3.40pm Worcester Tips & Betting Preview 25/06/2017

More than £11,000 to the winner of the feature race on Sunday’s Worcester card. Read on for our runner by runner guide and tip to this two and a half mile handicap hurdle.

IN SUMMARY: Jacks Last Hope has improved for the fitting of a visor and should make another bold bid as a rare Chris Grant runner to the track. Three of these ran in a course and distance handicap last time out, very little split them there and Slim Pickens looks the most likely of the three to go close. The Dan Skelton yard have fired in the winners so far this season and in RENE’S GIRL they have a mare who still looks open to improvement, with the step back in trip a smart move after pulling too hard over further last time, she gets the vote to keep the yard’s flying form going.

1 JACKS LAST HOPE – The fitting of a visor has been the making of this horse in the last twelve months, scoring four times, seeing his mark rise from 110 to 139 for his troubles. Has beaten a pair of decent yardsticks for this grade the last twice in Sky Khan and Dell Arca, just two pounds higher for his beating of the latter at Aintree last time. Chris Grant hasn’t had a runner at Worcester within the last five years so his only representative on the card needs to be given plenty of respect.

2 MISS CRICK – Saw her mark rise twenty five pounds through the first few months of last season on an impressive run that featured four triumphs, including one over this course and distance. She returned to form last time when back on this track, narrowly going down in a driving finish, giving best to the re-opposing Mr McGuiness and Slim Pickens. She is worse off at the weights if her rider’s claim that day is taken into account so she needs to improve again.

3 RENE’S GIRL – The Dan Skelton yard have started this season in sparkling form, clocking up thirty two winners already from just one hundred and seven runners, including two from three runners here at Worcester. She had to give second best to the rejuvenated Big Easy at Warwick last time and this step down in trip shouldn’t be a problem, given she pulled hard through that contest. She is three pounds higher now but this will only be her twelfth career start so there should be more in the tank.

4 SLIM PICKENS – Split Mr McGuiness and Miss Crick over this course and distance last time, just nailed in the shadow of the post. Has been pushed up the handicap three pounds off the back of that but was competitive from similar marks earlier in his career so there is no reason that should stop him. Won on his only other visit to Worcester so clearly has an affinity for this place and boasts a solid each way chance.

5 WISHFULL DREAMING – A full brother to five time Grade 2 winner Wishfull Thinking, he still has a fair bit to prove from his position, firmly in his sibling’s shadow. He has been placed off a pound higher mark and with conditions to suit for powerful connections, he is likely to prove popular. He has failed to get round on two of his last four starts however and as such has a little to prove.

6 NATHANS PRIDE – Three pounds above his last winning mark, he showed his best form of 2017 when fitted with a tongue tie for the first time at Aintree when last we saw him. He was four and a half lengths behind Jacks Last Hope there and with a stronger pace early on, he would probably have done better still. The big concern is the form of the Tim Vaughan yard with just two winners from thirty eight runners so far this season.

7 SURF AND TURF – Ended a losing run stretching back almost two years at Hexham last time. He has won from a mark a full seventeen pounds higher over fences in the past so an eight pound lift may not be enough to stop another bold showing if in the same heart. He travels strongly through his races and even at the age of eleven, he is more than capable.

8 AFTER EIGHT SIVOLA – Has slipped to a tempting mark, two pounds below his last handicap win over hurdles. Has run well to a point back over hurdles the last twice following an aborted chasing campaign, but is going to have to improve on those efforts to get his head in front in this class of field.

9 MR MCGUINESS – Sprung a bit of a shock when beating a couple of these over course and distance last time out. He has more to do from a four pound higher mark, especially given the impression that it fell into his lap a little on the run-in. He is only a seven year old though so perhaps is capable of better but the likelihood is that he will need to be.