Free horse racing tips for Perth on Monday from Andy Stephens

The nights are pulling in. The cricket season is ending. The final domestic Classic of the season is less than a week away. And the news wires on Sunday included copy being filed on . It all means one thing . . . that the core Jumps season is looming closer. 

I think most would agree that the Jump season “proper” starts with Chepstow’s Unibet Jump Season Opener, which is only 33 days away. And on Monday there are Jump meetings in England, Ireland and Scotland to also start getting the juices flowing. 

Of course, the Jump season got under way in May. Sean Bowen has ridden 45 winners in his quest to go one better in the Jockeys’ Championship, but Harry Skelton is hot on his heels with 43 and must be fancying his chances of regaining the title he won in 2020/21. 

Harry Cobden, the champion, has only 18 winners to his name and, in all likelihood, will drop further off the pace over the coming weeks. For instance, he is not in action on Monday, whereas Bowen has a full book of eight rides at . It’s at that meeting, live on Racing TV, where I have three selections. 

This 2m4f novices’ handicap chase is almost a replica of the one that was run over course and distance last month when fended off the late challenge of Parisencore, with Garde Des Champs and Mahons Glory back in third and fourth. 

He also showed a willing attitude to prevail after previous near-misses at Uttoxeter and Newton Abbot and I fancy him to confirm the form, not least because, like last time, there is the prospect of him getting a softish time at the head of affairs under Brian Hughes. 

The RaceiQ data reveals the seven-year-old would almost certainly have won at at Uttoxeter and Newton Abbot, too, had he jumped a bit better, as he surrendered many lengths to his conquerors. He got the job done at Perth despite Parisencore and Gardes Des Champs also being slicker in getting from A to B. 

Overall, though, Dripsey Moon jumped cleanly at Perth and he is definitely improving in that department. That spells bad news for his rivals here. 

I’d imagine the Gordon Elliott-trained Leading Lion will be popular here after his emphatic win at Bellewstown last time. 

He was exploiting a mark that was favourable given his level of form on the Flat but the market didn’t speak for him and he’s gone up 10lb in the ratings, plus is dropping back half a mile in trip. The son of Roaring Lion has also been a non-runner four times in the past month because of various types of ground being deemed unsuitable – including twice since his win – and at the likely prices he is not for me. 

remains relatively unexposed over 2m and he makes more appeal after winning a competitive 12-runner contest over course and distance last month. It got a bit messy that day after the second-last hurdle was omitted but the form makes sense as the runner-up was chasing a five-timer and the sixth, Castle Gandolfo, had previously won Market Rasen’s Summer Hurdle. 

Here Comes Georgie has been nudged up 3lb to a mark of 113 but that looks fair and it’s worth remembering his exploits as a novice last season included mastering the now 129-rated Cracking Rhapsody (gave 7lb) at Carlisle. 

Nakassama has offered little in three 2m maiden hurdles in his native Ireland, going off at big prices each time and being beaten an aggregate of 108 lengths. 

It may just be a different story switched to these shores and upped in distance on his handicap debut. There’s little doubt an opening mark of 93 may completely underestimate a horse who has shown a fair level of ability at up to 12 furlongs on the Flat. 

He ran twice in four days on the level at the Galway Festival after those spins over hurdles, with his keeping-on fourth on the latter occasion, off a mark of 75, suggesting he’s not going to be a maiden are for too much longer, for all he hasn’t look the most straightforward conveyance on occasions. 

Noel Kelly, his trainer, has his team in good order (five winners from his past 20 runners) and struck with two of his eight runners at Perth last season. Both wins came in handicap hurdles, with the win of the gambled-on Cave Court leading to the stewards interviewing Kelly about the maiden’s apparent improvement. It will certainly be interesting to see which way Nakassama travels in the market.