Author: John Burke

Hi all,

Much better day with two winners on Friday. Today’s selections are from Uttoxeter and Newmarket.

Uttoxeter

3:35 – Boldmere – 9/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – A useful novice chaser last season. Had looked set to win the Grade 2 Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby when falling the last.  Hasn’t built on the promise on his first two starts this season and has been disappointing since. His poor form means he’s now 10lb below the mark he started the season on. Hopes pinned on the application of the first-time tongue tie and better ground.

Newmarket

2:25 – Come From The Dark – 5/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Got up to beat one of today’s rivals Garrus in a Newbury handicap 15-days ago. The selection is an improving sprinter and that improvement may not have levelled out. Needs a strong pace to come off be at his best and seems likely to get it.

5:25 – Forest Falcon – 4/1 @ Bet365 – The 3-year-old has lost nothing in defeat in finishing runner-up on his last two starts. Just coming up against two better treated horses. Remains open to further improvement and looks set to get an uncontested lead here.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Today’s selections are from Musselburgh & Newcastle.

Musselburgh

3:05 – Foreseeable Future – 7/2 @ Bet365 – The selection put in arguably his best performance since joining trainer Ruth Carr when a neck 2^nd of 17 at Doncaster 6-days ago.  Different track today but he’s a prominent racer and should be suited by it. Provided this doesn’t come to quick he should take all the beating.

5:10 – Yoshimi – 3/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Won over C&D as a juvenile. Ran very when third behind Palace Pier on his seasonal reappearance last season.  Didn’t really build on that promise on subsequent starts in 2020 but starts this season 10lb lower.

Newcastle

6:20 – Live Your Dream – 4/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Plenty of promise on his three juvenile starts including winning over C&D in October 2019. Has a 571-day absence to overcome and has been gelded. On a workable mark for his handicap debut if ready to roll first time.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Araifjan (11/2 BOG) battled on well to hold of his challengers to win at Chelmsford yesterday evening and keep the service among the winners.

Today’s selections are from Punchestown, Redcar and Chelmsford.

Punchestown

7:05 – Bigbadandbeautiful – 5/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – A useful bumper performer last season (won on the flat last summer), returned from an eight-month absence to win on her hurdle debut at Navan last month. Her jumping was novicey at times but it didn’t stop her from winning very easily. Scope for plenty of improvement in the sphere and with a better round of jumping can take this.

Redcar

5:00 – Encounter Order – 7/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Useful form on his three juvenile start last season and should be capable of winning a race this season. Seasonal return here and handicap debut off a workable enough mark with Ray Dawson taking off a handy 3lb. Trainer Ismail Mohammed won this race in 2018.

Chelmsford

7:15 – Satono Japan – 5/1 @ Bet365 – The selection had made an impressive winning juvenile debut at Kempton two seasons back. Missed most of last year, having just the two starts as a 3-year-old. Career best effort when a 8¼ lengths 4th of 5 to Dubai Warrior in a Listed race at Lingfield in November. Interesting that Sir Michael Stoute perseveres with the colt who remains capable of better.

Cheers

John      

Hi all,

Roman Mist (4/1 BOG) got the service off the cold list yesterday. Today’s selections are from Ascot, Chelmsford and Pontefract.

Ascot

4:30 – Rose Hip – 13/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The selection shaped like the run, first for seven months, was needed in a Bath Listed race last time and is back in a more suitable grade today. The mare won over C&D last summer, off 3lb lower. She goes well on quick ground and Tom Marquand who has ridden the mare to all five career wins is back in the saddle today.

Chelmsford

6:40 – Araifjan – 4/1 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power – Should be fitter today than when a 4 length fifth of 11 at Newmarket last time. That was the 5-year-old’ first start for over three months and he’s a better horse on the synthetics than turf. Ray Dawson takes off a handy 3lb which could be crucial in a tight handicap.

Pontefract

3:50 – Highly Sprung – 4/1 @ Bet365 – Looked as good as ever when 7^th of 15 on his seasonal return at Doncaster last month. Nine of his ten career wins have come on good to firm and his record over C&D is an impressive 6 wins from 13 runs +26.33 8 placed. He’s now 2lb below last season’s C&D success and looks set for another good run back here.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

After a such an excellent run it’s been back down to earth in the last week. Hopefully we can regain the winning thread today.

Yarmouth

3:15 – Capla Berry – 4/1 @ Bet365 – A winner here and at Doncaster on her first two starts last season. Both those wins came on good/good to firm going so the quicker ground will suit the 5-year-old who is making her seasonal return here. First run at mile and if she stays won’t be far away.

Nottingham

2:50 – Roman Mist – 5/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The selection takes on some unexposed rivals here but made a promising turf debut when 4^th of 14 at Windsor 15-days ago. Today’s more galloping track should suit her better and she shouldn’t be far away.

5:05 – Toptime – 7/1 @ Bet365 – Won a Kempton nursery back in September. Returned from a 6-month break with an encouraging 5^th of 13 at Windsor 15-days ago. He showed good speed that day and he should be fitter for that run.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Today’s selections are from Naas and Lingfield.

Naas

1:55 – Sounds Of Spring – 11/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – The lightly raced selection improved to win a Navan maiden on his final start of 2020 and made an encouraging return to action when 3rd of 17 over C&D 29-days ago. This will be the quickest ground he’s encountered but if he handles it won’t be far away.

Lingfield

4:40 – Soyounique – 11/4 – Gen – Comes into today’s race in great form having won his last two starts at Wolverhampton and over C&D 19-days ago. He’s been nudged up 4lb for his C&D success but he can maintain his improvement to win again.

5:15 – Alcazan – 7/2 @ Bet365 – Another inform horse. The 3-year-old won over C&D to starts back and then followed up at Chelmsford 20-days ago. Last time was a career best effort on RPR’s. Up 4lb and a notch in class demands more from the filly but she’s open to more improvement.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Today’s selections are from Salisbury.

Salisbury

2:30 – I’m Watching You – 9/2 @ William Hill – Returned from an eight-week break to finish an encouraging 6^th of 11 at Wolverhampton. Didn’t get the clearest runs two furlongs out that day but looks like he’s on a competitive mark, if he can reproduce his all-weather form on turf.

5:30 – Single – 9/2 @ Bet365 & Paddy Power A winner of C&D handicap (good to firm) last summer off 1lb higher. The filly comes here on the back of finishing 4^th of 9 at Catterick 18-days ago and should be suited to a return to a stiffer track.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

We’re on a poor run but it will turn around.

Sandown

5:25 – Floating Rock – 6/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Appreciated the return to 2m 4f when winning at Ayr last Sunday. The ground was good that day and as it was Conditional Jockey’s race, he escapes a penalty for that win. At the right end of the handicap and won’t be far away.

Wolverhampton

6:45 – Estate House – 7/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Put in a career best effort when getting off the mark for the first time at the eighth attempt, over C&D on his last start.  Returns from a 184-day break and off a 4lb higher mark but should go close if fully tuned up for this.

Haydock

2:50 – Dreamloper – 4/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Ended last season with a career best effort on RPR’s when winning on her handicap debut at Ascot last September. A strong traveller the drop back to 7f shouldn’t be a problem for the filly who is very effective on good ground. Starts the new campaign off 6lb higher but can find further improvement as 4-year-old.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Things didn’t go to plan on Thursday. Today’s selections are from Sandown, Doncaster & Perth.

Sandown

1:15 – First Edition – 11/4 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Has all important winning C&D form. The 4-year-old makes his handicap debut and although he needs to have improved from to two to three, he’s unexposed and capable of finding the required progression to defy his mark.

Doncaster

2:15 – Whenthedealinsdone – 11/4 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Built on the promise of his racecourse debut when winning a Newbury maiden. Not disgraced at Salisbury on his final juvenile start. He remains a colt with potential on his handicap debut.

Perth

2:05 – Captain Blackpearl – 7/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes – Might well have gone close to winning but for a bad mistake at the second last at Kempton two starts ago and was still travelling well when unseating his rider five out at Haydock last time. Good ground suits and if he cut out the odd jumping error won’t be far away.

Cheers

John

Hi all,

Could do with returning to winning ways today.

Beverley

3:50 – Qawamees – 4/1 – Gen – Doesn’t have the best of win strike rates 1 win from 23 runs.  However, he’s dropped to 3lb below his last winning mark and possibly more significantly in to 0-70 company for the first time in his career. Ran slightly better than distance beaten suggests at Pontefract on his return to action from a 257-day break at Pontefract 16-days ago.

Perth

3:30 – Republican – 4/1 @ Bet365 – Bounced back to form and put in a career best effort over hurdles when a one & half-length 3rd of 15 at Haydock 19-days ago.  Step up to 3m 2f can bring out a bit more improvement in the 6-year-old who looks on a handy mark. Not a great price at around 7/2 but he will do for me.

Chelmsford

6:15 – Breath Of Joy – 100/30 @Bet365 & Sky Bet – The selection progressed with each of her four starts last season and put in a career best effort on RPR’s when a close-up 2^nd   of on her final start at Kempton. Both wins on the grass and is 0-5 but has finished runner-up four times on the all-weather. First run since September but won first time up in 2020.

Cheers

John