Leicester preview: Educate can cash-in on falling mark

David Metcalf | October 26, 2015

Educate can take advantage of a drop in the weights to land an overdue success in the 1m handicap on today’s card at Leicester (13.50).

The Ismail Mohammed trained gelding was last successful in the 2013 running of the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket when holding on gamely to score by a short-head off a mark of 104.

Educate went on to post some solid efforts in Group races in Meydan at the beginning of last year off an official rating of 112, and ran blinder back in May when a two length second to The Corsican in a Listed contest at Goodwood.

The winner is a very useful who is now rated 115, and in the circumstances it was an excellent effort from Educate to get so close off level weights.

It’s form which has a strong look to it in the context of this class 2 contest, and Educate is now able to race in it off a reduced mark of just 98.

That is 6lb lower than when last successful, and the lowest rating Educate has run off in over two years.

It gives Educate major claims at the weights, and although not as his best last time out in the Cambridgeshire this is far less taxing and represents the easiest assignment he has faced for some time.

In the 1m 4f handicap (14.55), Top Tug has his ideal conditions and can defy top weight to land the spoils.

The Sir Michael Stoute trained gelding comes into the race on the back of three really solid efforts in ultra-competitive handicaps, and ran right up to his best in the last of those at Newbury when fourth of 17 to What About Carlo pver 1m 2f.

Top Tug stayed on well to be beaten just 1 1/2 lengths, and the step back up to 1m 4f looks sure to suit.