I like Golden Hello in the Ascot nursery, could be well weighted for a race the trainer targets, on at 16/1 but blue on odds checker and now 14's
After Thursday’s results at Newmarket, plenty will be steering clear but I am a sucker for a tricky card. The opening fillies’ handicap seems to be a straight face-off between several unexposed fillies from top yards and the battle-hardened contenders with form in the book. Hopefully, Enlace is not allowed a soft lead as she has been thoroughly consistent other than last week’s disappointment on soft ground at Haydock. Muffri’Ha was out of her depth at Royal Ascot but her seasonal debut second gives her chances here. Woodcraft puts her unbeaten record on the line here and she did beat Alfajer last time on Kempton’s polytrack. Spangled comes here on the back of an easy maiden race win on her second career start but that was only a six-runner maiden auction race. ANGEL VISION has won two of her four starts, the most recent of which was a good Newmarket mile handicap; and she can make the necessary improvement to collect again. Five of the runners in the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes (2:40) followed home Acapulco in the Queen Mary at the Royal meeting (Easton Angel second, Besharah third) and step up a furlong in trip, whilst Illuminate comes here unbeaten after victory in the six furlong Albany Stakes (Glenrowan Rose behind). With so many unknowns, this is just a watching brief. At 3:15, the Falmouth Stakes is going to be fascinating, as Mr Spock would observe. My selection would have been Integral (as Sir Michael Stoute’s horses generally ran poorly at Royal Ascot and I believed she could repeat last year’s success now the yard is faring better) but she does not go. Lucida did not benefit from a good ride in the Coronation Stakes, where Arabian Queen finished behind, but I do not believe that the three year old fillies are top draw so they are overlooked. At Chantilly last time, Fintry beat Avenir Certain in a six-runner Group 3 race, whilst the other French raider Bawina steps up from Group 2 company after a long break. As AVENIR CERTAIN beat Bawina consistently in Group 1 races last year, I believe that she will reverse May form provided that she handles the fast ground. There does not appear to be a decent prospect on either the Ascot or York cards so it is a two bet day.
Agreed SBC .. I backed Gatepost lto @ Chester and from a great draw proceeded to miss th ebreak and spent the next 6 furlongs running up the backside of poorer horses .. eventually saw some light and made it for second .. I'm on now and am hoping for a good break and a make all performance .. and as for Ballasteros .. doesn't that one need some juice to be seen at its best ? - thx for the views
I don’t think anyone knows much about Ballesteros anymore! He has won on good/firm whilst his run on the surface last time out was more than satisfactory. Personally, I think how he fares will depend much more on whether or not, like many of these aged sprinters, he turns up in good form and in the right frame of mind. If he ticks these boxes, and yes its an if, then to my eye 16/1 is a very big price for him running off just 82.
Barney - have backed Ballesteros is a couple of his recent runs with the same logic that you provided and will have to do the same today - will also couple him with Glenalmond in 3.45 Newmarket in singles and e/w double
Quite fancy the Albany winner to follow up in the Cherry Hinton. Currently 15/8. I'd expect the Hannon's to have better 2 year old fillies than Mick Dods almost 100% of the time so i'm very happy to take Eastern Angel on. For that reason i'm drawn to Illuminate who definitely stays the trip and is less exposed than the market rival. i wouldn't put my life on it but for a few quid i think she's a fairly decent bet.
Bet of the weekend for me is Arod in the Summer Mile. I'd have fancied him to beat Toormore anyway but with that one out and 10/3 available i just think it's a point and shoot job.
Always value your opinion Bob, feel it is a bit strange to say Hannon will have better fillies than Dods though. Surely you should be meriting the horses on the track and not by which barn they come from?
You're right by that point Hully. I'm just going by the law of averages and i'd be a lot more confident in Hannon and his team getting their hands on a top notch filly than I would be with the Dods team. I wouldn't put much faith in my thoughts though. I know next to nowt about flat racing.
Afternoon Cohorts, two for moi. Navan 7.35-Unsinkable win 5s.C&D winner who didnt quite get home lto over 1m 4f and back running here at 1m 2f.Stable is in rude health and should be there abouts. Cork 7.50- Just Call Me win 4s.Finished third lto at Limerick and winner has won since.Baz G takes the reigns in Jp colours
Clearly Spangled was on a lenient handicap mark after winning a moderate maiden and some punters knew it: backed from 6/1 down to 9/2 just before the off. Somebody tell those Muppets at Newmarket that the stands’ side is riding slower than the far side. Dettori gave up on Angel Vision with a furlong to go and just ducked her in behind the fillies that were contesting the finish.
*POCKET TALK* What an awful ride Eastern Angel was given, how do you not get a gap in a field like that and then bring her to the side of the course which is clearly running much slower
