Flat Racing Thursday 19th

[chris34]

4.30 Hamilton Alpha Tauri is likely to set a decent gallop in this race given his best form comes over further but some of these are better out and out sprinters than him and he looks vunerable over this trip if quickly turned out again. Sharp Shoes is fairly consistent but not been in the best form recently, but most recent effort in seller was a step in the right direction staying on still needs to find a bit more back in handicap. Economic Crisis finally got off the mark last time out over 5f around here on heavy ground, that race particularly weak and a 6lb penalty may be enough to stop him going in again on better ground. Distant Sun could easily bounce back from a poor effort last time out, it could have just been a case of a race coming too soon as he had 24hrs earlier ran another solid effort over this trip. He is generally a consistent sort, appears to go well around here and with some give in the ground. Still potentially well treated on his very best form and useful apprentice takes a handy 5lb off his back. 2pt win Distant Sun 5/1 bet365 8.20 Epsom Methayel has found a reasonable level of form in small field handicaps but all form has come on the AW and fast turf so this slower ground unlikely to suit again. Dr Red Eye bolted clear on penultimate start, but reverted to his old unreliable ways last time out when beaten nearly 10 lengths under a 6lb penalty, further 3lb higher today and probably just depends what mood he turns up in! For me Abigails Angel looks a far more reliable bet, consistent sort who has continued to give a good account of herself back on turf after a brilliant AW season. Has now dropped back to her last winning mark when actually beating Methayel by a short head. She is actually now 8lb better off with her given how Methayel has continued to improve and was less exposed at that time on that form and given Methayel recent run would suggest Abigails Angel should have the holding of her at present! 2pt win Abigails Angel 5/1 pp

[Edberg]

Re: Flat Racing Thursday 19th 2.15 Brighton PHAROH JAKE 4pts win @ 5/1 bog (Bet365) Could sound a bit crazy to be so confident about the chances of a horse who is still maiden after 17 starts but I strongly believe this is the best handicapped horse of the race and the one who should appreciate more the testing conditions today. The 4yo gelding, bred, owned and trained by John Bridger, had achieved just a second and two thirds in 13 starts on the AW (the second over 5f at Kempton in January) but made a big step forward back on turf this summer finishing 4th here at Brighton over 6f on good to soft 16 days ago in the race won by Scommettitrice with Tenancy third and improving a lot next/last time out at Newbury back over the minimum trip and on very soft ground when 3rd of 10 beaten just 1.75L when racing 5lb out of the handicap in a 0-70 class 5. Today he can race off his old mark (46) which means he is 5lb lower than last time out and 3lb ahead of the handicapper (will go up to 49 in two days) and will get again his favourite ground conditions, the best trip (5f) and this is a big drop in class for this level since last race (0-70 to 0-55) where his main rivals are again Scommettitrice and Tenancy who finished 3/4L and a neck ahead of him here over 6f 16 days ago (good to soft) and Pharoh Jake reopposes both on 4 and 7lb better terms today. Top weight Whiteoak Lady, who won over 6f here three runs back and finished 3rd and 2nd on her last two starts, is the other big danger but too testing conditions and the drop back to 5f shouldn't be in her favour. Among the others the surprise could come from Dixie Gwalia who handles the ground and is back in trip with a 7lb claimer on board after a 73-day break. King's Ciel showed a bit of improvement dropped from 1m to 7f with first-time visor applied (retained today) last time out but the minimum trip is an unknown for this 3yo. A decent recent form should give a chance also to Perfect Honour and Bitter Lemon while Copper Falls shouldn't be at his best on this ground over the minimum trip. All in all this is a very poor 0-55 handicap over 5f on very testing ground and the John Bridger's 4yo seems the one with better credentials and at a very decent price he gets my vote here. The trainer and Kieran O'Neill partnered for a winner last week at Epsom (the 31st winner of the year for the young jockey) and this is the trainer's favourite track (12 winners over the last 5 seasons, 11 from 79 runners (14%) with 4yo+ horses).