3.25pm Bath Tips & Preview – myracing Meeting 01/05/2017

IN SUMMARY: The Malcolm Saunders trained SECRETFACT progressed rapidly towards the end of last season and looks to have a major chance of winning this following a promising seasonal reappearance at Windsor where he was unlucky in running. Returning to this track, the scene of his last two wins, is an obvious plus and Jimmy Quinn knows the horse well. Powerful Dream looks to be the main danger in blinkers for the first time but he needs to bounce back having been below-par at Wolverhampton last week.

1 Secretfact – The penny took a while to drop for this four year old but he progressed rapidly at the end of last season, winning over course and distance twice off marks of 52 and then 65 in September. He ran well on seasonal reappearance a week ago at Windsor when being badly impeded, and off the same mark here will be extremely competitive. Has to be respected with previous form on this going and looks sure to be one of the major contenders when the going gets tough.

2 Flying Bear – Five wins from 36 starts for this six year old who races here off nine pounds lower than his All Weather mark. He was in good form until his final start at Kempton when never getting involved, and ran well on the flat turf twice prior to that off this same mark, finishing third each time. Clearly prefers the synthetic surfaces and while he is well handicapped he has struggled to win recently off similar marks so vulnerable again today for win purposes following his winter break.

3 Dodgy Bob – Showed great initial promise as a two year old when gaining an opening handicap mark of 87, but aside from a win at Hamilton in May 2016 he has found things difficult and his mark has plummeted to just 68 as a result. He has been sold and moved yards since finishing fourth at Wolverhampton last time out in a Seller, and while he has attracted money on recent occasions his failure to win in weaker company is offputting.

4 Powerful Dream – Last seen nine days ago when running poorly over this trip on the All Weather, but had been in solid form before that with form figures of 4123 on his four starts prior. He boasts a win and a second place from three starts over course and distance, all of which have come on Firm going, so conditions should suit, although he has work to do to turn form around with our tip Zipedeedodah based on their meetings in November at Wolverhampton. He should go well and holds chances if returning to form.

5 Zipedeedodah – Five year old who found improvement over the winter to win three times on the All Weather, all at this distance, and who is now rated fourteen pounds lower on the turf than that surface. He ran here at Bath two weeks ago over course and distance on Firm ground, finishing a close fourth with today’s jockey on board, and this offers an excellent opportunity back in Class 5 company for the first time since his last victory.

6 Swendab – Started his 100th race three weeks ago at Kempton when finishing fifth, but he holds an enviable strike rate with nine victories from 66 starts on the flat turf. He won his penultimate start on the All Weather at Kempton off a mark of 55 but his turf mark remains ten pounds higher despite his last attempt seeing him finish well beaten over 5.5 furlongs here at Bath in October 2016. He hasn’t been showing enough recently to suggest that victory off this mark is within his reach, having largely struggled off marks in the high 60s last summer.

7 Frank The Barber – Steph Hollinhead’s five year old has seen plenty of racing in his career so far, with 43 starts in total. Despite winning three times on the All Weather, he remains a maiden on the flat after fifteen attempts, although his mark is five pounds lower than on synthetic surfaces. He looks set to be turned out quickly having finished third at Nottingham nine days ago at a big price, but he was no match for the winner that day and this is set to be his fourth run in five weeks. If running to the peak of his recent All Weather form, he would be competitive, but his strike rate on the flat is off putting.