Author: John Burke

Hi all,

We had been hitting the crossbar so often in the last two weeks that a treble was just waiting to be landed and it was a perfect 3-3 on Friday. Saturday’s are always much tougher but here goes.

Ayr

1:25 – Plymouth Rock – 7/2 – Gen – Trained John Quinn relished the quicker ground when winning a Thirsk Novice 14-days he now races in the Coolmore colours and should get the miles. Very interesting given connections and a mark of 79 looks more than workable.  Trainer is 5 winners from 7 runners 71% +11.38 6 placed 86% with favourites at the meeting in the past 5-years.

Newmarket

3:55 – Land Of Oz – 6/4 – Gen – The selection hasn’t stopped improving since stepping up to 1m 6f+ – 5 wins from 7 runs 71% +4.94 6 placed 86% – won with more in hand than the ½ length margin of victory suggests at Kempton 15-days ago. Up 3lb for that success but open to even more improvement stepped up to 2m 2f.

Gowran Park

4:15 – Credenza – 7/2 @ Bet365 – The fillyhas improved on her last two starts, latterly putting up a career best when runner-up to Tarnawa in a Group 2 last Sunday at the Curragh.  She drops a shade in class here and can land a well-deserved first Group success.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Newbury

3:55 – Tabarrak – Evens- Gen – The selection is 2-2 over C&D including this race in 2017. Hasn’t been disgraced under big weights in handicaps at Goodwood at Ascot on his last two starts but the return to listed company suits, as he’s 4-5 in the class on good or quicker ground. Is the one they all have to beat. At evens or slightly bigger he’s worth a bet.

4:30 – Quadrilateral – 5/4 – Gen – Made an impressive racecourse debut when winning over C&D 35-days ago. The daughter of Frankel is open to any amount of improvement and although the going will be quicker than last time I’m sure she will be fine on the surface. Trainer Roger Charlton won this race last year and the filly looks more than capable of giving him back to back wins.

5:00 – Entrusting – 7/2 @ William Hill – Returned from a gelding operation with a solid second at Newcastle 21-days ago. The 3-year-old has only had the five career starts so is open to a bit more progress and looks on a workable mark off 82.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

The Ayr card looks nasty, so my selections run elsewhere.

Pontefract

3:40 – Gale Force Maya – 10/3 @ Bet365 & William Hill – The selection has been well placed to win her last three starts all at Carlisle. The latter of those wins three weeks ago was a career best according to RPR’s. She’s ground versatile. Up 5lb for her last success means she needs to improve a bit more, but looks capable of it in her present form.

4:10 – Forewarming – 13/8 @ Paddy Power – Won over C&D last month and ran even better when 2^nd of 12 to an improver at York 11-days ago. Drops back into class 5 company again today and looks to have a favourites chance.

Chelmsford

7:00 – Dubai Icon – 3/1 – Gen – The colt returns from 337-day absence. A winner of a soft ground maiden at Nottingham on his last start. Looked the type to progress as a 3-year-old. Has to give weight to his rivals for his Nottingham win and a long absence to overcome but his trainers runners are often best caught first time off lay off.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Sandown

1:50 – Union Rose – 11/4 @ William Hill & Ladbrokes – The selection comes into the race seeking the hat trick after winning over C&D 5-days ago. Carries a 4lb penalty for last week’s success but looks capable of going in again.

4:00 – Clara Peeters – 7/1 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power –  Remains vulnerable to any improving fillies in the field but she’s just 1lb above her last winning mark. Put a poor run on soft ground, at Salisbury two starts back, behind her when 3^rd of 10 at Ascot 12-days ago. No issues with the step back up to a mile and the quicker the ground the better for her.

Yarmouth

1:40 – Restless Rose – 3/1 @ Bet365 – The 4-year-old has been knocking on the door in handicaps on her last two starts and was a ½ length 2^nd of 9 at Epsom 6-days ago. Can race off the same mark here and useful 7lb claimer Marco Ghiani takes the ride for the first time today. Last win came over C&D back in June of last year off today’s mark.  Inform and looks sure to go close.

4:20 – Pinnata – 5/2 @ Bet365 & BetVictor – Like Restless Rose trained by Stuart Williams and ridden by Marco Ghiani. A winner two starts back at Leicester off 3lb lower. The 5-year-old ran just as well in defeat when 2^nd of 6 at Sandown in a Class 3 race 5-days ago. In form and capable of winning this dropped back to Class 4 company.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

It’s been a case of hitting the crossbar in the past week or so.

Chepstow

2:20 – Rotherwick – 6/1 – Gen – Last win came in June 2018 over 1m 2fbut hes been shaping on recent starts like he’s worth another try at 1m 4f. Doesn’t have a change of gear and probably needs them to a go a good gallop. However, he’s dropped down to a winnable handicap mark and trainer Paul Cole has his horses in winning form 3-10 in the past 14-days.

Newcastle

6:00 – Deal A Doller – 15/8 – Gen – Sir Michael Stoute has a 37%-win strike rate with his runners here and the selection looks set to add to win total. The 3-year-old won at Kempton two starts back before finishing a close second on his first go on the tapeta at Wolverhampton 10-days ago. Nudged up 3lb but he’s only had six career starts and remains open to a bit more progress. This stiffer track should play to his strengths better than Wolverhampton.

8:30 – Arnold – 9/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The 5-year-old won twice on turf last season off 2lb higher. He hasn’t been at that level of form on his five runs this season but his seasonal best came over C&D back in June when he was beaten just a head off 1lb higher. Just the one start on the all-weather so he remains unexposed on the surface. A reproduction of his second placed effort here would see him go close today.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Tarnawa 3/1(BOG), was a tidy winner yesterday, albeit the service is still running under par at present.

Brighton

2:40 – Barrsbrook – 4/1 @ William Hill – Jockey timed the 5-year-olds run perfectly when winning here 7-days ago. Steps up 2f in trip and must carry a 5lb penalty for last week’s success. If he gets a good two into the race like he did last time the 5-year-old can win again.  

Worcester

1:50 – Beni Light – 2/1 @ Bet365 – A twice winning point to pointer. He registered his first win under rules when battling on well to win at Uttoxeter 5-days ago. The 8-year-old carries a 7lb penalty for last weeks win but he’s at the right end of the handicap to follow up.  Step up to 2m 7f shouldn’t be a problem and his trainer David Rees is 5 -14 +3.92 with last time out winners returning within 7-days.

Kempton

7:00 – Alma Linda – 7/4 @ William Hill – A 3-year-old who looks firmly on the upgrade. The filly put in a career best when a decisive winner over C&D 10-days ago. That was just her second run beyond 1m 1 ½ f. She unexposed over middle distances and can defy her 6lb rise in the weights. 

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Logician was an impressive winner of yesterday’s St Leger. It’s over the Irish Sea for a couple selections from the Curragh and one from Bath.

Curragh

1:55 – Tarnawa – 9/4 @ William Hill & Ladbrokes Winner of the Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes at Naas back in May, prior to a poor run in the Oaks. Bounced back to form when with a battling win in a Group 3 at Cork 29-days ago. Drop back to 1m 2f shouldn’t be an inconvenience for the filly, especially if the forecast rain arrives.

2:25 – Soffia – 9/4 @ William Hill & Ladbrokes – Now 2 from 2 over C&D after a Group 2 win 56-days ago. The selection is a much-improved sprinter and can hopefully land her first Group 1 today.

Bath

4:30 – Hope Is High – 9/2 @ William Hill & Ladbrokes – The selection made it 3 wins from 7 runs here at Bath when winning over 1m 3 ½ f 11-days ago.  The mare was third in this race 12 months ago and looks set for another big run here.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Doncaster

3:35 – Logician – Evens – Gen – Made it 4 from 4 when running out the comfortable winner of the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York. He can become the first winner of that race to do the double since Lucarno back in 2007. Should stay the extra 2 ½ f and will appreciate Doncaster’s galloping track. At evens or bigger he looks decent value too. I can’t really look beyond the favourite for the final classic of the season.

Chester

2:05 – Manuela De Vega – 5/2 – Gen – Was 4^th in the Oaks, after a troubled passage. No match for the smart Enbihaar at Goodwood two starts back. Has form at Chester, was runner-up to Mehdaayih in the Cheshire Oaks on her seasonal reappearance. Might prefer a bit more ease in the ground but she’s got a solid chance here.

Leopardstown

1:55 – Raven’s Cry – 3/1 – Gen – The selectionwas the winner of a Galway maiden on her second career start and improved again when running out a decisive win at Killarney 21-days ago.  That win came over a mile, but she has the speed to win over 7f. Deserves her chance at Listed level and could turn out to be better than this grade.  Stall 9 could have been better, but the daughter of Raven’s Pass is the one for me.

5:25 – Laurens – 13/8 – Ladbrokes – The likeable mare is the one to beat here.  Last year’s winner is a six-time Group 1 winner all against her own sex. Indeed, her form figures in Group 1 company against fillies and mares is 12116111. Her only poor run was when not staying 1m 4f in last year’s Yorkshire Oaks.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Chester

2:25 – Know No Limits – 10/3 @ William Hill – Has a good draw in stall 3 and her Chester form figures are 112. Looks the best of trainer Tom Dascombe’s three runners and can go well again on a track that suits.

4:40 – Lorelina – 15/2 @ William Hill –  Is a C&D winner and is back down last seasons winning mark of 92.  Has been a little bit below her best form this season but capable of going well and this is usually her time of year Need good to soft or worse ground which she will hopefully get here and looks worth a go against a likely odd’s on favourite.

Salisbury

5:10 – Qaaddim – 4/1 @ William Hill – Looks the best long-term project in the field. Doing his best work at the finish. The colt was beaten just 2 ½ lengths into second on his nursery debut at Goodwood three weeks ago. More than capable of winning a race off his present mark and should be suited by the stiffer 7f and the predicted even gallop

5:40 – Glamourous Anna – 8/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The filly wasn’t disgraced when 5^th of 10 in a Listed race at Newbury two starts back and put in a career best when a close-up third at Chester 13-days ago. Makes her nursery debut off what looks a competitive mark.

Listowel

2:30 – Cracking Name – 5/1 – Gen – The selection ran out an easy, soft ground handicap winner at Tipperary last month. The mare looked value for a bigger win than her final margin of victory 2 ½ length suggests. She had won the same Tipperary race last year before finishing an unlucky 4^th in a handicap here 12 months ago. The handicapper has put her up 9lb for he last success which makes life tougher but she’s inform and is 2 wins from 4 runs when soft is in the going description.

John

Hi all,

Doncaster

4:55 – Good Birthday – 9/4 – Gen – It looks between the improving three-year-olds Davydenko and the selection. Both were last time out winners of Class 2 handicaps. Davydenko didn’t look the easiest of rides at Ascot. He steps ups up to 1m 2f but can continue to improve over the new trip. Good Birthday won over this trip at Beverley and that just shades it for me.

Epsom

5:05 – Highland Acclaim – 7/1 @ William Hill & Bet365 – The 8-year-old has become a bit of a standing dish here. Five wins at Epsom, including 4 wins from 8 runs +14 5 placed over C&D. Not got the best of draws in stall 9 and disappointed at Catterick 9-days ago but can bounce back to form on his favourite track.

Chelmsford

8:20 – Brittanic – 5/2 @ Bet365 & BetVictor –  The selection is on a losing run of 20 and stamina isn’t guaranteed for today’s 1m 5f trip. That aside he’s a well handicapped horse no, being 18lb lower than when running Breden to a length here back in December.  Risks attached clearly but I think he can win this.

Cheers

John