Author: John Burke

Hi all,

New King was a decisive winner for the service at Sandown yesterday. I have another couple of selections for you today.  

Gowran Park

4:55 – Heavenly Snow – 8/1 @ Paddy Power or 15/2 @ William Hill & Coral – The selection impressed when battling on to hold over her challengers inside the final furlong to win by a comfortable three lengths at Roscommon 6-days ago.  Up 7lb for that win needn’t be an issue as the filly has only had five career starts and as her trainer Sheila Lavery told the Racing Post “There’s loads more improvement in her”. A bigger issue would be drying ground as she seems to need some juice in the ground.

Doncaster

3:55 – Camacho Chief – 9/4 – Gen – The 4-year-old has the soft ground in his favour and will also be suited by the drop back to 5f. He’s on a competitive mark and I will be disappointed if he can’t take advantage of conditions today.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Sandown

4:25 – New King – 7/2 @ Bet365 – Has improved with each of his four career starts and put in a career best when finishing 4th of 9 to stablemate Private Secretary, here over a furlong further, 50-days ago. First run on soft for the son of Frankel but his pedigree suggests he can be effective on it.

Bath

1:45 – Das Kapital – 9/2 @ William Hill – 9/2 @ William Hill – Made an encouraging seasonal reappearance when a running on 3^rd of 15 at Nottingham 10-days ago. Granted consistency wasn’t one of the selections strengths last season but the step up in trip will suit the 4-year-old who looks on a competitive mark.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Three selections on a busy Friday.

York

4:05 – Happy Power – 9/4 – Gen – The selection was an impressive winner of a soft ground Newbury handicap on his seasonal return in April before finishing 3^rd at Haydock in listed company. Looked like he needed a mile at Haydock which he gets. Just as importantly the 3-year-old gets his favoured underfoot conditions today.

Cork

6:55 – Peach Tree – 3/1  – Gen – Not surprisingly the selection found the Epsom Oaks to hot a race on her last start. Back in calmer waters today should see the daughter of Galileo in a better light. Her trainer Aidan O’Brien has won five of the last 11 renewals of the Munster Oaks, from 25 runners with 4 winners from 8 runners 50% +18 7 placed 88% having won one of their last three starts and raced in Group 1 company.

Sandown

3:45 – Herculean – 6/4 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power – Should be too good for his rivals here. The 4-year-old is making his seasonal return here and having his first run since a gelding operation. Lightly raced with 2 wins from 4 runs. He looked last season like he was the sort who would improve with age and racing experience. Despite top-weight of 9-12 he looks to be starting his season off a well handicapped horse off 91.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

The weather has been dreadful and most of today’s race meetings have precautionary inspections to pass. The two exceptions are Newbury & Leopardstown.

Newbury

3:35 – Infanta Isabella – 15/2 @ Paddy Power or 7/1 – Gen – The selection has run well on both her starts this season. She’s got placed form at Newbury and is effective on good to soft. The drop back to a mile today looks interesting and her stamina can come into play in the closing stages of the race.

4:10 – Urban Highway – 11/2 @ William Hill & Paddy Power – The 3-year-old has yet to win on four starts since moving to the Tony Carroll stable. Put up a career best when staying on to finish 2^nd of 15 at Windsor 45-days ago. Up just 3lb for his last run and back up to 7f, should stay. The selection looks on a winnable mark if he handles today’s slow ground.

4:40 – Zuba – 7/2 @ William Hill & Coral – Caught the eye when 3rd to Private Secretary at Sandown on his seasonal reappearance 48-days ago. Not sure why we haven’t seen him for over six weeks. Should have improved for his handicap debut and shapes like he will stay 1m 4f.  I’m sure he can win a race off his present mark off 75. An unknown is soft ground, it was good to firm last time, but his dam won on soft to heavy which gives hope he will handle it. Another concern is his trainers form. Amanda Perrett has gone 58 days and 54 runners since her last winner.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Good news from my consultant’s appointment. I got the all clear and the surgery had been successful. As you can imagine that’s a big weight now lifted.

Haydock

3:20 – Lorelina – 5/2 @ Paddy Power or 2/1 – Gen – is 2 wins from 2 runs on heavy with the last of those wins came over C&D off 2lb lower last September. The 6-year-old comes into the race on the back of an excellent effort in finishing 5th of 11 at Epsom on her last start. With her main market rival Herculean now a non-runner her chance is enhanced on the likely going.

Kempton

7:20 – Baasem – 9/2 – Gen – The selection was only beaten 4 ½ lengths by Surfman on his final start as a juvenile. The 3-year-old made a promising handicap debut when 6th off 11 at Leicester 15-days ago. He was running on well enough over 1m 2f to think today’s extra furlong will suit and the handicapper has dropped the gelding 2lb since his Last run. Should be able to go close on just his second start on the synthetics.

8:20 – Papa Stour –9/4 @ Bet365 & William Hill – Just 1 win from 14 runs but the selection shaped well when 3rd of 14th at Chelmsford 16-days ago. That was the 4-year-old’s first run for 163-days and his first since a gelding operation. He didn’t get the best runs a furlong out at Chelmsford and would have finished closer with a clearer passage. Granted stall 10 could be better for the Andrew Balding trained runner but he looks on a winnable mark and can go close for a trainer among the winners.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Making all at Pontefract, Roulston Scar did the business for the service on Monday at a generous 6/1.

I have my follow up consultants appointment this morning which means there are no selections today.

Cheers
John

Hi all,

Pontefract

7:05 – Roulston Scar – 6/1 – Gen – Trainer Kevin Ryan saddles two here the selection and Princes Des Sables. Preference is for the race fit selection. The 3-year-old won on his seasonal return at Wetherby and followed that up with a third placed effort at York. Found things happening to quick over 5f at York. Remains inform and looks capable of more progress over 6f. Stall 3 looks fine and he can win again.

Leicester

4:30 – Cadre Du Noir – 7/2 @ William Hill & Paddy Power – Trainer Marty Meade is very much on the cold list having gone 21 runners and 61 days since a winner. I believe he had to shut down his stable, so his runners are just starting to return to the racecourse. He does very well with his runners at Leicester, though, having had 5 winners from 11 runners 45% +10.98. The selection a $1,100,000 purchase as a yearling only saw the track once last season when shaping with promise, when 3rd of 9 in a back-end Nottingham maiden. He looked to have plenty of scope for progress as a 3-year-old. I’m sure he can win races this season although soft ground be an unknown for the son of War Front.

Cheers
John

Hi all.

We couldn’t follow up Friday’s double yesterday. As both selections managed to fluff the start.

Today’s racing doesn’t look great and I have struggled to find any solid betting opportunities.

No selections. Hopefully there will be some tomorrow.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Chelmsford

4:15 – A Momentofmadeness – 5/1 – Gen – The selection hasn’t hit top form on his three starts so far this season. Last time out didn’t get to adopt his usual front running tactics. The hood left off at York returns which suggests connection will return to a more prominent ride here. No issues with the switch back to the all-weather, as the 6-year-old is 4 wins from 6 runs on the synthetics. He’s now dropped down to a competitive mark. Just 1lb higher than when making all in last year’s Portland Handicap and Cieren Fallon takes off a further 7lb.

Haydock

4:45 – Pendleton – 4/1 – Gen – The 4-year-old was twice runner-up on soft ground as a juvenile. Returned to action with a 6f novice win at Newcastle 39-days ago. The selection was finishing his race of strongly at Newcastle so his stamina should come into play on what is sure to be a testing 6f today. Handicap debut off a mark 0f 82 looks workable for a potentially progressive colt..

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Market Rasen

4:30 – Vice Et Vertu – 9/2 – Gen – Ran well on seasonal reappearance when runner-up at Ascot, now 7lb lower. Hasn’t run to that form since but drops back into Class 4 company for the first time since January 2018. The 10-year-old can hopefully make his class drop tell in this company.

Haydock

6:20 – Jackamundo – 5/1 – Gen – The selection won a Redcar nursery last September. Two low key runs back in April but the 3-year-old bounced back to form when landing a soft ground handicap at Nottingham 28-days ago. Up 5lb for his last win but seemed well suited by the step up to 1m 2f and rain softened ground last time.

Cheers

John