Racing tips: Ilaraab looks the safest option in the opener at Newbury

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It was good to see the sole selection of the day win at Newcastle on AW Championship day. My Oberon was the class horse in the race, but didn't win it in the manner which I was hoping for, eventually winning by a nose.

Newbury 1:50

Carrying a penalty isn't ideal on seasonal reappearance for ILARAAB, but if William Haggas sees this as the best starting point for his season, then I don't think it will be an issue for him. I think this horse is the most progressive in this race, other than potentially Stowell, who is very lightly raced, but there's more substance to the form of Ilaraab.

He is a horse who has ran well before from an absence. He beat Raymond Tusk on his seasonal reappearance last year, winning by 3L in the style of a very good horse. His season didn't exactly progress from that point on, he was poor in the Ebor, before running some decent races at this track including a 3rd to Solid Stone and then beating Max Vega and others including Siskany who has since won a Listed race at Meydan.

I don't think this is a strong renewal, with Thunderous being the highest rated off a mark of 110. I think that mark is flattering, and he doesn't deserve to be that high. Ilaraab is the second highest off a mark of 108, but looks the most solid. Raymond Tusk has won on the flat 20 days ago, so arrives in good form, but the fact he was convincingly put it him spot by the selection suggests the same will happen again. Red Verdon is a 9yo now, so it would be disappointing if he was winning this. Max Vega will more than likely run his race, but chances are he'll come up short as he hasn't really progressed since his two wins as a 2yo. Stowell could come into his own this season, but he's been off for quite a while and his trainer's have said he's entitled to come on for the run.

Musselburgh 2:04

A horse who could get the running of this race and will be at the bottom of the weights is GOBI SUNSET. He is a horse who hasn't got the same amount of class as the others towards the top of the market, but this is a handicap, so the fact he gets a huge pull at the weights with the majority in this race makes him a fascinating runner in my opinion.

He has been running some cracking races over the winter on the AW, which has seen his record read 2,3,2 with his handicap mark going up by 1lb in the process. He has been a model of consistency, with him constantly running better races than his mark would suggest. He has recorded two runs of an RPR of 91 from the three runs on the AW. The runner-up finish behind Amber Island has been franked as that horse has since finished 2nd in her next run, before winning on turf yesterday, winning by 2.75L.

With fitness not being an issue, and turf not posing an issue, I think he could run a nice race from a prominent position and make use of his light weight he will be carrying under the promising 7lb claimer Jonny Peate.

Cork 3:25

One of my favourite trainers in Ireland is Paddy Twomey. What a talented and shrewd trainer he is. He doesn't have the largest stable, but what he does with the limited amount of horses is quite incredible. His SR of 27% over the last five years backs up what I have just said, and his runners at Cork are always worth a second look, as it's a track where he is notoriously good at.

Paddy won this race last year with Moll, so he knows the calibre of horse which is required to win this. It's interesting that he pitches in a stable debutante, RUMBLES OF THUNDER into this race. She is a filly who handles cut in the ground, so the soft going will be right up her street. She has some decent form when trained in France, running some okay races in Class 1 company. I'm hoping Paddy would've been able to squeak out a further bit of improvement, which he is so good at when obtaining horses from other yards, as if he has managed that, this is a very winnable race. Each Way player at the very least.

Haydock 4:29

A horse who I was a fan of over the start of the jumps season was AN TAILLIUR. I tipped him up on a couple of occasions, once at Exeter where he won, and once at kempton where he finished runner-up, which now looks a really big run. I mentioned when I last tipped him up that he is an owner's dream. He wins and does what is needed of him, so the handicapper can never really get the grips of him, as he wins by small margins. Off a mark of 129 I'd say there will be a fair amount of improvement to come from him, and the time away from the track shouldn't be a problem. He is a horse who clearly appreciated good ground, hence why he hasn't been seen since the back end of last year, and this has more than likely been a long term plan since he has been put away over the winter. Going back to his recent 2nd finish, at the time I thought it wasn't great form finishing second to Marie's Rock, but that isn't the case as that horse has since won a Class 1 Mares' race at Warwick, and then went on to win the Mares' Hurdle Grade 1 race at Cheltenham, and is now rated 147, which is 16lbs higher than when she beat An Tailliur.

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