Saturday's Meetings Haydock Flat 7 Races 1:15-4:45p.m. Beverley Flat 7 Races 1:30-5:00p.m. Bangor-on-Dee N/H 7 Races 1:40-5:10p.m. Punchestown N/H 8 Races 1:55-6:00p.m. Catterick Flat 7 Races 2:10-5:40p.m. Chepstow(E) Flat 7 Races 5:50-9:00p.m. Lingfield(E) Flat 7 Races 5:35-8:45p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
Busy Saturday, so just noticed this one is running (one of my two picks in Tamerlo's competition). Better put it up now, in case I am not back home in time: 15:15 Beverley, a Class-2 Conditions Stakes dash for 2-y-olds. Andrew Balding's colt Loaded Gun runs in this and has an outside chance of running a good race. Modest wager only, as odds at the moment look attractive, although a longshot. Oisin Murphy on board for the Balding stable. 16/1 (PP/BetVictor) best price at this early time of writing. E/W, of course. (Prices from Oddschecker) Have a successful Saturday afternoon, folks!
Haydock 13,15 Prince Of Pillo 7/1 e/w Lads three places, 13/2 others 13,50 Small bet Nomadic Empire 18/1 e/w sky five places, four others Punchestown 15,05 Menindee 6/1 16,15 Ash Tree Meadow 7/2
This must be the second meeting on the trot at Haydock where the going has not been on the easy side; and there are several small fields. Give it a couple of months and trainers will be moaning about lack of opportunities for horses that are stood in their boxes today. In the opening sprint it looks like a toss up between Equilateral, the old timer second in the Temple last time from a favourable stands’ side draw, and Raasel, down the field in the same race from an unfavourable wide draw. Raasel won this last year and followed up but has not won since while the former last won two years ago in Meydan. I would not be surprised if Ryan Moore won this on the unfavourably weighted three year old Prince Of Pillo as his juvenile form is at this level or better and he has won three from five career starts. Ryan Moore also gets the leg up on the Charlton’s Time Lock in the Pinnacle Stakes (3:00). She has been second on three of her five starts, including her seasonal return when caught late on in a Listed race. That should put her straight for this but she may need to find a few pounds of improvement. The German raider Nachtrose is an unknown but was second in a two mile Group 2 in Germany in May and fourth in a mile and three quarter Listed race in April. Favourite backers will be taking a chance that Modaara’s two odds-on demolition jobs on the kitty litter are form that will transfer to turf – neither race was very strong but Roger Varian will have some idea if the well bred daughter of Dubawi is good enough. Two runners ran in the Middleton at York, with Poptronic faring best in third as the outsider while Silk Sea Road only beat the pacesetter home without really challenging. The latter ought to do better over this longer trip judging on her career best second in the Ribblesdale last term and she finished ahead of the former in a Group 3 at HQ last September. I got my fingers burned on MIMIKYU last time when she got headed on the post and she drops back two furlongs in trip here. Her best form was winning the Park Hill over further but she is a course and distance winner (beating Time Lock) and I see Frankie setting the fractions from the front today as she has made all before. The John Of Gaunt Stakes (3:35) is definitely a race to avoid as the three market leaders all have question marks against them, with the Australian raider stepping up a furlong after showing little in the Duke Of York. The small fields at Beverley make little appeal and Timeform are tipping the odds on favourite Midnight Affair in the Hilary Needler; and the bottom weight Ugo Gregory should avenge his course and distance defeat last time in the 2:40.
Chepstow 550 Jaqualina at 5/2 in the first r/f with rhubarb 620 moes legacy 50s ew 1st run but i am more than willing to take the chance 655 jaxs edge 5/2
Nomadic Empire 3rd, SP 20/1. Menindee "Towards rear, jumped right and bumped rival 2nd, in touch with leaders when badly hampered by loose horse and lost position after 7th, led 9th, slow jump 11th, ridden and 3 lengths ahead when mistake and fell last (op 15/2 tchd 6/1) "
