5:28 Downpatrick Tips

Won over course and distance from this mark over hurdles last month. He won by 14L, so his hurdles mark would be significantly higher. So it makes sense to try and take advantage of this mark over fences.

The selection has a record of 2 wins, 4 places from 5 runs in chases. 2 wins from 2 at this track. Now rated 110 and has placed off this mark before without a claimer. Was unsuited LTO on the softer ground, will prefer todays sounder surface. Likes to race from he front which is a good position to be in round this track.

Starting to come back down to a more workable mark, and his last two wins have both come on an undulating right-handed track, so this course should be fine. Solid 7lb claimer takes a bit of the burden off.

Wajaaha is a 10-year-old gelding trained by Patrick J McKenna and ridden by 5lb conditional G B Noonan, a jockey riding with confidence at the moment. He is a horse who isn't getting any younger, but there are some reasons to be optimistic. He has 5/73 wins over hurdles, posting a career-high RPR of 138 and in decline in that sphere, yet remains unexposed as a chaser with just three starts. He's run just twice at Downpatrick and finished 2-2, the latter a 1/2l defeat on penultimate start behind Lakefield Flyer (received 1lb). They meet again today, having finished 8l ahead of the rest. Today, Wajaaha receives 2lb from the same rival. Whilst he was disappointing on the last start when finishing 4/4, it was a far superior chase with his three rivals rated between 117-134, and today's 0-120 represents a drop in grade. He has a chance if he's at his best on a track he has a liking for based on past form.

It's harder to make a case for this one, but I'm hoping that with the yard starting to fire, a little each way wager could make a profit, now he's back over fences.