Just four foreign raiders line up for the Prix de Diane (Chantilly 3:00) but Oaks third
Nashwa will start a short priced favourite with the British bookies under Hollie Doyle. It is hard to fancy Ballydoyle maiden race winner
Toy after her no show in the Pouliches (
Times Square third,
Rosacea fourth,
Daisy Maisy fifth), so with my luck
Place Du Carrousel will win having failed in the Prix Saint Alary last time weighed down by my cash.
I have been critical of both of the last two Sunday Series meetings for different reasons: York had four 20+ runner handicaps, three of them under a mile; and Musselburgh had several short-priced favourites in poor calibre fields.
Today’s Pontefract card has a little bit more in the way of variety, although still the emphasis on bookie-friendly handicaps, but the course restrictions mean not huge fields full of donkeys.
I expected that getting on early would be a good idea for
Bartzella in the 4:45, given that it hails from the Haggas winner factory, but looking on Oddschecker on Saturday night it had already collapsed from 15/8 to 5/4. So the feature Listed race is one race to not bother assessing. It is only ‘value’ if you see it winning this at least 444 times in a 1,000 runnings.
Whilst eleven line up for the 4:15, half the field are out of form and one is on seasonal debut. I cannot understand why Tim Easterby’s
Highwaygrey is a short favourite for this simply because it has four course wins. Its last three visits here have ended in defeat and it last won in April 2021. It has dropped 10lb since that last win but it was second of four last September over course and distance.
Dungar Glory was a respectable third in a similar sort of race last time trying to make all but now steps up two furlongs. Mark Johnston’s three year old
Mackenzie Rose has to be a serious contender having just been touched off over course and distance before winning well at Doncaster when 4lb well in. Now 8lb higher than that win, she could still be improving. Johnston’s other runner
Love Is Golden probably holds the key to this race. He was given too much to do last time at Chester and was a never nearer second as favourite. With Ben Curtis aboard today, could he try to make the running? This is significant because
EL PICADOR comes here having won on the last Sunday Series at Musselburgh but now takes a two furlong drop in trip. He did win over this trip three years ago but has not won at less than 11 furlongs since, so there is a risk side as well as him needing a test of stamina (a strong pace) plus this is not a great track for hold-up horses.
In the sprint that closes the card at 6:45, last year’s victor
Music Society returns on just a 2lb higher mark having won a weak race at Catterick last time following a good second at Haydock but with an unfavourable draw.
Ghathanfar has only won twice in the last two seasons, has a good draw but has never won off a mark this high. Seven year old
Corinthia Knight won a weak course and distance race last time (now has three such victories), races off a 3lb lower mark thanks to the booking of claimer Harry Davies and has to be a live threat. There are three runners on a hat-trick. What really puts me off
Eilean Dubh is the wide draw and the drop in trip. He won a big field Sunday Series handicap at York last time from up with the pace but is now 6lb higher and over two furlongs shorter. I think he is running because he won another Sunday Series race at Hamilton – but again over a mile.
Il Bandito is another changing trip after winning the last twice over seven furlongs with P J McDonald aboard but at least he is better drawn. That leaves
DREAM COMPOSER, a winner here over five at the end of May who followed up in a better race at Goodwood over today’s trip when raised 4lb and now races off 3lb higher and drawn one: he is clearly in the form of his life and has a great chance to complete the hat-trick.
