Allannah Abu was 2nmd at Brighton last time out and should go close in the Catterick 4.20. Paul Hannigan has the ride for trainer Sir Mark Prescott.
At Kempton Byrony showed he handles the all weather surface when 4th over course and distance last time and has a leading chance in the nursery at 6.50. In the 7.20 there are good reports about the unraced Musharakaat.
My best bet of the day is Apace in the 4.00 at Lingfield. She looked a promising sort when 4th on her debut at Newbury.
I don’t have too many words of wisdom to offer on tomorrow’s racing. The consistent Royal Trooper has an each way chance in the Beverley 3.30. While at Yarmouth the veteran Caribbean Coral is ridden by Jamie Spencer in the 7.30 and may be worth considering.
Course and distance winner Tarkheena Prince has a chance in the Group 3 at Hamburg. He was a winner 4 times in the UK when he was trained by Alan Swinbank.
At Ayr tomorrow Layla’s Dancer might be worth considering in the 4.00.He was 4th at Doncaster last time out in a race that has worked out quite well. His only win to date was on soft ground so the predicted rain would be a help.
A change of jockey and quite possibly a change of tactics may help Cool Strike in the 3.50 at Ffos Las.
The big handicap today is the John Smith’s “Magnet” Cup at York. Wigmore Hall is perhaps the obvious choice as he is 7 lbs “well in” at the weights – 10 lbs if you include his rider’s claim. He is the Pricewise selection which means that the value has probably disappeared now. Forte Dei Marmi and Sweet Lightning were 1 and 2 in the Zetland Gold Cup and are worth considering, especially the latter who probably didn’t quite stay last time out over 12 furlongs but remains progressive. The ground will probably be riding a bit too quick for course winner Distant Memories and the same is true of Hillview Boy, although both look up to winning races before the season is out. Imposing, a fast finishing runner up in a big Royal Ascot handicap and Demolition, who beat all bar the runaway winner at Haydock are others to consider. At the current prices I would go for Demolition and Sweet Lightning who are both on offer at around 16/1.
In the 2.00 at York Harlech Castle is well handicapped but the fast ground is a concern so my tentative vote goes to Tiddliwinks. Webbow is difficult to win with as he needs to be held up and tends to run into traffic problems. He should be finishing well in the 2.30 where he has an each way chance.
Drunken Sailor, the Northumberland Plate winner is unlikely to be suited by the ground in the 3.40 and I am inclined to go with one of the beaten horses at Newcastle, Chiberta King, who will be suited by this drop back to 14 furlongs.
Looking for some value at Ascot I fancy Side Glance in the 1.45 while the lightly raced recent Salisbury winner Present Alchemy should go well in the 4.40. He is open to further improvement and will like the fast ground.
Veroon ran well to be 4th in the Carlisle Bell and he could be in with a shout in the Chester 2.45 where he is a course and distance winner. In the 3.20, the City Wall Stakes, it is tempting to go with Star Rover and Hamish Macgonigall who are both course and distance winners. The classy Borderlescott also comes into that category though and looks the most likely winner, albeit at a skinny price. At Salisbury look out for Higgy’s Ragazzo (8.25) and in particular Field Day in the 8.55.
Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Margaret Barrett.
Good luck!
The Newmarket July meeting has not been a happy one for me thus far but at least Lang Shining ended something of a losing run for me when winning tonight at Epsom.
I will start tonight’s preview with a look at the Newmarket 2.35 which now has a silly name but always used to be called the Bunbury Cup. There are a few of our old favourites in this including Dubai Dynamo who has done well for us this season already. His 3 wins this season have probably put him a little too high in the handicap now though and it may pay to look elsewhere. There are a couple of runners from my list to follow, namely Palace Moon and Suruor. The latter was an excellent 3rd to a handicap good thing in the Wokingham. The 6th horse in that race has won since and the form looks rock solid. Tomorrow’s race is over an additional furlong but this should not be a problem and with K Fallon in the saddle he has a good chance. He is suited by fast ground. Suruor hasn’t run since the Chester May meeting when he was 3rd in a mile handicap. He may need the race and I am more interested in Signor Peltro who has been a bit unlucky in his last couple of races and has course and distance from. Signor Peltro is the selection with Palace Moon the danger.
Starspangledbanner should win the July Cup with Fleeting Spirit the main danger. Those looking for something at a bigger price could take a look at Society Rock who looks as though he may have more improvement in him.
In the nursery at 4.20 I will go with John Gosden’s course and distance winner Liberty Cap.
Mistoffelees won nicely at Yarmough last week and clearly gets on well with his apprentice rider. I fancy him to follow up in the 5.20 at Ascot.
My best bet at York is La De Two, an unexposed type in the 3.55
Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Karen Davies.
Selections for Thursday
Newmarket 2.35 Treble Jig
Newmarket 4.20 Fair Trade
Epsom 8.30 Lang Shining
The highlight of the Newmarket card tomorrow is a fascinating renewal of the Falmouth Stakes at 3.10. Looking back over the last 10 years the 3 year olds and their elders have shared the honours equally with 5 wins each. Strawberrydiquiri will be a tough opponent but I fancy the younger generation to just have the edge with Lillie Langtry. She looked good when taking the Coronation Stakes at Ascot and can win again here.
The handicaps look difficult to solve. Deacon Blue has won 2 of his 5 starts and although he has gone up in the weights there may be some improvement to come. He is my selection in the 2.00 with Swilly Ferry next best. I will give the 5.30 at miss but in the maiden at 4.20 Mata Keranjan and Nationalism look the pair to concentrate on.
Selections elsewhere. Catterick 3.20 Act of Kalanisi.
Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Katy Sodeau.
There is not much of interest on the racing front tomorrow.
The consistent Tropical Paradise has a chance in the Pontefract4.00. He does not have winning form on fast ground though and the trip is an unknown. Probably best watched.
At Southwell the lightly raced Dandarrell has a bit of course form and might be worth considering in the 7.40.
At Wolverhampton Wulfrida could improve for the step up in trip in the 3.15.
We had quite a few winners on Saturday, notably King of Wands at 8/1 stepping up to two miles in a Listed event at Sandown. Apparently he may go jumping with Evan Willaims in due course. I gave a favourable mention to Dangerous Midge who turned the Old Newton Cup into a procession, a performance that will not be lost on the handicapper.
Turning to tomorrow’s action Comedy Act seeks to get back on the winning trail in the Bath 4.00 after having his bid for a hat trick foiled last time out at Bath. He may well be suited by this small field and looks in with a solid chance.
Rainbow Six has been a bit of a bridle horse and difficult to win with. It may be that a change of jockey will do the trick for him tomorrow in the 5.00 at Bath where Neil Callan takes the ride.
Mureb has been a short priced beaten favourite on both his starts but is probably worth another chance in the 9.20 at Ripon.
The big race tomorrow is the Coral Eclipse at Sandown where it may pay to side with Zacinto who showed signs of a return to form on his last start. He is preferred to Mawaatheeq. In the Heritage Handicap at 2.35 last year’s winner Acrostic could go close again. He ran quite well in the Royal Hunt Cup and has actually dropped a couple of pounds in the handicap since.
The unbeaten Decorative has scope for further improvement and is the selection in the 3.40 while in the 4.15 I am banking on King of Wands showing improvement for a step up to 2 miles.
I will take a chance with an outsider in the 4.50 with Haadeeth while there may be more to come from the lightly raced Revered in the final race on the card at 5.25.
The grey Berling was finishing strongly behind Dandino at Ascot last time out and he looks the one to be on at Haydock in the 2.15. The 3.25 is a really competitive handicap where last year’s winner Red Merlin is one for the short list. Dangerous Midge will appreciate the track at Haydock and is another to consider as is Jim Goldie’s recent Hamilton winner Hillview Boy. For my selection though I am going with Hanoverian Baron who has impressed me on both his starts this season and gets in off a low weight.
Bated Breath has done little wrong so far and could still have further improvement in him and can complete the hat trick in the 4.00. Genki has arguably been unlucky on both his last two starts suffering from being badly drawn both times. He can make amends in the 4.35.
Arabian Spirit put in a promising effort at York 3 weeks ago and I fancy him to run well in the 5.45.
Other selections. Leicester 1.55 Kenyon Cat; 4.10 Big Noise. Nottingham 8.40 Mushreq.
Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Jane Dunn.
ahorse 