Racing Insights, Monday 19/02/24

The pace tab on our racecards gives valuable insight into not only how every race is likely to be run, but also what the best run styles are in the given conditions and using this feature will keep you one step ahead of the masses. It's such an essential facet of betting that we make this information freely available to all readers for all races every Sunday and Monday, including of course, our free races of the day...

• 2.30 Carlisle
• 3.47 Lingfield
• 4.35 Carlisle
• 8.00 Wolverhampton

The highest-rated of those is the 4.35 Carlisle, a 5 (was 6) -runner, Class 3, 4yo+ handicap hurdle over a right-handed 2m3½f (after 77yds rail movement) on heavy ground...

FINGAL'S HILL won a Class 2 handicap here on Bonfire Day over 2m4½f last year for a fourth win on the bounce but hasn't quite hit the same heights in to starts since, but is down in class and weight here

BOOSTER BOB had a win and a place from his two bumper outings in Feb/April last year before a six-month break. He returned to action to October to start his hurdling career and is three from three so far in this sphere, all over 2m including a Listed success at Sandown last time out. Now down two classes for a handicap debut, is probably the one to beat.

RAFFERTY'S RETURN won three of his first seven over hurdles with a run of form reading 1214912 from early Jan '22 to mid-Jan '23, but has made the frame just once in seven runs since and was last home of four at Ayr, beaten by 26 lengths, last time out. He's now do in class and trip and wears both tongue tie and cheekpieces here for the first time, but others look more persuasive on form.

BETTER GETALONG has to be in the twilight of his career now at the age of 13, but this former course and distance winner comes here off the back of a win at Ayr last time out defying a 7-month absence to do so. A 5lb rise makes this tougher, but he's nothing if not game.

GLEN CANNEL makes just a second handicap appearance some 331 days after his first/last one when he was pulled up three out at Newbury having ran poorly if truth be told. He's very lightly raced with just five previous starts under his belt, but was placed in his sole bumper and finished 113 in his first three over hurdles prior to his disappointing handicap debut.

Instant Expert doesn't have a great deal of relevant recent form/data to work with, but enough to put another red mark against the name of Rafferty's Return...

Today's  feature is, of course, the PACE tab and clicking it gives us the following information...

...suggesting that Rafferty's Return will aim to set the pace here and that probably represents his best chance of getting involved here, if previous similar races are anything to go by...

Summary

Pace is the daily feature and can be ignored at your peril, but the pace stats here suggest that Booster Bob might well suffer, but on a reasonable opening handicap mark of 124, I'd expect him to take his hurdling record to 4 from 4 especially as he drops down two classes from winning a Listed event last time out. He is, of course, up in trip, but is 2 from 2 on heavy ground and whilst I think the bookies best price of 4/6 (7pm Sunday) is a little tight, he's the one I expect to win here, although I had him down as even money.

Instant Expert highlighted Fingal's Hill as a contender and both myself and the bookies agree and he has been installed as 5/1 second favourite, which is probably about right, but sadly too short for an E/W bet. If I was to have a couple of pennies on an E/W bet, I think 12/1 rank outsider Better Getalong is interesting. He's an LTO & CD winner and despite being 13 yrs old now, could possibly spring a surprise or two.

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