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Horse racing: Can AP bounce back with a win? Corsican!
The tough-as-teak Tony McCoy returns to the saddle at Warwick tomorrow – barely three weeks after fracturing his ribs at the end of December.
The undisputed champ is determination personified and expect him to come back with a winner on either Corsican Boy (1.25pm) or God Of The Kop (4.25pm) – if not both.
That duo are McCoy’s first two booked rides back and both are for talented trainer Rebecca Curtis, whom AP has a superb record with.
Both also have very similar credentials having been runners-up on their respective debuts and it would be no surprise whatsoever to see both strike – especially the former with a jockey clearly looking to come back on a high.
Corsican Boy also has a great chance on form having been only narrowly beaten by the fairly-smart Memorabilia on his debut and everything points to him going one better tomorrow afternoon.
God Of The Kop also looks a highly- likely winner – McCoy also on board for this one’s debut when he was brushed aside by Nicky Henderson’s Barenger who is definitely very smart, even if he did disappoint last time out.
My money is on an AP/Curtis double but should the champ’s return not go to plan we’ll be left with Kempton’s all-weather evening card on which to make our dough.
It’s an understatement to say it’s not the greatest card in the world but that doesn’t stop Nacho Libre looking like a good thing in the last race of the night for Michael Easterby and Paddy Aspell.
Like Marajaa, who runs today, this is another horse that should have won last time out but, like Marajaa, Nacho Libre, was given far too much to do.
The seven-year-old had been backed down from around 9-1 to 9-2 and was clearly expected to win and he would have beaten favourite Shaunas Spirit had he begun his charge for home sooner.
Mark
Shaunas Spirit has flopped since but there is no denying that Nacho Libre is on an attractive mark which has stayed unchanged despite his narrow defeat the other day.
The horse is at present rated 54 but Nacho Libre was once rated as high as 101 and while that may have been back in 2008, even only in 2010 he won a handicap off 61.
He probably has about a stone in hand and it is no surprise to see Easterby’s charge entered in four handicaps this week.
The form of the Easterby yard is another plus and in what is a very poor race it will be hugely disappointing if Nacho Libre is beaten.
He looks comfortably the best bet of the night but three others that should go very well are Storm Runner (4.35pm), Blueberry Fizz (5.05pm) and First Rock (6.05pm).
Storm Runner still appeals as being reasonably well handicapped as he’d have been much closer last time but for meeting trouble in running and basically starting his run too late.
If Ryan Clark can keep him closer to the pace time, he could well go in again.
Blueberry Fizz, meanwhile, has now been third or second on each of her last five runs and indeed the John Ryan runner has never won.
To make matters worse she’s gone up 2lbs for finishing second the other week but this is a woeful race and this trier is going to win eventually.
Finally, we’ll side with First Rock in the 6.05pm as he looks more straightforward than main danger Unex Picasso and probably won a bit easier than it appeared last time.
Fingers crossed for a good day and welcome back AP!
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
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