Author: John Burke

Hi all,

Yesterday didn’t work out at all as all four selections crashed and burned. Today’s selections are from Chelmsford, Salisbury and a race flat meeting at Punchestown.

Chelmsford

8:20 – Never Dark – 9/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Made a winning handicap debut when dropped to 5f at Kempton on the return from lockdown. The 4-year-old hasn’t been able to build on that success on three subsequent starts all in better races, although wasn’t disgraced when 4th of 10 here over 6f two starts back. For one who looks to be prominent he had a good draw in stall 3 and should give us a good run for our money.

Salisbury

4:50 – Nasraawy – 7/2 @ Bet365 – The selection has finished runner-up on all three of his starts but has improved his RPR’s on each run and last time finished nicely clear of the third on his handicap debut. Up 3lb but he’s been gelded since that last start and surely won’t be long before losing his maiden tag.

Punchestown

2:55 – Sasta – 5/1 – Gen – Produced an improved when winning over 1m 2f at Cork 18-days ago. She made good headway to lead two furlongs out that day and despite being briefly headed inside the final furlong showed a good battling attitude to get her head back in front close home. On soft ground the drop back to a mile shouldn’t pose a problem and despite a 6lb rise, I fancy the 3-year-old to follow up here.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

The winning run came to an end yesterday. Today, I have four selections from Bath, Lingfield & Gowran Park.

Bath

3:30 – Sonnetina – 7/1 @ Paddy Power – Put in her best effort since winning at Brighton in May 2019 when 3^rd of 12 over C&D 50-days ago. The form of that race has worked out well with several winners coming out of the race. Can race off the same mark here and is just 1lb above her last winning mark.  Slight concern about her recent absence and trainer form but otherwise she’s got a good chance.

5:05 – Arthalot – 4/1 @ Bet365 – Just the five starts and the selection put in a career best effort when stepped up to 2m at Chepstow 32-days ago. Drop back to 1m 5f shouldn’t inconvenience with the first time cheekpieces applied. Kirby booked and I expect the 3-year-old to be thereabouts at the finish.

Lingfield

2:10 – Folk Dance – 100/30 @ William Hill – Waliyak probably deserves to head the market with Ray Dawson taking off a handy 5lb.  However, my preference is for Folk Dance. The filly is improving with racing and came from behind to win a Newmarket handicap last time. Raised 6lb for that success she’s going the right way and the step up to 1m 2f can bring out further improvement.

Gowran Park

2:35 – Blankiedoodie – 11/2 @ Bet365 –A previous course winner. The 7-year-old also shaped well over 1m 1 ½ f here when 3^rd of 15 two starts back before finishing runner-up on heavy ground at Bellewstown just 6-days ago. Can race off the same mark and a reproduction of that run will see him go close.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Another win yesterday courtesy of a gutsy win by Valorant at Sandown. Just the one winner but at an early priced 8/1 whose complaining.

Today’s two selections are from Ripon.

Ripon

3:00 – La Voix Magique – 7/2 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power – Has done well on all three starts for new trainer John Quinn. The best of the three came when running on well from off the pace to finish 2^nd at Catterick 15-days ago. Well suited to soft ground she raced last time like she was worth a return to a mile. An apprentice takes off handy 5lb and the filly should go close.

4:45 – Indian Vision – 7/2 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power – Twice a winner in 2018. The 6-year-old has run only twice since August 2018 but shaped likes he’s retained plenty of his old ability when a close-up 4^th of 6 at Musselburgh 53-days ago. That was his first run for 401-days. so he’s entitled to have come on for that run and should go well.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Two more winners landed yesterday. Can we make it five winning days on the trot?  In truth it looks much harder.  I have three selection from Sandown for you today.

Sandown

3:35 – Arecibo – 5/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The selection doesn’t win as often as his ability warrants but he’s got plenty of placed efforts to his name in better races than this. Ground versatile, he needs a strong pace to chase which he should get and shouldn’t be far away at the finish.

4:45 – Valorant – 8/1 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power – The daughter of Showcasing is bred to be better than a mark of 71. Despite being green she ran with promise on her racecourse debut at Kempton last month before running to a similar level of form when 4^th of 7 in a Newmarket novice 30-days ago. Will stay further than 7f but today’s stiffer test should be fine. Looks the sort to improve with racing and looks an interesting handicap debutant.

7:30 – Arij – 11/2 @ Bet365 – Looks a bit quirky and the first-time visor is applied today but the lightly raced 3-year-old didn’t run too badly when 3^rd of 16 on his handicap debut at Haydock 45-days ago. The step up to 1m 2f suited that day and if the headgear can eke out some improvement he should be in the mix. Handles good to soft but was a non-runner on soft at Redcar two days ago.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

It was two winners on the day courtesy of Extra Elusive & Century Dream and the third pick Glen Esk wasn’t disgraced in finishing third in his race. Another profit banked and hopefully we can keep the winning run going today.

Sunday’s selections are from Goodwood & Perth.

Goodwood

1:50 – Urban Artist – 7/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Dual NHF race last autumn, including a soft ground Listed Fillies/Mares bumper at Cheltenham in November. The 5-year-old shaped with promise on debut on the all-weather at Lingfield but left that form well behind when coming with a powerful late run to win at Windsor 34-days ago. Suited by give in the ground and makes her handicap debut off a workable mark of 80. Osin Murphy booked for a yard finally among the winners.

3:00 – Native Tribe – 5/2 @ Coral & Paddy Power – A winner at Sandown last summer. He ran well below market expectations at Newmarket on his seasonal return. Subsequently gelded he showed his Newmarket running to be all wrong when 2nd of 4 at Sandown 23-days ago. Races off the same mark here and the first-time blinkers are enlisted.  First run on soft ground but he’s by Farhh who excelled on rain softened going so it could be what he needs.

Perth

2:05 – Guardia Top – 7/2 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook – A three-time winner over hurdles in the first half of last season, including a maiden hurdle here last September. The mare made a pleasing debut over fences at Market Rasen when 4^th of 7, two weeks ago. Jumping neatly throughout she ran well for a long way and was bang there to three out when her stamina ran out over 2m 5 ½ f. Drop back to 2m shouldn’t be negative if the ground is on the soft side of good. Another big run expected for a trainer whose 4-15 27% with runners at Perth in the past 5-years.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Blue Skyline outstayed his rivals to win at Newmarket to keep the winning run going. Today’s picks are from on what isn’t the most inspiring of days I will be delighted with one winner.

Windsor

3:15 – Extra Elusive – 7/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Had the benefit of an enterprising front running ride from Hollie Doyle when winning a Group 3 at Haydock three weeks ago. Has a 3lb penalty to carry for that success but if granted an uncontested lead will be hard to peg back.  Really testing ground wouldn’t really be his going but he won on soft as juvenile and wasn’t disgraced on similar ground when 5^th of 13 on his seasonal return at Royal Ascot.

3:50 – Glen Esk – 13/2 @ Bet365 – The selections best form, so far, has come at Kempton and he looked a shade unlucky in the run when 3^rd of 14 there 17-days ago. Showed on his seasonal return at Newmarket that he can be effective on grass. Whilst soft ground is a bit of an unknown for the 3-year-old the step up to 1m 2f looks like it will suit. Trainer Chris Wall is 4 winners from 15 runners 27% +33.75 in the past 14-days.

Goodwood

3:35 – Century Dream – 7/2 @ Bet365 – Is 4 wins from 8 runs 6 placed on soft or heavy ground. Made all to win a Group 3 at Newbury on his seasonal return and wasn’t disgraced when 5^th in the Prix d’Ispahan at Chantilly last time. On testing ground he’s bordering on Group 1 level as he showed when a close-up third to Roaring Lion in the Queen Elizabeth II in 2018.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Today’s selections are from Newmarket.

Newmarket

4:15 – Blue Skyline – 13/2 @ Bet365 – In a race where the principals in the betting are unexposed handicap debutants, I’m happy to take a chance with the selection who looks nicely weighted on his best juvenile form. Has been slowly improving with each of his three starts this season and was a good 3^rd of 13 at Kempton 16-days ago. Ryan Moore is a good jockey booking being 6 winners from 20 rides 30% +13.16 when combining with trainer David Elsworth.

5:55 – Silver Samurai – 3/1 @ Bet365 – Has the look of a steady improver. A soft ground winner at Brighton last October. He’s improved with each of his two starts this season finishing runner-up to Finest Sound at Haydock before a cosy win at Redcar 32-days ago. Ground versatile, has won on both soft & good to firm, he’s 5lb higher than for his last success but has a good chance of following up here.

7:35 – Edward Dantes – 12/1 @ Bet365 – Trainer David Menuisier is 7-20 35% +36.38 with his runners on the July Course in the past 5-years. The selection isn’t the consistent of horses but was a taking winner at Newbury two starts back off 5lb lower before beating just one home at Doncaster last time. That run was too bad to be true which suggests something was amiss that day. The 4-year-old has been given a 54-day break to freshen up and although he’s yet to prove he stays 1m 4f he’s worth chancing.

Cheers

John

Hi all

Wins by Militia & Smart Lass at Musselburgh yesterday got the service back among the winners and give us a healthy profit on the day.

I wanted to give you a winner before I took a day off and it was even better to get two.

Back on Friday.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Going through a sticky patch at present but it won’t be long before the winning thread is picked up again

I have selections from Lingfield and Musselburgh.

Lingfield

5:30 – Prefontaine – 3/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – A winner over hurdles last October for present yard. The 4-year-old has placed form in Class 2 handicaps from last summer, when trained by Roger Varian, that would give him a good chance here in Class 4 company. First run since January so fitness must be taken on trust and this is his first start at the level at the distance but can give backers a good run for their money with Andrea Atzeni an encouraging jockey booking.

Musselburgh

3:30 – Militia – 5/1 @Bet365 – The selection has been in good form of late and bids for the hat trick after wins at Chester and C&D two starts back. The going has changed to soft but he did win over C&D on soft last October so underfoot conditions should be fine. . Up 4lb for his last success, 12-days ago, which demands a bit more form the 5-year-old but he should be bang there again.

4:05 – Smart Lass – 4/1 @ Bet365 – Always needs respecting here. Both her two career wins have come at the Scottish track, including C&D and her form figures on the level and over hurdles are 1122U. Both wins have come with soft in the going description so there shouldn’t be any problem with the going for the mare.  Made a solid reappearance from a 124-day break when 3^rd of 11 at Thirsk two starts back and wasn’t totally disgraced when 7^th at Ayr last time on. The ground was quick at Ayr which wouldn’t have suited. A combination of a return to the venue and soft going should see her in a much better light.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

The weather doesn’t look great and I’m tempted not to play today. However, I have two picks from Catterick and Bellewstown.

Catterick

2:25 – Restless Endeavour – 4/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Put in career best effort on RPR’s when winning over C&D (soft) 8-days ago. Has 6lb penalty to carry for that success but the filly won with plenty in hand that day that she looks sure to go close, provided the quick turnaround and stall 9 aren’t an inconvenience.

Bellewstown

6:15 – Mister Fogpatches – 7/2 @ Bet365 & Coral – Wassent off the 100/30 favourite for his first start since lockdown when 2^nd of 13 at Ballinrobe 15-days ago. Showed last November that soft ground holds no terrors for the 6-year-old when winning at Navan. Nudged up just a 1lb from Ballinrobe and looks sure to be in the mix.

Cheers

John