Hi all,
My first selections since Royal Ascot. It’s Carlisle’s most valuable fixture of its flat season. The feature race on the card is the historic Carlisle Bell Handicap (3.50). The Cumberland Plate (4.20) and Listed Eternal Stakes (4.50) also feature on a seven-race card.
Across the Irish Sea there’s also Listed action at Naas where the highlight of an eight race evening card is the Naas Oaks Trial (7:00).
Carlisle
3:50 – The forecast strong pace will suit Painters Palette who was 2nd of 7 at Ayr 15 days ago. Any further ease in the ground is another plus for the 4-year-olds chance. The lightly raced Pillar of Hope made it 3-10 when winning at Beverley two starts back. Not disgraced when a 2 ¾ length 4th of 9 to Oviedo upped to 1m 2f in the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar last month. Takes an ease in grade here and a drop back to a strongly run mile could suit the 5-year-old who is 2-2 on good to soft. Bashful bids for the hat trick after successes at Hamilton and latterly Newcastle 7 days ago. Has a 5lb penalty to carry for last week’s win and is up a notch in class. Given his present vein of form he can’t be discounted.
Bashful – 1pt win – 14/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
4:20 – There’s no doubt that Ravenscraig Castle is handicapped to win the Cumberland Plate but he’s become disappointed and I’m not sure that a drop back to 1m 3f is what the 5-year-old wants. Stablemate C’mon Kenny looks the more solid of the pair. The lightly raced 7-year-old gained a second success on the flat when winning at Pontefract 16 days ago. A 4lb rise in the weight’s doesn’t look harsh as he’s remains unexposed over this sort of trip. Drawn 17 of 17 isn’t ideal but he’s got strong claims with the first time cheekpieces and interesting addition.
C’mon Kenny – 1pt win – 5/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Naas
7:00 – Maximum respect for Shamwari who built on the promise of her Dundalk racecourse debut to finish a 1 ¾ length 2nd of 5 to Tower Of London in a Listed race at Leopardstown 20 days ago. The winner has gone again since and could be a St Leger contender so that form could be better than it looked at the time. Despite her obvious claims my preference at the prices is for the Jessica Harrington trained Snowcapped. The daughter of Churchill won a Gowran Park maiden on her seasonal return and improved again when winning on handicap debut at the Curragh next time. She looked in need of further of a mile when a ¾ length 3rd of 10 last time. Has a bit to find on official ratings with some of her rivals but if the step up to 1m 2f does bring out further improvement which I think it can then she won’t be far away.
Snowcapped – 1pt win – 8/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes.
Cheers
John