Friday Jumps Racing Preview From Bangor-On-Dee and Catterick

There’s lots to like about Friday’s jumps card in the UK though there is a lack of truly high-quality action. Saturday and Sunday’s features should prove to be worth the wait but one suspects plenty of punters will be lining up on Friday to attempt to build up their weekend bankrolls.

1:25 Bangor-On-Dee

This one looks to be a straight duel between Venetia Williams’ Credit Swap, a beaten favourite last time out, and Palace Jester – who lines up for Jonjo O’Neill with Tony McCoy taking the mount. Palace Jester still has more to prove as he’s quite lightly-raced though his form does indicate that the six year-old bay knows what he’s doing. He comes into play if the ground is closer to soft than good. From a ratings standpoint, Venetia Williams’ charge should take this but punters may be turned off by an excessively short price tag. Harry Hunt could clean up the mess if the top-weights don’t fire.

1:55 Bangor-On-Dee

McCoy gets an enticing mount in this 2m4f hurdle for novices in the talented Whoops A Daisy. The five year-old bay mare has run 121 in her three lifetime starts and she scored on her debut over hurdles last time out at Hereford with McCoy up. There are few standouts in this race and her debut score over the Bangor-on-Dee surface in a bumper back in April adds further credibility.

 2:45 Catterick

This class 3 handicap hurdle goes 3m1f110y over ground listed as good. Bottom-weight Everaard is the only contender who enters off a score and the five year-old gelding should be there or thereabouts after finishing on the board three out of the last five times. He is still progressing and hits at career-high figures so far in his two 2011 efforts.

3:15 Catterick

This is a rather fascinating encounter with a number of geldings looking to prove themselves up to the task hurdles. Jukebox Melody looks to have plenty of ability on the bumper circuit so the skill could translate here. Ebony River could prove to be interesting despite the lack of a previous score. He hit the board with a third place finish in his hurdling debut back in November. Laid-off since then he could come back to fire nicely and having the jumping experience could prove decisive. He will likely go off at an enticing price as well.

3:50 Catterick

There is plenty of quality on display in Yorkshire today and none more so than in this race. King in Waiting deserves respect as the son of Saddler’s Wells attempts to grab the score off a lay-off since June though one suspects he might need the race. Kosta Brava is yet to finish off the board in four races and he will be especially dangerous if he gets into a good position early on. Heavenly Chorus looks to have the measure of Catterick, however, and the bottom-weight boasts the only course and distance reference in the race. He has scored in his past two – both run at this track.