Horse racing tips: Let's Go Hugo down to winnable mark

An afternoon dominated by small field handicaps means there are few opportunities for me to get involved and it will certainly be a low key day for me before what is a fantastic weekend ahead.

Doralee’s last run last season was disappointing but, previous to that, she was progressing at a modest rate in her three previous starts, finishing placed in two maiden sprints in the summer. She is bred purely for speed, so 5f handicaps are clearly the way to go with her and, if she has progressed after a winter break, she might improve past some modest rivals. David and Nicola Barron have made a strong start to this season which is encouraging and the amazing Joe Fanning is showing no signs of declining with age. 

Let’s Go Hugo might be the best bet today in the second division of this moderate sprint handicap. He ran consistently well all last year on both all-weather and turf always off marks higher than he runs off this afternoon, and he won off 63 at the end of April. He has been placed off 66 at this track in the past and last season was very unlucky in running when 5thhere last summer. He has had two runs to tighten him up this spring and down to a mark of 60 at a course he likes he must have a strong chance.

Amie Waugh was on board when this mare broke her maiden at Hamilton last summer and gets the mount again for her seasonal debut. In a race full of old timers, Penelope’s Sister represents a younger generation and, given she ran well off this mark on two starts after that win, improvement looks on the cards. Jim Goldie’s team of handicappers have been running very well in the spring of this season so I am pretty confident the 5yo will be ready for this modest event. The 10f trip looks ideal.