Flat Racing 18th June (Royal Ascot Day 5)

[Lars]

17:00 Ascot Life And Soul was well supported on seasonal reappearance and has run two decent races since. Although drawn quite wide today, he should again be able to make his presence felt and in a race I feel might be run fairly strongly things may fall just right for him. Amanda Perrett trains the 4yo colt (interesting that they have not gelded him) and he’s been there or thereabouts in pretty much 13 of his 15 career starts (one of those poor runs being his debut). He’s a horse who should handle the underfoot conditions expected for Ascot. He’s won over CD on good to soft ground, and has ran well on another occasion with that similar ground. Alongside this, he’s closely related to Medici Time whose a winner on soft ground and his sire, Azamour, has a cracking strike rate of 21% on soft ground so this stands him in good stead to handle these conditions. Recently, Life And Soul has shown a tendenacy to be keen early on, this was apparent in his last run at Epsom where they went no pace at all and he struggled to find his head for a large portion of the race. This told in the final stages of the race where he just started to tire after the race turned into a sprint and I’m positive that a more solid gallop throughout, thus encouraging him to settle, would have maybe meant he would have won that day. He still finished 4^th though, and is up 1lb from that run. It was also a slightly weaker race than this, so on paper he has a little bit to prove. However, although drawn not so well, he is very liable to relish these conditions, and has always looked like he’d stay a bit further than 1m4f anyway, so the stiff finish shouldn’t be a problem. He’s a course winner anyway and that’s a positive at the track. The booking of Jonny Murtagh is also a big positive, as he’s 2/4 when riding for Alan Spence horses and regular jockey Neil Callan gets booted off, which is interesting. It’s a signal of intent by connections. If he gets a decent enough gallop, which isn’t guaranteed fully but is probable considering the big field, then he’ll surely run a massive race. I was slightly surprised with a price of 14/1 and was expecting something around 8/1. Some come in very decent form but the soft ground is liable to find a fair few of these out, and I don’t expect any such problems with this horse. If he settles, I think he’ll win. If not, he won’t be far off the places by any means and it’s worth a nice EW investment I feel as unlikely this price will be about for long. Amanda Perrett herself isn’t in bad form herself and technically she’s had one horse based at her stable (Overdose) run well at Royal Ascot, so I’ve no concerns on that front. I know I said this last time this horse ran (finished 4^th with 3 places paid) but I really think he’ll go very close. Hope so anyway! Life And Soul; 2.5pts EW @ 14/1 Boylesports (bog)

[chris34]

Re: Flat Racing 18th June (Royal Ascot Day 5) Today could be interesting with the ground rapidly changing and the whole season has been run on G/F so form lines could yet again be called into question. 5.00 Ascot Tregoning yard have been rather quiet again but have still enjoyed a few winners albeit at a lower level. He runs Heddywn who comes out from stall 1 so will need a bit of luck probably going round the home bend but George Baker is a jockey I have a lot of time for as I think he is very smart. Heddwyn takes a step up in class but could still be ahead of the handicapper having only had 4 runs to date winning on debut and going close in 3 handicap starts, latest on the AW finishing a good second to the potentially useful Constant Contact of the Andrew Balding yard unfortunately the handicapper saw that as a very good effort aswell sticking him up 5lb but suppose he needed that to get into this sort of race. Could continue to improve and has form on heavy so no ground worries neither but the unknown has to be the trip extra 2f today and on breeding isnt sure to suit but he looks a stayer on recent effort so.. 1pt e/w Heddwyn 16/1 vc 5.35 Ascot Dayia has to be given a chance, Im surprised to even see her out again this season surprised if she wasnt in foal now she has picked up some important black type last year. She is usually a very reliable mare bit of a no show in Cesarwitch but went to france and landed a valuable listed event in heavy ground under todays french jockey again so the rebooking of him looks a positive move and the softer ground sure to suit. She is also well drawn in stall 4 aslong as bounces out and sits prominently. Her record fresh is pretty reasonable aswell. 2pt e/w Dayia 10/1 vc