Sky Sports Racing serves up a busy Tuesday with jumps at Bangor-on-Dee followed by a full Wolverhampton Flat card.
2.15 Bangor-on-Dee — Planters Punch makes return
Nicky Henderson’s Planters Punch is back for the Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk EBF Junior “National Hunt” Hurdle after a winter break following his Hereford success in early November. The lightly raced four-year-old showed promise that day, defeating Aqua Bleu — a rival who has since returned to win three times. Aqua Bleu’s most recent victory came at the expense of Merci Mam, now rated 126, underlining the quality of that form.
He faces a compact but competitive field. Fergal O’Brien’s Molly’s Lad has been reliable, finishing in the placings in three of his last four outings. The Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero partnership saddle Masterfield and Crack Ops, while Georgina Nicholls’ Mistral St Georges hinted at potential on hurdling debut but fell at Newbury and remains something of an unknown quantity.
Also on the racing news front:
– Magnitude lands the Dubai World Cup after victories for Calandagan and Ombudsman
– Jack Channon’s Urban Lion nips Rogue Diplomat in a thrilling Lincoln
6.00 Wolverhampton — Lizzana among eleven
The BetMGM Supports Safer Gambling Fillies’ Restricted Novice Stakes features Marco Botti’s Lizzana, a Saxon Warrior filly who quickened clear to win at Kempton. Inexperienced but with a sharp turn of foot, she looks to have room for improvement and would be hard to beat if she reproduces that effort.
Among her rivals, Ammoony finished second to Touleen on debut with Zanthos third — form that has been boosted since by Zanthos’ Group Two Rockfel victory. Newcomers include Sayidah Aleen for Jack Channon, who enjoyed a big Doncaster day recently, and Ticker Tape for Clarehaven’s John and Thady Gosden.
7.30 Wolverhampton — Kolkata Knight and Simplify prominent
The Daily Profit Boosts At betmgm.co.uk Handicap brings together former winners Kolkata Knight and Simplify. Tom Dascombe’s Kolkata Knight, now gelded, scored at Haydock last September — his second win from five starts — and showed useful juvenile form, including when finishing behind Gstaad at Royal Ascot. If he has strengthened over the winter he should step up from two to three.
Simplify, trained by Andrew Balding, ran four times as a juvenile and closed out her season with a win at Thirsk in September; she is expected to progress beyond her current rating. James Tate’s Dark Angel Star also merits respect after finishing strongly into second at Chelmsford in October and could be competitive returning to action.