Friday Racing Tips: Time to get back to Balko

Jump racing holds sway across the UK and Ireland on Friday afternoon with four meetings taking place before we switch to the all-weather for two evening Flat cards.

First off is Fairyhouse before Catterick is followed by Ascot and then Chepstow. Southwell dovetails with the afternoon action ahead of the final meeting of the day at Dundalk.

Among our Thursday fancies is a horse who attempts to repeat his victory in the same race 12 months ago.

12.05 Catterick - Balkotic @ 5/1

Micky Hammond’s BALKOTIC produced a game effort in this race last year and is handicapped to go in again.

Sent to the front by Emma Smith-Chaston on that occasion, the 7YO looked to have a fight on his hands when Sure Touch - a fair sort for Olly Murphy - loomed up and headed him approaching the last.

But he dug deep on the run-in, showing tremendous battling qualities to get back up and worry his rival out of it.

Subsequently absent for 179 days, he came back with three lesser efforts, but after another smaller break, there have been definite signs of life - particularly on his last start.

Although only fifth of six, he shaped with much more encouragement at Wetherby and that effort represented his best for nearly a year. It can be marked up further as he stumbled around the home turn.

He looks to have timed his renaissance to perfection and, 1lb lower than last year, can repeat the feat under the ever-reliable Smith-Chaston.

13.05 Chepstow - Romancero Le Dun @ 9/2

Keep a look out for Jane Williams’ ROMANCERO LE DUN when this fascinating juvenile chaser makes his debut over fences.

The sight of 4YOs having a taste of chasing used to be a fairly common sight not so long ago but it largely seems to have gone out of fashion these days, although it’s easy to see why connections are bucking the trend with this lad.

He’s a real bull of a horse.

That said, he still showed a good level of ability in his first season’s racing over hurdles, winning his first two completed starts and giving Amoola Gold plenty to think about on his final start, at this track, in April.

However, he jumps hurdles like he wants a fence and certainly has the size and scope for this game.

It will be disappointing if he doesn’t make a much better chaser and, in receipt of a handy weight-for-age allowance now he switches to the larger obstacles, it will likely take a well-handicapped rival to lower his colours.

14.35 Ascot - Jilaijone @ 7/2

Most punters would rightly question a horse who had finished runner-up on his last four starts.

In the case of David Pipe’s JILAIJONE, though, they can rest easy.

The 4YO went down all guns blazing when sent to Clairefontaine in September and did well to push Harry Derham’s Shared all the way next time at Chepstow, when he’d been a bit gassy early on in the race.

Sent to Cheltenham last time for a fairly valuable conditions hurdle, in which they all ran off level weights, the gelding looked to have plenty to do on paper with only one rival rated lower than him.

However, he ran a cracker, beating all bar one who he’d have been receiving 20lb from in a handicap. Pleasingly, the handicapper hasn’t gone mad post-race, raising him 7lb to 125.

On a strict reading of the form, he could have expected much worse.

There must be doubts about the current form of Gin Coco so it’s worth trusting that form and going with this improving youngster to break his run of seconds.

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