Today’s Horse Racing Tip – 3:20 Worcester

Today’s free horse racing tip runs in the Racegoers Club 50th Anniversary Selling Hurdle at 3:20 Worcester. Nine runners are due to go to post for this two mile four furlong hurdle race for four to seven-year-olds.

It’s not often we find a confident selection among the selling platers but today’s racing tip Rock Of Leon is dropping down a level after going close in better company last time and looks the pick of a poor bunch here.

Philip Kirby’s seven-year-old looked to have the race at his mercy until just pipped on the line in a Class 4 handicap at Sedgefield 17 days ago. The gelding doesn’t have an uphill finish to contend with today and with a furlong less to travel can bounce back with a win against these lesser rivals.

He had previously won a selling race at Wetherby in March and going back through his form, has a course victory on his only appearance at Worcester in 2016. As often found at this level, Rock Of Leon has been inconsistent at times but arrives here in good form and has very little to beat.

Wintour Leap is familiar with the layout at Worcester and has picked up one win in four previous outings here. That was back in 2015 and since then, Robert Stephens’ mare was campaigned unsuccessfully on the all weather. She is returning to hurdling after a long absence but we’ve no indication whether she’s retained her jumping ability.

Lightly-race Torrent Des Mottes was runner up in a maiden hurdle and a bumper when trained by Willie Mullins in Ireland. The gelding switched to Alexandra Dunn’s yard and made a disappointing start when dropping away quickly before being pulled up at Newton Abbot. It was his first run in a year and it’s possible he’ll go better today but is an obvious risk.

There’s little to recommend in the remainder of the field. Geni Johnson showed some improvement when third at Newton Abbot last time out but the 14-length third is the closest he’s come to troubling the judge in six attempts over hurdles. Searching won a maiden hurdle at Huntingdon in 2016 but hasn’t come close to repeating that form in four outings since.

Cease to Surrender is making his racecourse debut. The yard has not produced a winner over jumps in 46 attempts in the last five seasons which doesn’t inspire confidence. Why Lie has failed to complete in his last five points and Luca Brazi failed to finish four of his last six and was tailed off in the other two.  

The ground at Worcester has been watered and the going is good. The weather forecast is cloudy with sunny spells and a light westerly breeze.

Rock Of Leon is the only entry with respectable recent form. It’s possible that Wintour Leap and Torrent Des Mottes have more to offer but there’s no guarantee an improved performance from either of this duo would be good enough to beat our horse racing tip today.