Wednesday’s Racing Tips: Rocking Man to shine at Hereford

Two of the three meetings in the UK on Wednesday are over jumps. They race at Wincanton and Hereford, before an evening all-weather card from Kempton. 

We have three Wednesday fancies to follow, including a promising young horse bidding to defy a penalty in the concluding bumper at Hereford. 

5.15 Hereford - Rocking Man @ 6/4

ROCKING MAN makes significant appeal in the Class 5 extended 2m bumper that concludes Hereford's card on Wednesday afternoon. 

The selection is representing the South Glamorgan handler Sam Thomas whose horses have a noteworthy 71% Run-To-Form figure in the past 14 days. Thomas is 3-8 (38% +£12.60) with his runners in bumpers at Hereford and Sam Twiston-Davies is continuing his association in the saddle. Twiston-Davies is 35-172 (20%) when riding for Thomas. 

The five-year-old made an impressive winning debut over 2m on heavy ground at Chepstow in November, registering a Racing Post Rating (RPR) of 115, and produced an improved RPR of 118, and a significant Topspeed figure of 100, when a relatively close second under a penalty back at Chepstow in a Class 3 contest on Welsh Grand National day in December. 

Leech, the 21-length third, has since franked the form with a win of his own at Chepstow, and Hereford should suit Rocking Man as he bids to defy that penalty for a second time, back in a lower grade after a break. 

5.30 Kempton - Mukaafah @ 11/4 

MUKAAFAH is also fancied to defy a penalty in the Class 4 6f three-year-old Novice Stakes which opens Kempton's card on Wednesday evening. 

The Blue Point colt finished about five lengths fourth of nine when favourite to make a winning debut over 6f on soft ground at Yarmouth in October. 

He then proved that this course and distance on standard to slow Polytrack was much more suitable when improving markedly to justify favouritism with an unchallenged success at the Sunbury venue from stall one in November. 

The selection remains open to more improvement returning to the all-weather at Kempton under a penalty after a 133-day break and is fancied to dominate once again from the same draw. 

2.40 Hereford - Stay If U Want To @ 3/1

STAY IF U WANT TO is the final suggestion in the Class 4 extended 2m4f Maiden Hurdle that opens Hereford's card. 

The selection ran out a game winner of a Market Rasen bumper on good to soft ground in November 2023. 

He then produced a really encouraging second on his debut over hurdles over an extended 1m7f on soft ground at Catterick in February, showing his inexperience before running on well as if a step up in trip would really suit. 

There is an abundance of stamina in his pedigree which also suggests this longer trip is going to suit and he is fancied to find the circa 12lb of improvement which will likely be required to get the better of the more exposed standard-setter El Granjero.