Horse Racing Tips: Three to back at Pontefract & Wolverhampton on Monday from Betfair racing trader Frank Hickey

14:53, Pontefract - Back Game Character @ 7/24.50

1 (3)

Game Character

• J: David Probert
• T: Hugo Palmer
• F: 531

• SBK 4/1
• EXC 6.2

Pontefract's going currently reads good to soft (soft in places), with approximately 9mm of rain forecast before racing on Monday, so soft ground looks likely at the very least. Testing conditions should really suit Game Character, who showed real toughness when breaking his maiden over a mile on heavy ground at Haydock last time.

Royal Acclamation, who finished second that day, franked the form by winning impressively at Goodwood on his next start, suggesting the Haydock contest was a strong one.

Following that victory, Game Character's trainer, Hugo Palmer, raised the possibility of supplementing him for a Group 1 at Saint-Cloud, suggesting he is held in high regard. That would indicate Listed company should be well within his capabilities, particularly with conditions playing to his strengths.

I think Game Character has been underestimated in the early market, given his recent performance and the potential for further improvement. It wouldn't surprise me to see him challenging for favouritism come the off.

16:55, Pontefract - Back Another Baar E/W @ 4/15.00

3 (2)

Another Baar

• J: M. P. Sheehy
• T: Adrian Keatley
• F: 00607077

• SBK 7/2
• EXC 4

Another Baar is a speculative selection, having failed to finish better than seventh in any of his seven starts since returning from Bahrain this season, and having started at 22/123.00 or bigger on those occasions.

That said, there was promise in his seventh, beaten just two and a half lengths, in the Ayr Silver Cup two starts ago, when he may have been disadvantaged by his draw among the high numbers.

Another Baar won four times between August and September last season, with the last of those victories coming off a mark of 82, leaving him just a pound higher here. He is versatile regarding the going but is particularly effective with plenty of cut, so the forecast rain should suit him well.

Drawn in stall two, he could get to the lead and dictate matters from the front, while the drop back to five furlongs should also be in his favour. His two previous visits to Pontefract yielded second places, beaten a short head and a head, respectively. Those near misses provide further encouragement, and he looks capable of outrunning his big price if conditions fall right.

18:15, Wolverhampton - Back Knebworth @ 11/26.50

2 (9)

Knebworth

• J: Donagh Murphy
• T: Richard Hughes
• F: 60-112003

• SBK 11/2
• EXC 5.3

Knebworth shaped really well last week in a higher grade than this when beaten just a length by the well-backed Fast Harry at Kempton. That performance further enhanced his solid all-weather record, which now stands at five wins, four seconds and a third from 16 starts on an artificial surface.

He gets to run off the same mark here, and his last start at Wolverhampton, in March, resulted in a win off a mark of 87. His draw in stall nine might prove a little tricky, but he showed excellent gate speed at Kempton last week and, if breaking similarly here, he could prove difficult to peg back.

The drop in class looks a positive, while Donnagh Murphy takes a further 5lb off his back. Given his recent effort, strong all-weather record and previous success at this track, there is plenty to like about his chances. With conditions and the handicap mark in his favour, Knebworth looks capable of running a huge race.

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