Hi all,
I think yesterday’s selections are still running.
If you like your racing action coming thick and fast. You will enjoy ITV’s offering on Saturday as the broadcaster is covering no less than ten races on Saturday afternoon: Five from Cheltenham, three from Doncaster and two from Newbury.
There’s Group action at Doncaster’s with feature race being the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes (3:15). There’s also Group 3s in the Horris Hill (2.00) and St Simon Stakes (2:35) at Newbury. And for jumps fans it’s the second day of Cheltenham’s Showcase Meeting. I have fancies at all three of the meetings on ITV this afternoon. As ever today’s betting advice is at the end of the main piece.
Cheltenham
Looks like the ground will be decent for day two of the Showcase meeting. It’s a moderate card from a Cheltenham perspective but tricky and competitive enough.
1:45 – Samarrive looked a nice prospect when winning a Kempton novice in April. Capable of better on his second season hurdling and going handicapping for the first time. However, he doesn’t make much appeal from a value perspective. Fergal O’Brien saddles a couple of live contenders in Samba Dancer and Byzantine Empire. The former looks the stable first choice on jockey bookings and has the benefit of a recent run. I suspect there isn’t much between the pair at the weights and Byzantine Empire offers a bit more value. This is the 4-year-old’s first run since winning at Southwell in July. It’s also his first start since wind surgery and is capable of better in handicaps.
2:20 – Storm Control won twice here in Nov/Dec and wasn’t disgraced when 5th of 21 in the Kim Muir at the Festival. He can be a tough horse when he gets in to a good jumping rhythm out in front and he’s now back down to his last winning mark. Might prefer slightly easier surface but If he’s ready to roll on his first start for 197-days he shouldn’t be far away. Trainer Kerry Lee is 2-2 with her runners in the past 14-days.
Jersey Bean won here in April over a ½ furlong further. He goes well on a sound surface but will face competition for the lead and is 4lb higher than for his last win.
Minella Bobo jumped well but did have an uncontested lead when winning by 11 lengths at Ffos Las in May. He’s been hiked up 12lb for that success and is another who won’t get an uncontested lead here. Still, he’s at the right end of the handicap and won’t be far away, if fit enough. Trainer Rebecca Curtis won this in 2018 with Relentless Dreamer.
4:05 – Tobefair has plenty of good form at the track and won this race in 2019 off 14lb higher. Struggled last season but that means he’s sliding down the weights. Granted neither run this season at Newton Abbot has given grounds for optimism and as an 11-year-old he’s going to be vulnerable to younger legs but he’s to well handicapped to ignore, if he gets a strong pace to chase.
Jersey Wonder won twice on good to firm in the springand given no rain is forecast he will enjoy today’s underfoot conditions. Got caught out in a tactical race Ffos last time but probably remains on a competitive mark. He’s another who will be better suited by today’s likely decent pace and is interesting returning from a break in the first time cheekpieces.
Doncaster
In the Vertem Futurity (3:15). I will be hoping one of my two ante post 2,000 bets Luxembourg will get the job done and enhance his claims for classic success next season. However, the Aidan O’Brien yard is struggling for form at present and he might be worth taking on today. There are also a couple of handicaps of interest on the Doncaster card.
2:05 – Zip, a winner over C&D last November (soft), is at his best on rain softened ground as he showed when a close-up 4th of 27 in the Victoria Cup at Ascot in May and again when winning at Musselburgh 12-days ago. Plenty of ticks in the right boxes for the 5-year-old who is just 1lb higher than for his latest win. Likely favourite Ibiza Rocks is one of the least exposed runners in the field. Put firmly in his place by handicap good thing Sunray Major at Ascot last time. He seemed to handle good to soft well enough at Ascot so today’s softer could also suit. Only 1lb higher than at Ascot and looks the one to beat.
3:15 – If you want to take on Luxembourg you will probably do worse than go with Sissoko. The colt left behind his racecourse debut form when impressively winning a Curragh maiden (1m 1f) 9-days ago. Clearly must improve again to win a race like this but he travelled like a smart prospect at the Curragh and is bred to better as a 3-year-old and over 1m 2f+.
4:20 – This 5f Class 2 handicap is arguably the most competitive race of the day. Top weight Dakota Gold goes well here, won a Listed race here over 6f last November on soft ground. Not been at his best so far this season but has a touch of class and back in handicap company can go well.
Lahore is another who has been struggling for form this season but that means he’s now 11lb below last season’s winning mark and he also won over C&D last season. The faster they go out in front the better his chance. Lahore has 3 ½ length to find with Illusionist on their running at York last time but is 8lb better off today.
Illusionist is another who goes well on soft ground and did he well to come from the rear to win at York. Now 5lb higher but if they go hard enough out in front he shouldn’t be far away.
Zargun was a neck behind Illusionist at York. He’s since gone to win the Catterick Dash but may struggle to reverse placings with the winner here. Sunday Sovereign was 1 ¼ lengths behind Zargun at Catterick and is entitled to ger closer on 4lb better terms.
Boundless Power finished a ½ 2nd of 16 in the valuable Portland handicap here over 5 ½ f two starts back and showed his liking for soft ground again when winning at Ascot last time. He’s 4lb higher but his liking for testing ground brings him firmly into the mix.
Newbury
The going is going to be very testing at Newbury today for the 2-year-olds in the Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes (2:00).
2:00 – The hot favourite is the Charlie Appleby trained Noble Truth a winner of a Listed race at Doncaster last month improved again when a ¾-length 2nd of 9 to Angel Bleu in Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp last time. He handled the heavy ground at Longchamp well enough so Saturday’s forecast ground shouldn’t be a problem.
Light Infantry looked a smart prospect when beating seven rivals on his racecourse debut at Yarmouth last month. The ground was good to firm that day so softer ground be an unknown for the colt but he’s capable of more improvement for the step up to 7f.
Cresta, a winner of Leicester novice on his racecourse debut, wasn’t disgraced when a 4-length 4th of 6 in the Group 3 Somerville Tattersall Stakes at Newmarket last time. He was still a bit green and didn’t totally handle the dip that day. There should be more to come from the colt.
The Hannon’s saddled the winner of the Horris Hill four times between 2009-2014 and Richard Hannon saddles Tacarib Bay. The son of Night Of Thunder hasn’t been seen on the track since winning a Haydock maiden back in May. He must have had a setback given his 149-day absence. It was soft ground when he won so he should be ok on the ground and it’s worth noting that 5 of the 8 runners in that Haydock race have won since.
Betting Advice:
Cheltenham
2:20 – 1pt win – Minella Bobo – 9/1 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook
4:05 – 1pt win – Tobefair – 12/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes and 1pt win – Jersey Wonder – 12/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Doncaster
3:15 – 0.5pts win – Sissoko – 10/1 @ Bet365
4:20 – 1pt win – Boundless Power – 5/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Newbury
2:00 – 0.5pts win – Tacarib Bay – 12/1 @ Bet365
Cheers
John