I have been in good form recently and today yielded 3 winners as well as a couple of seconds.
Turning to Saturday, at Beverley Judge ‘n Jury represents my list to follow in the 3.20. He has not been at his best of late but I wouldn’t rule him out in this. One that could run well here is Fullandby, a course and distance winner that is well drawn and acts on the ground, although he did run poorly last time.
The tough juvenile Archer’s Road is yet to finish out of the first two and is probably worth following while he maintains that sort of form. He goes in the 3.50.
Staying in Yorkshire I think that Dig Deep, who runs in the 4.10 has a nice sprint handicap in him at some stage of the season. He has won 5 times in handicap company and 4 of those wins were off higher marks so he is not badly handicapped. The stable are also coming into a bit of form after a quiet spell.
Exceptional Art is clearly a talented sort and well regarded by connections. He has tended to be a bit too keen for his own good but if he settles tomorrow he would be a threat in the Haydock 2.05. The lightly braced Miss Eze could also be worth a look as she won a maiden on heavy ground last season and has a feather weight.
Adorn looks to have the credentials to win the Cecil Frail Stakes at 2.35. She should handle some cut in the ground although I am not sure that 7/2 quoted in the RP is particularly good value.
Anmour Propre would have been one of my main fancies for the Temple Stakes at 3.10 but at the time of writing he seems unlikely to line up because of the ground. Borderlescott looked to have retained his ability when 3rd to Amour Propre on his reappearance at Newmarket and he has to be on the short list. Bryan Smart relies on Captain Gerrard who will love the ground. Another at home on the ground will be Reverence who put up a good effort from a bad draw at Naas when runner up in a listed race there last month. Looks Busy has been running well this season and is another to consider, as is Tax Free. Although the ground would appear to have gone against the latter. Borderlescott is probably the percentage call as he rarely runs a bad race. Look Busy and Captain Gerrard should run well at bigger prices.
Sir Michael Stoute is a trainer in form and his recent Windsor winner Desert Creek looks an improver and can defy a rise in the weights in the 3.40.
In the 4.15 Moheeb has come down in the weights and acts on the ground. He could go well at a big price.
I have a short list of 3 for the 4.50 consisting of Opinion Poll, Alanbrooke and Distant Memories. I will burden Alanbrooke with my selection as I thought that he ran a promising race in defeat at Newbury recently.
I am hoping for a good run from Elite Racing Club runner Harlech Castle in the 5.25. He will act on the ground but may just have a bit too much on his plate and I prefer Atlantic Beach.
The 2.20 at Newmarket looks to be between Your Old Pal, Palavicini and Father Time. Father Time was 3rd in the Lingfield Derby Trial and the 4th, Alwaary has won well since so Father Time will do for me.
Nasri’s running in the Greenham was too bad to be true and I am going to stay with him at a big price in the 2.50.
Dark Lane looks to have a progressive profile and I would give him an each way chance in the 3.25, while recent Doncaster winner Hawk Mountain is the selection in the 5.45.
At The Curragh Delegator is the form pick in the Irish 2,000 Guineas at 3.45. He was runner up in what looked a strong renewal of the English version and has very solid claims. If he is to be toppled then Rayeni couild be the one to oppose him with. The John Oxx trained colt won both his starts as a 2 year old and handles soft ground.
In the 3.10 the in form Utmost Respect looks the one to be on after his excellent win last week at York on ground that wouldn’t have suited him.
Today’s pictures are by kind permission of the artist Margaret Barratt.
Bye for now
ahorse 