, 2.20 Onenightintown, 2.55 Cartonne, 3.30 Albert's Back, 4.05 Seven No Trumps, 4.40 Motown lake, 5.10 Royal Mogul.
WOLVERHAMPTON: 5.30 Kodi Gold, 6.00 Najat, 6.30 HIGH VELOCITY (NAP), 7.00 Nellie French, 7.30 Raabeh, 8.00 Celtic Art, 8.30 Scarborough Castle.
DOUBLE: High Velocity and Geometrical.