Galway Jack (14:10) is a course-and-distance winner at Southwell and looks the one to beat in the handicap chase at the track over an extended three miles this afternoon. Prolific in points, Caroline Bailey's seven-year-old found only very promising novice Rumbury Grey too good in hunter chases at Leicester before scoring readily in a soft-ground beginner's event just under a fortnight ago and looks as if he is still open to improvement, which can't be said about his five handicap rivals today. Timeform top rated by 6 lb, Galway Jack looks a standout bet at current odds.
With a number of his rivals in the listed Paradise Stakes over a mile at Kempton having questions to answer, the returning Skilful can make a smooth transition from high-end handicapper to stakes performer at 15:10. Having shed his maiden tag on polytrack, Skilful went on to win a mile handicap at Haydock prior to finishing a short-head second to Mia's Boy in a seven-furlong minor event at Doncaster, going with bags of enthusiasm in front and possibly pressed into committing a bit too soon, and it would be disappointing if he didn't have more to offer this term. Of the opposition, Saamidd hasn't been seen since flopping in last year's 2000 Guineas (tongue tied), Side Glance was well below form in a similar race last time, King Torus concedes 3 lb to the field and Sri Putra hasn't raced over a trip this short since his three-year-old days.
Maiden Only Orsenfoolsies (16:40) may have had more races than all bar Bapak Pintar in the ten-furlong handicap at Pontefract but he is proven on heavy ground and that should hold him in good stead this afternoon. The way Only Orsenfoolsies stuck to his task when third in a Beverley (7.5f) handicap off a 1 lb lower BHA mark last time suggested that he may benefit from the step up in trip and he may just be worth chancing at double-figure odds against the likes of Eshaab, Zain Princess and Danube River, the first-named yet to race on anything worse than good to soft and the last two having raced primarily and solely on polytrack.
Timeform SmartPlays
Back Galway Jack @ 3.5551/20 in the 14:10 at Southwell
Back Skilful @ 5.85/1 in the 15:10 at Kempton
Back Only Orsenfoolsies @ 10.09/1 in the 16:40 at Pontefract
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