Wednesday Racing Tips: Popmaster can gain revenge

There are five meetings scheduled to take place in Britain and Ireland on Wednesday, three jumps cards and a pair of AW Flat fixtures, one of which will be run under the lights.

Punchestown gets the action underway at 12.28, closely followed by Kempton (12.50), Ludlow (1.13) and Sedgefield (1.32). Newcastle’s bumper nine-race card concludes proceedings, the first race at the Northumberland track scheduled for 4.23.  Amongst our Wednesday fancies is one for trainer Ed Walker, who was only narrowly beaten last time and gets a small pull at the weights with his conqueror.

13:13 Ludlow - Down To Business @ 5/2

A half-brother to a couple of 7f winners, DOWN TO BUSINESS wasn’t guaranteed to stay 2m over hurdles, but he came home strongly for a never-nearer third on his debut for Dan Skelton at Newbury and ran well for a long way at Ascot before that track’s stiff finish found him out.

The son of Ghaiyyath showed some fair form on the Flat for Andrew Oliver in Ireland last year, his fourth and last outing for that trainer proving the best, as he ran to a Racing Post Rating of 82 when third of 15 over 1m2f in a maiden at The Curragh in September.

He was set a lot to do by Harry Skelton on his hurdling debut behind a runaway early leader, and was still only in sixth jumping the final flight. However, he really took off on the run-in and was eating up the ground late. He was beaten almost ten lengths, but it was clearly an eye-catching effort and this speed track should play to his strengths.

14:00 Kempton  - Popmaster @ 11/2

There was only a neck to separate The Lost King and POPMASTER when they met over 7f here last month and, with Ed Walker’s charge meeting with some interference over a furlong out on that occasion, there’s reason to believe he’ll be capable of turning the tables on these marginally better terms.

The eight-year-old has not won since landing a Listed race at Newbury in September 2023, but he’s rarely finished out the money over the past 12 months and has run to Racing Post Ratings of 100 or above three times during that period, including last time.

Tom Marquand is a good booking and the yard could hardly be in better form, having struck with three of their seven runners over the last fortnight.