/ Editor / 23 February 2007 /

Shedding light on Jonjo O'Neill's decision to throw City Streets in at the deep end on his handicap debut at Sandown (15.55) is not easy as the five-year-old has only ever been seen out once in public.

On that occasion, City Streets, allowed to go off at 20-1, wasn't apparently fancied at Taunton in novices' company, nonetheless he won doing handsprings under Noel Fehily's guidance.

Tony McCoy now takes over on the J P McManus-owned gelding, about whom from a form perspective we know little, therefore investors must rely on market signals to assess the strength of stable confidence behind the unexposed five-year-old.

Even though Windsor Boy was pulled up on his sole outing this season, he is rated around 10lbs higher over fences, so must be regarded as well-treated on this return to hurdles. Windsor Boy also boasts a superb strike-rate of nine wins from 38 starts and hails from David Pipe's in-form yard. He must enter calculations unless this race is prep for bigger things such as next month's Cheltenham Festival.

Carrying top-weight will be no easy task for Heir To Be, especially if he's still in contention come the stiff uphill finish. Lucy Wadham's gelding remains 6lbs higher than his lifetime-best winning rating, but at least his conditional jockey is able to take 10lbs off his back.

Danse Macabre, who notched back-to-back 2m course wins at this time last year, hasn't cut much ice since being sent chasing and is now reverting to a medium at which he's excelled in the past.

His stable are shrewd operators and significant market support would suggest Danse Macabre is approaching concert pitch.

Fingers were burnt when Midas Way failed to justify favouritism at Chepstow last time and his backers will seek to recoup in both the win and place markets if they believe their charge to be in tip-top shape.


Moorlands to the fore once Again

The tried-and-tested formula of backing horses-for-courses will be in many backers' thoughts in Warwick's 3m5f Handicap Chase (16.05) as Moorlands Again bids to repeat his 2006 success in the stamina-sapping contest.

An out-and-out marathon merchant, Moorlands Again even found 3m1f too short when hitting a mid-race flat spot before rallying in resolute fashion to nab third place at Wetherby last time out. Now faced with an extra half-mile to bring his bottomless reserves of stamina to the table, Moorlands Again, 5lbs lower than when prevailing 12 months ago, has the dice loaded in his favour.

Run For Paddy, last-gasp short-head winner of the 2006 Scottish Grand National (4m1f), is a good old-fashioned street-fighter. The 11-year-old will not crack under pressure; however his prospects of reversing the 3l beating Moorlands Again gave him in this race last year are not helped by being 5lbs worse off at the weights.

In-running players will doubtless have their eyes firmly fixed on Baron Windrush, 22lbs lower than recording a course and distance success in 2005. The nine-year-old's been on the decline for a while, but there were faint signs of a revival two starts ago, and if you buy into the theory the first-time blinkers didn't suit at Stratford earlier this month, then he could spring a mini-surprise with the headgear off.

The remarkable 15-year-old, Mr Dow Jones, has never won off his current mark of 114; nonetheless he's enjoying an incredible renaissance and with conditions posing no problems, is likely to be supported to small stakes.

Ile de Paris, successful in a Beginners' Chase at Exeter for Philip Hobbs, has switched trainers and made the frame three times over hurdles for Richard Lee; however he looks up against it taking on some battle-hardened chasers.


Granakey to take switch in his stride

Plenty of in-form horses line up for a typically-competitive Wolverhampton handicap (17.20) none more so than hat-trick seeking Pop Music, while having won two from three on Southwell's fibresand, Granakey tries his luck on this much faster surface.

Granakey has attracted the services of top-lightweight jockey, Jimmy Quinn, a combination which some may feel is vulnerable by virtue of stepping up in distance and switching surfaces. It's not an easy one to call, however she's a progressive sort and unless trading suggests otherwise, there's every chance the filly will cope.

Pop Music's form figures ably demonstrate what a great friend he's been to win and place players of late, and even though climbing steadily in the weights, rates a risky proposition for those inclined to the lay side of the market.

The Willie Musson team left their money behind when Pop Music narrowly accounted for Sarwin over course and distance in January. Apprentice Debra England now takes over from Tom Queally on Sarwin, a perfectly understandable ploy since Debra's 7lbs allowance could prove decisive if the pair reproduce the form pound-for-pound.

Once the market begins trading in earnest there should be no problem judging whether Penang Cinta is expected to go well since he landed a substantial track and trip gamble 11 days ago. Penang Cinta must shoulder a 6lbs penalty for that success and if the money once again speaks in his favour, another big run could follow.

Leading all-weather rider, Chris Catlin, has been booked for Irish reader, More Votes, who despite a 160-day absence from action cannot be discounted, especially if supported accordingly.

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