Hi all,
Ascot
3:40 – Look Closely made it 3 from 7 and 2 from 2 over C&D when winning here 27-days ago. Up 3lb for that success, all his career wins have come on good to firm and the drying ground is in his favour The 4-year-old is going the right way and although 3lb increase in the weights makes life tougher I think he can win again and hold off the even less unexposed Labeebb.
1pt win – Look Closely – 4/1 @ William Hill
4:50 – Gin Palace won his first two starts of the season at Newbury & Newmarket before disappointing when only 10th of 19 here in the International Stakes off today’s mark, two starts back. Showed that he could be competitive of this mark when an excellent 2nd of 15 at Sandown 13-days ago. Given his wide draw in 16 that day. He did well to get within a neck of the winner. It was a career best effort on RPR’s last time and he remains on the upgrade.
1pt win – Gin Palace – 5/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Haydock
5:25 – Two recent Daily Punt eyecatchers Cockalorum & Lunar Jet run in this 1m 2f handicap. The latter looks to be about to hit winning form but the forecast soft ground just makes me side with the first named here. Cockalorum’s best three turf RPR’s have come on soft at around today’s distance. Last time out was back to his best when 4th of 15 in a Class 2 at York. Drops back a couple of notches in class today and a reproduction of his York effort would be good enough here. Granted the yard could be in better form but the booking of Silvestre De Sousa is hardly a negative to the 5-year-old’s chance.
1pt win – Cockalorum – 9/2 @ Bet365
Down Royal
3:10 – Mere Catherine looked much improved for the step up to 1m 3f when winning at Killarney 16-days ago. Interesting that trainer Dermot Weld opts to step the filly up to 2m 2f here. Up 5lb for that last win, a useful 7lb apprentice has been booked to negate that weight rise. If her stamina holds out, she will be tough to beat. There should be no issues with the distance for winning hurdler Shanroe. The 6-year-old is unexposed on the level, just the two starts, winning a Limerick maiden on his return from lockdown before finishing 2nd of 13 at Leopardstown on his handicap debut over 1m 7f last month. Up just 1lb for that effort and should be firmly in the mix here if handling today’s soft ground. Has won on good to soft but has yet to run on soft or worse.
1pt win – Shanroe – 11/2 @ Bet365
Cheers
John