Value’s the name of the game when PJ’s in town.
Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Value Racing Tips
13:35 Naas – Reposado
15:17 Carlisle – Flash Du Pistolet
15:52 Carlisle – Inis Oirr
16:47 Exeter – Diamatiste
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
Of the three course and distance winners in the field, I much prefer the claims of Magical Vision. The nine-year-old will carry a top weight of 67, and he has very few miles on the clock for a horse his age, with just 11 runs under rules and several long absences on the sidelines. Indeed, there could even be a bit more improvement in him, especially on what will be rather gluey and testing ground.
Mc Loven is likely to be up with the pace from the start and looks fairly treated, but all of his best form has come on a sounder surface. Meanwhile, Sovereign Banter has performed better on the all-weather surface at Dundalk, but on a brighter note, the drop to the minimum trip looks a mighty plus.
However, the ‘value’ call surely has to be with the AMO Racing charge REPOSADO. Last season, the son of Wootton Bassett raced over as far as an extended mile at Listowel, but he certainly has enough speed to be effective in a race of this nature, even with so much pace up top.
The run which points to his chance here came at Dundalk last time out, when he showed loads of speed after missing the start, and would probably have got back up and overhauled I’m Spartacus in another 75 yards.
This is the time of the year when ground conditions can change radically, and those horses rested through the depths of winter begin to come out to play again. That is very much the case with FLASH DU PISTOLET, who was certainly not totally disgraced in three soft ground events through the first two months of the year.
Beaten an aggregate of 40 lengths for those three runs, the son of Westerner scored back to back wins this time last year off 93 and 99, and now gets the chance to run off a rating of 103 despite the strength in depth here. However, the key to his chance is the spring ground and the drop back to a bare two miles, but on a stiff track.
Of his rivals, Great Pepper has also been given a chance by the handicapper and showed his chance was just around the corner with a good second to Tommy Combats last time out. The other starter to be wary of surely has to be course and distance winner Raffles Wonder, who won this race last year and has been very lightly raced since. He is set to race off only a 2lbs higher mark here, with his yard in fair form with a 14% strike rate in the last fortnight.
15:52 Carlisle – Inis Oirr
This 2024 Edinburgh National winner has been a wholesale disappointment since that success, having run 15 times since over both hurdles and fences. However, there is one major reason to fancy INIS OIRR here, as his best race in that fallow run of moderate form came over three miles here on his 2025/26 debut over the course and distance.
After turning into the home stretch out the back of the pack that afternoon, he very nearly ran down Dare to Shout. His jumping got better and better as the race went on, whereas he has been sloppy more than once this season under both codes. So the key to his chance surely has to be Derek Fox getting his partner into a good rhythm in the rear before once again making his move from the bottom of the hill.
The biggest player against the selection is possibly the well-weighted outsider President Scottie. The Nicky Richards’ trained charge was twice placed off marks in the early to mid 120’s this time last year, and now gets a chance to run off a lowly 110, with the in-form Danny McMenamin up top.
I probably think that most eyes will be on the returning Got A Dream, who was two from two on good ground at the beginning of the season, before side stepping the deeper winter ground. This will be his first run back for 138 days, but the son of Getaway has run well fresh in the past, and there is every chance that Nicky Martin’s charge will take another step forward. Indeed he must, for his first attempt over three miles off a career high mark of 115.
But DIAMATISTE could well be slightly over priced here under the competent amateur Darren Andrews, who has enough experience to make him a really good booking by Kayley Woollacott. The selection was a winner off 98 on heavy ground here over two and three quarter miles, staying on very strongly.
Since then, he has twice been placed off 109 and 110 over three miles on much better ground in slightly better races of late, so a mark of 110 seems very playable, and – tactically speaking – he can be put anywhere in a race as well.
Of the remaining eight runners, Ri Na Cuirte will also benefit from the return to spring ground, while local runner Kayf Dancer is set to run off a career-low handicap mark on only his seventh start over timber.
Paul Jacobs’ Sunday Value Racing Tips
13:35 Naas – Reposado
15:17 Carlisle – Flash Du Pistolet
15:52 Carlisle – Inis Oirr
16:47 Exeter – Diamatiste
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
Read MoreTap here for PP.com racing oddsThe Paddy Power Guide To Safer Gambling – Everything You Need To Know