Horse Racing Tips: Nemean Lion can roar at Fontwell

Jump racing holds sway across the UK and Ireland on Sunday with three meetings taking place across the afternoon.

First off is Hereford before they go at Naas and Fontwell.

Amongst our Sunday fancies is one for trainer Kerry Lee who will be looking at bringing up a hat-trick of wins today.

14:50 Naas - Joystick @ 4/1

Having won a bumper in impressive fashion back in December 2023 expectations for this season were high for the Willie Mullins-trained Joystick, however he has not quite hit the heights connections were hoping for yet. 

He started this season off well, with a fourth place at Punchestown, where after being off the track for nearly a year, he showed a great attitude throughout and raced prominently but a mistake at the last ultimately cost him, however it was a good start. 

He followed that up with a hard fought win at Naas in January. Leading the whole way round he again showed his determination to grind out the win. 

He was next seen in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown three weeks ago and slightly disappointed when he ran well but weakened toward the business end of the race and was pulled up before the last hurdle. 

It is possible that he is being overlooked because of the disappointment of his last run, however, he can be forgiven for that run as it may have come a bit too soon for him. 

The positives for him are that he is back down in trip to two and a half miles which looks to be more to his liking and now in calmer waters in a Grade 3 he has a good chance to bounce back.

15:00 Fontwell - Nemean Lion @ 6/4

The Kerry Lee-trained Nemean Lion has been in sensational form this season and will look to continue his purple patch here. 

He finished some way back in the Champion Hurdle and the Aintree Hurdle at the end of last season, however, he showed his class from the off this season with a battling second place at Sandown off top weight in less than favourable conditions. 

He then followed up with back to back wins first at Hereford and then last month at Windsor. 

His win at Windsor was particularly eye-catching as he made a mistake three from home and had to really dig deep to get to the front, but managed it well showing that he has retained all of his ability. 

He was taken out of the Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock last weekend due to ground conditions not being in his favour, but connections must be happy with him to get him in this race.

15:50 Naas - Patter Merchant @ 12/1

Patter Merchant made the perfect start to his hurdling career when winning very well at Galway in October, but things have not gone his way since. 

He showed that he has plenty of stamina with his win at Galway, but his performances since have been less than inspiring with a number of middling performances over slightly shorter trips often finishing way back from the winners. 

However, he looks to have turned a corner when finishing fifth in a Listed Race at Leopardstown last time out. It was his first attempt at three miles and it seemingly brought out some improvement in him. 

He ran prominently through the race and had every chance when turning for home, however, he seemed to weaken in the closing stages. 

It was a good attempt nonetheless and this two-mile-seven-furlong trip in calmer waters seems a logical next step for him to get back to winning ways. 

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