Author: John Burke

Hi all,

The weather complicates today’s racing. It all depends where the rain falls and how much. For all three of Saturday’s selections soft ground would be an unknown.

Ascot

2:25 – Wings Of Time – 4/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Might have been slightly flattered when winning at the July Festival on his last start. However, he impressed that day and although he’s up 6lb, in a better race, he’s a 3-year-old on the upgrade and capable of following up if the rain doesn’t inconvenience the son of Invincible Spirit.

5:20 – Kiefer – 7/4 – Gen – The selection is an improving middle distance handicapper who’s improved with each of his four starts this season. Put in a career best when runner-up at Salisbury 31-days ago and remains on an upward curve even though he’s been put up 6lb for his Salisbury run. Soft ground would be a concern but apart from that is the one to beat on good or quicker.

Newmarket

4:00 – Swindler – 2/1 – Gen – This looks a match-up between Swindler & Pass The Vino. The latter won over C&D 16-days ago and despite a 5lb rise in the ratings is a lightly raced 3-year-old sprint handicapper. The Swindler is even more lightly raced, having just had the four career starts. The selection was an impressive winner, on quick ground, on his handicap debut at Ascot 15-days ago. The handicapper raised him 8lb for that win but it’s hard not to think there’s plenty more improvement in him and he can defy a mark of 90. As with the previous two selections rain softened ground would be an unknown.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Newbury

6:30 – Fantom Force – 11/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Shaped with promise in maiden & novice company before finishing 3^rd of 8 to the useful Making History on his nursery debut at Leicester 7-days ago. Drops back a furlong in distance although he shaped at Leicester as if he might stay a mile.

8:40 – Lightening Dance – 7/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The selection ran well enough when coming up against a couple of improving 3-year-old’s when 3^rd of 9 at Windsor 24-days ago.  Ran up to her mark last time and is competitively handicapped on her best form. Trainer Amanda Perrett has had a quiet season but there have been more encouraging signs of late.

Sandown

4:25 – Quarry Beach – 9/4 @ Coral & Ladbrokes –  The 3-year-old has only had the five career starts and put in a career best when runner-up at Newbury 21-days ago. That was her first start for 250-days ago, so she’s entitled to have benefited from that run. Nudged up 1lb for that effort but the selection is unexposed in handicap company, seems to be going the right way and looks on a workable mark.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Leicester

7:15 – Volcanic Sky – 2/1 @ William Hill & Betway – Ran well from his wide draw in the Cumberland Plate at Carlisle 28-days ago. The 4-year-old didn’t have much cover during the race so in the circumstances ½ length third placed effort was a good one. Nudged up 1lb from that effort the 4-year-old remains on a competitive mark and is more than capable of winning this.

8:50 – Montalvan – 3/1 @ Bet365 or 11/4 @ William Hill –  The selection had been knocking on the door in handicaps on his recent starts and final got his head in front when making all to win at Ripon 4-days ago.  Has to carry a 6lb penalty to carry for his Ripon success but looks set to go close here.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Redcar

2:55 – First Dance – 10/3 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power –The 5-year-old ran better than his final finishing position at York, 9 days ago suggests. Held up, he wasn’t suited by the slow early gallop that day. He’s now dropped to 4lb below last years winning mark and looks sure to go well provided they go a decent gallop.

5:15 – The Armed Man – 9/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The selection made it 2 wins from 7 runs over C&D when winning on his seasonal reappearance in April, off 1lb lower. He also won this race 12 months ago off 2lb higher.  He’s at his best on good to form ground so connections will be hoping the showers miss the course. Trainer Chris Fairhurst had a welcome winner at Doncaster last evening and he will be hoping for another one here.

There won’t be any selections on Monday or Tuesday, but I will be back on Wednesday morning.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Newbury

4:45 – Red Stralight – 2/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The selection, a former C&D winner, handles ease in the ground, will find this easier. back against her own sex, then when 8th of 28 in the Royal Hunt Cup. She’s handles some ease in the ground, is consistent and shouldn’t be far away in the 1m handicap even under top weight.

Cartmel

2:30 – Beeno – 4/1 – Gen – The veteran showed he was no back number when winning over C&D 22-days ago. That was the selections 4^th win at the track, all but one of his career wins have come here. That was his first win when soft wasn’t in the going description so any ease in the ground will be welcomed. Up 4lb but remains on a competitive mark based on his back form.

Haydock

8:30 – Lydiate Lady – 11/2 @ Coral & William Hill – The 7-year-old seemed to be running into form when putting in a seasonal best when 4^th of 8 over C&D 28-days ago. The handicapper has dropped the mare 3lb since that win and she now races off a 10lb lower mark than for her last win back in April 2018. Best form has come with some juice in the ground so connections will be hoping  the going is on the easy side,

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Newmarket

5:45 – Junoesque – 11/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes –  Plenty of inform fillies in this 1m 2f handicap, none more so than the selection. The 5-year-old has been in excellent form this season winning three of her four starts, including the last two. She’s won on good to firm & soft so seems ground versatile and the manner of her Windsor win off 5lb lower 19-days ago suggests she might not have stopped winning yet.

Pontefract

8:35 – Flying Raconteur – 9/2 @ Paddy Power & Bet365 –  The selection returned from a 568-day break with an eye-catching third at Redcar two starts back.  Ran just as well when 4^th of 14 at Ripon 11-days ago. Has shaped on both starts as if the step up to 1m 2f could suit and has to be high on the shortlist for a trainer whose runners continue to run well.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Hamilton

2:10 – Arnold – 4/1 – Gen – The selection looks the one to beat based on his head second at Newcastle 44-days ago, although light concern that we haven’t seen him 44-days, Twice a winner on good to firm, the last of those wins came at Beverley off 1lb lower. Trainer Ann Duffield’s handicap runners in the first two in the betting are always worth noting as she’s had 27 winners from 85 runners 32% +26.13 A/E 1.22 44 placed 52% since the start of 2015.

Chepstow

2:30 – Captain Sedgewick – 6/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The 5-year-old won this race last year off 1lb and looks set for a bold bid for back to back wins. Both of her career wins have come in July, so this really does like her time of year.  Shaped well enough when 5^th of 16, beaten just 1 ½ lengths, at Lingfield 19-days ago to think she comes into the race in decent form. That Lingfield run was her first for 220-days.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Al Messila followed up her Leicester win with success at Nottingham yesterday to give the service a second day of profit. Here’s hoping for more of the same today.

Lingfield

4:40 – Rainbow Jazz – 8/1 – Gen – The selection made all to win this this race last year off 1lb higher. The 4-year-old shaped with promise when 4^th at Brighton two starts back and ran better than his final position of suggests at Epsom two days later suggests. Nicely drawn in stall one to repeat last years success now returned to good to firm ground.

Wolverhampton

4:40 – Super Kid – 11/2 – Gen –The 7-year-old also won this same race 12 months ago, off 5lb higher. Showed his well being for a repeat success when winning at Chester 32-days, despite meeting trouble in the run. Stall eight could be better but the selection is nicely handicapped for a bold bid for back to back wins albeit this years race does contain a couple of unexposed potential improvers.

Yarmouth

5:30 – Hart Stopper – 11/4 @ William Hill & Bet365 – Ticks the all-important boxes marked course, distance and going, with his C&D form figures being 112 and he’s 3 wins from 10 runs 5 placed on good to firm. Three of his five career wins have also come in field sizes 7 or less.  Put in a seasonal best when runner-up here 7-days ago and the 5-year-old looks capable of going one better better today.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Southwell

6:30 – Un Beau Roman – 6/1 @ William Hill & Bet365 – The selection would win this comfortably on his form of 3-years ago. He’s not as good as he once was but his close second at Worcester 53-days ago showed he can win races at this level. The handicapper has put up 5lb for that effort, but he can remain competitive again.

Nottingham

8:10 – Al Messila – 13/2 @ Paddy Power – The drop-in class suited the 3-year-old when she put in an eye-catching performance to win at Leicester 19-days ago. She was always travelling better than anything in the race and it was just a question whether she would get a clear run when making her effort a furlong out. The gap came and she showed a decent change of gear to win going away by 2 ½ lengths. Back up a notch in class and raised 6lb here but can go close.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Killarney

7:50 – Island Master –7/2 @ William Hill & Bet365 – The selection ran well for a long way, at Tramore, on his return to action after a 247-day layoff. He was still bang in contention coming to the second last before a lack of race fitness caught him out. Still he was beaten less than 4 lengths into third. Has been given 44-days to recover and his trainer had a winner at Sligo yesterday.

8:20 – Smithscorner – 5/2 @ William Hill & Ladbrokes – Made it 1 from 4 over fences when winning at Wexford 26-days. There was plenty to like about how he finished of his race last time, for what in the end was a decisive win.  That performance hasn’t gone unnoticed, as the handicapper has put him up 9lb. The second who re-opposes here has since gone onto win so the form of the race is working out well. The 8-year-old remains unexposed over fences and looks capable of defying his new mark.

Windsor

8:30 – Hats Off To Larry – 11/4 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Ran better than could have been expected when a 2 length, 5^th of 10 behind Jazeel at Sandown 10-days ago. That was a Class 2 handicap, he drops back into Class 4 here, and can race off 2lb lower than at Sandown. The 5-year-old returns to a C&D where is form figures are 311. Plenty in his favour today then and Osin Murphy is on-board for the first time.

Cheers

John