5.00pm Yarmouth Tips & Betting Preview 25/04/2017

This is a tricky handicap over 6 furlongs, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: Simon Crisford’s ETIKAAL has a lovely looking profile and he should really progress as a 3yo this season. He’s dropped back to 6 furlongs today and that should unlock more improvement on handicap debut and he should take all the beating in this. Sitar is an interesting runner for the James Fanshawe yard given she looks on a workable mark whilst Supreme Power is a fascinating ride for Silvestre De Sousa.

1 ETIKAAL– Just touched off at Kempton last September when sent off 11/10 over today’s trip. He was stepped up in trip to 7 furlong at York in October and a combination of the trip and class of the race saw him finish sixth of the thirteen strong field. He’s been gelded since and should do well as a 3yo now raced over 6 furlongs on this fast ground. A likely improver off a fair opening mark of 77. Will have to be race fit to win today.

2 NIBRAS AGAIN – Handicap debut today off a mark of 75 which looks about right following two placed efforts last season at 2. He finishing ninth of 26 at Newmarket in a valuable Auction Stakes race and should be capable of better in handicaps over 6 furlongs. The yard have an 11% strike rate here and they have been pretty quiet of late so it may be worth looking elsewhere today following his return from as 189-day break.

3 STANHOPE – Has course form finishing third of nine behind a subsequent improver last season off a 5lb higher mark. He didn’t finish out of the places on all six career starts last season and whilst vulnerable to a few unexposed types, should give his running again. He’s dropped another 2lbs in the weights and the booking of Pat Cosgrave suggests he’s ready off this 183-day break. Intriguing sort worth close market attention.

4 HALAWAIN – Broke his maiden tag at Nottingham over 6 furlongs on Good to Firm ground so today’s conditions should be ideal. He was undone by the softer ground at Ayr last September and he will do better now having been gelded over the winter. A mark of 75 isn’t beyond him and he’s another that would interest if sufficient market support arrived. Impossible to rule out.

5 TRICK OF THE LIGHT – Lightly-raced sort who was gelded over the winter following a satisfactory fifth of 15 over 5 furlongs at Windsor on Good to Firm ground. He’s stepped back up in trip today which is interesting given he’s shown plenty of speed and he’s likely to do better this year for a yard in hot form of late (33% strike rate in the past fortnight). He remains on a mark of 75 and shouldn’t be far away with Andrea Atzeni booked.

6 COMPRISE – Got off the mark at a short price back in March over 6 furlongs at Southwell. He had shown some good ability in two decent enough maidens last September and he’s just the sort to go on as a 3yo for the Michael Bell stable. The yard have been quiet of late and only have an 8% strike rate here so there are slight negatives but he’s race fit and a mark of 74 shouldn’t be an issue.

7 PARYS MOUNTAIN – Gelded son of Dark Angel who showed promise last season without recording a victory. He has a little bit to find on form with a few of these but he should run to a better standard now returned to 6 furlongs on Good to Firm ground. He may just need this following his gelding operation and 188-day break and the percentage call is to oppose him here off just 1lb lower.

8 SITAR – Handicap debut today for James Fanshawe who has an excellent 20% strike rate here. There was plenty of money for her in a Leicester maiden last October when sent off at 7/4 in very similar conditions to today’s so it was disappointing to see her finish third. She should do better as a 3yo and there is surely plenty to work with now she’s eligible for handicaps. She could be lingering on a nice mark and is worth close attention.

9 SUPREME POWER – Was well-supported on his final start of last season over 6 furlongs at Chelmsford. He couldn’t reach the leaders that day and he should find this a slightly easier task receiving plenty of weight from his rivals. The booking of Silvestre De Sousa catches the eye given he probably had a few options in this and the market support suggests he’s been pleasing at home. Interesting off a break with a gelding operation having been done.

10 EDGED IN BLUE – Well held off just 1lb higher in a weaker race than this back in February and that was disappointing given she had shown some ability in 6 furlong maidens. The drop back in trip to this distance may aid her chances but that last run was disappointing and others have more progressive profiles in this. Best watched today.

11 PERCY TOPLIS – Races from a pound out of the handicap and he was thrashed on his seasonal return when finishing last of thirteen, beaten 19 lengths. He won off a mark of 67 so certainly has some potential but he has clearly lost his way and the stable have an incredibly poor strike rate here of just 2% (2 winners from 61 runners). Others make plenty more appeal and he’ll be better off in a weaker handicap than this.