PADDOCKS PATENT (WEDNESDAY)

13:50 Bangor This three mile handicap chase is a very competitive and will offer a jumping test plus the sharp nature of the track could have a few pumped along early on. With the ground still being described as good then Ballykan remains of interest after his third in the listed handicap chase at Market Rasen. Before that he should have had a three timer up but the start of that sequence saw him run out at Stratford when looking the likely winner. The cheekpieces have helped him concentrate on the job in hand and they’ve made him look a smart prospect. However he’s been winning over 2m4f and this step up to 3m may find him wanting in terms of stamina having been on the go all summer. Smooth Stepper returns from his summer break of 207-days. Sue Smith has had a few useful chasers in recent times and this seven year old could follow in their footsteps. If he finds the form of his Newcastle run from November last year then he looks a player, that run was off 127 and today he’s on 128, so could be well treated. He came to Bangor last year to make his reappearance and was a distant second with the third being Theinval now rated 148. Keep an eye on him today but he is one horse I’m having on my side this season. A chance is taken on Perfect Candidate. This nine year old is the top weight, so there is little margin for error but he did his winning last year at Cheltenham therefore should be suited by the Bangor circuit – plus he’s a previous course winner. Fergal O’Brien has started the jumps season in red hot form and this race could be with in his reach after finishing second on his return last year. He has won on good ground as recent as April and can go well once more for Conor Shoemark. Of the rest Valadom gets a quick mention. He was able to dictate at Uttoxeter two starts ago and showed he could be useful. He was sent hurdling when last seen and you can put a line through that effort. Back over fences he can make his presence felt despite the 10lb rise following the comfortable May success. Perfect Candidate (E/W) 19:05 Dundalk This 14-runner one mile handicap looks an intriguing contest for horses rated 45 to 65. Four year old Carrigeen Prince put in a career best performance when winning over course and distance 12-days ago and he did it quite nicely. He was drawn wide, so was forced to run quite wide and came down the middle to win going away in the end. On the bend he seemed to be caught on the heels of a rival in front of him and that saw him off the bridle but he was able to assert himself when the gap came. The handicapper hasn’t been overly harsh and if in the same vein of form can make his better draw here count to make it a quick double. Against The Breeze is another course winner and he came from an unpromising position to stay on stoutly under Tom Madden. The grey filly found plenty late on and put some distance between herself and the eventual second Twistsandturns. She’s gone up 3lb for that success and has to prove she is able to back that effort up here but she is definitely a player. The third in the race won by Against The Breeze was Patrick Martin’s Easy Boy and having watched the race replay a couple of times he caught the eye. The son of Rip Van Winkle travelled for a long way into the race and was the widest of them all coming into the straight. He stayed on nicely to claim the third place and the handicapper has actually dropped him a couple of pounds. Wayne Lordan takes the ride and the trainer has reached for first time cheekpieces. From box two he is in the equation if bringing that run to the table once again. Carrigeen Prince (E/W if 9/2+) 19:25 Kempton The Middle Distance Final Handicap over eleven furlongs under the Kempton floodlights could prove to be a hot race. Jeremy Noseda’s runners can be overbacked or open on the short side but Sixties Groove is the standout runner in this field returning to the scene of his win in June over track and trip. He’s continued to progress through the summer and after a win at Epsom at the start of July he then posted two further solid efforts, including the fourth at Newmarket when he was keen and things didn’t go his way in running. He could prove to be a better than the majority of these and with Adam Kirby getting the leg-up then he looks the most likely winner. Sam Missle has enjoyed his recent visits to this course having won by a head at the start of September before going down over this trip when given too much to do. George Baker takes over in the saddle, which might be seen as a positive and given this son of Smart Strike is slightly better drawn he could give the favourite plenty to thing about. Banish is one further down the betting that can’t be dismissed. He’s another son of Smart Strike and was down the field in the Newmarket handicap where Sixties Groove performed so well. Hugo Palmer’s charge performed quite well when winning here in September after being posted wide throughout. Drawn in stall three, if breaking from the stalls smartly he could be in prime position to strike under Josephine Gordon, especially if getting a tow into the race if Sennockian Star leads from stall one. Sixties Groove (WIN)