Hi all,
Bear Force One & Itkaann finished first and second in the Class 2 handicap at Newmarket with the well backed favourite Troll Peninsula disappointing. Bear Force One was returned at an incredibly generous 16/1 so hopefully you were on with one of BOG firms.
Fresh from yesterday’s big priced winner I have a handful of fancies for you today. One at Catterick hails from a small yard who had a winner at Musselburgh on Tuesday and tend to have their winners come in streaks.
There’s an interesting 3-year-old only 1m 3f handicap at Kempton (8:30) this evening. There may only be seven runners but you can make some sort of case for all them.
Catterick
2:30 – Embour ran a cracker when a 4 ½ length 6th of 20 in the Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon last time. Top-weight of 10-2 to carry but drops two notches in class and this his first start in Class 4 handicap. Well suited to a quick ground, he’s 4lb below his last winning mark, and has a handy low draw in stall 1.
Lady Nectar won nicely at Thirsk (good to firm) in April, off 2lb lower, and ran well when a 1 ¾ length 3rd of 7 in a better race at Redcar 38-days ago. The filly won over C&D last summer and her three career wins have come on good or quicker ground. The first time cheekpieces are an interesting addition for trainer Ann Duffield whose horses are going well.
1pt win – Embour – 7/2 @ Bet365
3:00 – Dirchill won off 8lb higher over C&D (soft) last October. But also won at Redcar last summer on good to firm. Not much signs of life in 2021. However, a 3-length 6th of 11 over C&D 9-days ago was a step back in the right direction. The 7-year-old is very handicapped on the best of last season’s form and has each way claims.
1pt win – Dirchill – 30/1 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook
Kempton
8:30 – The Sir Michael Stoute trained Ziknay has been mildly progressive this season and looks set to go off favourite here. However, I think he might be worth taking on given he looked like he needed to go further than 1m 4f, when finishing runner-up Salisbury 13-days ago.
Irish Legend was a good 4th of 13 at Goodwood last time. He’s 2-2 on the all-weather and has been gelded since his last run. The blinkers he wore at Goodwood are replaced by the reapplied cheekpieces and he appeals more than the Stoute horse.
Pied Piper was 3 ½ length behind Irish Legend at Goodwood and I don’t see why he should finish ahead of that one here.
King Of Tsavo won a nursery here last December and is 1-1 at Kempton. He hasn’t really built on the promise of his Haydock seasonal return but there was encouragement from his 7th of 12 at Newcastle (1m 2f) last time and he shaped like he’s worth another try at further. The first-time blinkers are applied and they could eke out the improvement that he needs to win.
Choritzo has struggled since making a good seasonal return at Wolverhampton in April. Big step up in trip here, just his second start beyond a mile but his dam did win over 1m 4f so its worth a try. The fitting of the first time cheekpieces need to have the desired effect.
Marching Army made all to win a quick ground Leicester novice two starts back. He looked a nice middle-distance prospect that day but struggled on good to soft on his handicap debut at Goodwood 26-days ago. He’s surely better than run and remains capable of better. Osin Murphy who rode him at Leicester is back in the saddle.
1pt win – Marching Army – 6/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Bellewstown
6:15 – Good World has won two of his last three, both at Wexford, and sandwiched in between those two successes he was a good second at Punchestown. He’s been raised 5lb for his last win but the 6-year-old showed a good attitude to prevail and is going the right way.
1pt win – Good World – 9/1 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook
Cheers