Author: John Burke

Hi all,

Catch My Breath ran out an easy winner at Musselburgh yesterday.

Ffos Las

1:50 – Gilt Edge – 9/4 – Gen – The selection comes into the race looking for the hat trick after wins at Bath and her 6-days ago. Both wins have come at 5f but the step up to 6f shouldn’t be an issue for the filly who has 6lb penalty to carry for last week’s win.

Carlisle

2:40 – Tenax – 5/1@ Bet365 or 9/2 – Gen There’s notmuch between the first three on the ratings in this 6f sprint. The selection always seems to run his race yet has only managed one win from ten runs. Remains in good form and just needs the card to fall right to give him a deserved second victory.

Tipperary

6:55 – Hathiq – 11/2 – Gen – Hit The Bid was runner-up here 12 months ago and returns from break like last year. He sets the form standard but with the ground hopefully easing a chance is taken with the selection. Hathiq made it 2 from 2 over C&D when landing a handicap 18-days ago. The 5-year-takes a step up in class here but he’s in form, likes the track and looks capable of going close.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Its been a case of so near so far over the last week.

Musselburgh

3:40 – Caustic Love – 5/2 @ William Hill & Bet365 – The filly has won three of her five starts in 2019. The latest coming at Ripon 22-days ago. Up 5lb but looks capable of going in again.

4:10 – Catch My Breath – 5/2 @ William Hill – The selection put in a career best when 3^rd of 10 at Newmarket 12-days ago. Races off the same mark and shouldn’t be far away.

Kempton

8:25 – Isabella Brant – 15/2 @ William Hill – A career best for the filly when 2^nd of 6 here 23-days ago. The step up to 2m probably needs to bring out a bit more progress in her but there is a good chance it will.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Three selections on Monday, one from Ripon and two from Epsom.

Ripon

4:30 – Fayez – 3/1 @ William Hill & Paddy Power – Alfred Richardson appeals at the prices with Osin Murphy a significant looking jockey booking. However. I am sticking with Fayez who put in a career best when winning at Goodwood 27-days ago. Drops back 2 furlongs in trip here but is progressive and has won three times around Ripon which is a big bonus. Trainer David O’Meara won this race in 2014 & 2016 and has a good chance of another success.

Epsom

2:30 – Golden Parade -7/2 @ William Hill & Bet365 – The selection comes into the race in great form having won at Wolverhampton and Doncaster before finishing runner-up in a big field at Redcar 16-days ago.  Made all to win for his latest two wins and this track should play to his strengths in that regard. He’s the one for me.

3:40 – Mistiroc – 9/2 @ William Hill & Paddy Power – You have to go back 3-year for the selections last win, but he’s run plenty of decent races in that time. He’s well handicapped on the best of his form including when 2nd of 14 at Doncaster back in April. Top Irish amateur Jamie Codd is an eye-catching jockey booking and he and trainer John Quinn teamed up to win this race in 2016.

I’m off tomorrow, so my next selections will be on Wednesday.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

An easy win by Forest Of Dean at York was the highlight of disappointing Saturday. Sunday’s three selections run a Yarmouth and they are all ridden by Ryan Moore.

Yarmouth

2:50 – Elector – 3/1 @ William Hill – Looked set for a good season when beating Jazeel on his seasonal reappearance at Newmarket back in May. The 4-year-old didn’t seem to handle the track at Epsom on his next start but ran better when a close 6^th at Sandown 51-days ago. Probably isn’t straight forward and the first time cheekpieces are on for the first time and remains capable of better.

4:35 – Solid Stone – 11/8 – Gen – The selection beat Forest Of Dean on his final start as a juvenile and began this season with a win at Newmarket in April. Struggled on his next two starts but ran much better when beaten just ½ length into second at Sandown 25-days ago. The handicapper has raised the 3-year-old 6lb since that race, but he remains on a competitive mark.

5:10 – Love Dreams – 7/2 @ Ladbrokes & Coral – A typical Mark Johnston horse, who seems to run every week.A winner at Beverley back in June off 1lb higher. The selection hasn’t run to that form since but hinted that he can win again when 3^rd at Newbury two starts back. Poor run at Chelmsford on Friday but there were excuses. Normally a front runner the 5-year-old could get an easy lead and if he does, he will be tough to pass

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Here are Saturday’s four selections.

York

4:45 – Forest Of Dean – 5/2 – Gen – Plenty short enough for a 17 runner handicap but the 3-year-old is clearly the one they all have to beat on form. Up 7lb for a win at Goodwood 23-days ago but he’s improved on each of his four starts on turf since the start of the season and there’s a good chance he hasn’t stopped in improving just yet.

Windsor

7:20 – La Maquina – 6/1 @ Bet365 –The selection, twice a winner over 7f this year, put in a career best when runner-up at Newmarket last month. Didn’t have much chance from his high draw at Goodwood last time but also didn’t get the best of runs in the straight either. A line can be drawn under the run and although the 4-year-old has got top weight overcome, he does drop back a notch in class here. Two runs over a mile have been disappointing but there were excuses and looks worth another go at the trip.

Goodwood

5:00 – Never Surrender – 9/2 – Gen – Two welcome winners for trainer Charlie Hills and hopefully he can saddle another one here. The selection ran well below par on his first four starts of the year but bounced back to something like his best when 2^nd of 6 at Ffos Las 11-days ago.  If he can build on that promise he’s dropped down to a winnable mark.

Chelmsford

4:50 – Buckingham – 9/2 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power – The 3-year-old is 3 wins from 5 runs 4 placed around here. Was beaten just a neck here over C&D off today’s mark three starts back. Not so good at Sandown on his next start but he ran much better when beaten less than 2 lengths at Kempton 10-days ago, off 1lb higher. He’s just 1lb higher than for his last win and looks capable of winning again.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Yesterday was a frustrating day, a win for Pinnata but a couple of close-up seconds. Oh, the fine margins between one winner and a three timer.

Newmarket

4:25 – Fox Vardy – 4/1 – Gen – Represents the inform Martyn Meade stable. The 3-year-old has improved with each of his three starts. Was only 6^th of 13 at Goodwood but that was a hot race and he’s more than capable of winning off winning off his present handicap mark.  Despite a slight concern about the quickening ground he will do for me.

Salisbury

6:20 – Incinerator – 2/1 @ William Hill – The selection, a winner at Catterick on good to soft two starts back, made a decent start in handicaps when 3^rd of 5, beaten ¾ length at Newmarket 13-days ago. Off the same mark he seemed to cope well enough with quicker ground he encountered at Newmarket. Scope to win a nursery.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

A good win by Dakota Gold means York’s Ebor Festival started with a bang. York looks too competitive today so I’m off too Chepstow & Bath for today’s selections.

Leicester

6:00 – Knightcap – 15/8 @ William Hill – Seemed to improve for the return to 6f and soft ground when easily winning a Catterick nursery 3-days ago. Not surprisingly connections opt for a quick return for the filly under her 6lb penalty. If she reproduces her Catterick run, she should win this.

6:30 – Pinnata – 7/2 – Gen – The selection makes a quick return after finishing 2^nd of 5 at Newmarket 6-days ago. He’s rated 14lb lower on turf than the all-weather but looks more than capable of winning on the grass based on the form of his last two starts

Chepstow

4:30 – Norab – 5/1 @ William Hill – Bounced back to form when a ½ length, 2^nd of 12 here 7-days ago. The 8-year-old doesn’t win very often but this is a moderate race and if he can’t win this I’m not sure when he will on the flat again.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

York

1:55 – Dakota Gold – 5/1 @ William Hill & Paddy Power – The selection comes into the race after putting in a career best effort to win Ripon’s Great St Wilfrid Handicap last Saturday. The 5lb penalty he must carry in this competitive race shouldn’t stop him going close here. The question is whether he can replicate that performance on much quicker ground? I hope and think he can.

Bath

2:50 – Let Rip – 4/1 @ William Hill – The 5-year-old has just had the five career starts, so hasn’t been the easiest to train. A winner of a Lingfield novice back in December. He’s yet to reproduce that form on his two starts this season.  Not sure he would want the ground to quicken up too much but this is just his second start on turf and he looks capable of winning off his present mark.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Champarisi gave it her best at Pontefract yesterday but had to settle for second. As frustrating as it is I don’t mind when a selection runs well and loses. It’s when they blow out completely which I have disappoints me.

I have three selections for you on Monday. Two go at Catterick and one at Windsor.

Catterick

2:30 – Good Night Mr Tom – 11/8 – Gen – The selection got off the mark at the fourth attempt when making all to win at Hamilton 16-days ago. Handicapper has raised the gelding 7lb for that success but he’s on a upward curve and can go in again.

3:00 – B Fifty Two – 4/1 – Gen – A winner over C&D earlier in the month off 3lb lower. Has run well on two starts since. Another quick turn round for the 10-year-old who was 3^rd of 17 at Thirsk on Friday. Has a good draw in stall 1 and should go close again returned to a track that suits.

Windsor

8:00 – Zoffee – 9/4 – Gen – The 3-year-old broke his maiden tag at the 7^th attempt when running out a decisive winner over C&D 21-days ago. Up 3lb for that win, the runner-up won at Newmarket on Saturday, so the form looks reliable enough and Silvestre De Sousa keeps the ride.

I’m having a day off on Tuesday so the next selections will be on Wednesday.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

A Doncaster double on Saturday made it another winning day for the service. Just the one selection on Sunday which goes at Pontefract.

Pontefract

3:00 – Champarisi – 9/2 @ Bet365 & William Hill – A progressive staying handicap filly in the spring winning three on the trot, two out at Southwell and one at Musselburgh. The selection hasn’t run too badly on either start since. She finished 4^th of 15 at York two starts back and last time out was 3^rd of 7 here over 2m 2f. The 4-year-old looked like she just failed to see out the trip that day so today’s slightly shorter trip should be more in her liking. Has top-weight of 10-3 to carry but does drop into Class 5 here. Best form on turf has come on good ground so she shouldn’t be far away if the ground dries out further.

Cheers

John