Flat Racing ~ Saturday 13th June

[BillyHills]

Saturdays Channel 4 Races Eight races from three meetings on Channel 4 this Saturday and the highlight’s are the William Hill Scottish Sprint Cup from Musselburgh and the final race the Class 2 handicap over 6f from York sponsored by 888sport. 1.45 Sandown: Winner.co.uk Handicap (1m1f) Open looking 3yo handicap to get the ball rolling at Sandown. The answer could lay with Western Reserve trained by Lady Cecil who has won both of his starts at Chelmsford so far under Ryan Moore and he rides again despite other possible mounts in the race. Richard Hannon saddles two but both Rembrandt and Tom Hark may need to improve to get involved, the latter may rate as the biggest danger. Selection: Western Reserve 4/1 Skybet 2.00 York: Queen Mother’s Cup (Lady Amateur Riders Handicap) (1m4f) Twelve months ago Serena Brotherton won this on Pearl Castle for trainer John Quinn and they team up gain but will have to carry 5lbs more this time. He may also want some cut in the ground too so may find this a stiff task. Richard Fahey saddles two runners and I’m interested in his Innocent Touch. He’s been placed here at York the last twice and has been knocking at the door in better company. Jockey Emily Bullock has proved she is good enough to get the job done and they must go close here. Selection: Innocent Touch 8/1 Ladbrokes 2.20 Sandown: Winner Sports Handicap (1m14y) Sixteen runners have been declared for this Class 2 handicap and Jacob Black will be fancied to follow up his recent victory over course and distance. Frankie Dettori rides again and will no doubt attempt to make all again from a similar stall position. The third and fourth horses that day Tigers Tale and Master Of The World re-oppose but it’s interesting that Ryan Moore jumps off one and on to the other. The tip in favour of Tigers Tale should be noted especially with the yard in decent form. Selection: Tigers Tale 9/1 Paddy Power 2.35 York: JCB Stakes (Handicap) (7f) A very competitive contest here over 7f with 11 of the nineteen runners already having won this season already. Course and distance winner So Beloved won really well last time in a similar event but carries an 8lb penalty now, runner-up Alfred Hutchinson is now 5lbs better off and might get a better run from a more favourable draw as he was out on a limb last time and was a bit keen. I fancy a better run from Highland Colori this time too, he fluffed the start behind So Beloved and was never in with a realistic chance, with David Probert back on board he could go well at a fair price. Selection: Highland Colori EW 25/1 Coral 2.55 Sandown: Winner Bet & Watch Scurry Stakes (Listed) (5f6y) A 3yo Listed race over the fast 5f at Sandown where you normally need a low draw to have any chance. Profitable is in the box seat in stall one and he looks sure to involved in the finish. He won last time out at York but is also a course winner on similar ground conditions. The one to beat however is a horse called Likely trained by David Barron. He has had just one start and won very easily at Carlisle as a 2yo. The form that day has been boosted and is expected to be a very smart sprinter in the making. Selection: Likely 11/4 BetVictor 3.10 York: Ian & Kate Hall Macmillan Ganton Stakes (Listed) (1m) Yuften has been highly tried since his impressive maiden win last year, he was 5^th in the St James’s Palace and second in the Prix Jean Prat before being disqualified and placed fourth. Last time out he was virtually pulled up in the Lockinge Stakes and we can safely ignore that. He now drops down in class by some way, wears blinkers for the first time and should get back to winning ways for trainer Willie Haggas who always loves a winner at York. On ratings alone the dangers should come from Hors De Combat and Wannabe Yours although it wouldn’t surprise me to see Top Notch Tonto bounce back to form in first time cheek-pieces. Selection: Yuften 11/2 Coral 3.25 Musselburgh: William Hill Scottish Sprint Cup (Heritage Handicap) (5f) A top quality sprint here which was won by Demora twelve months ago from stall 3. It was soft ground last year and it wouldn’t surprise me if it paid to look at the high numbers this time round. Red Baron from box 11 is in the form of his life at present and has to be considered especially as he’s a three-times course winner. He was second to Monsieur Joe at York last time out but is running off a career high mark of 96 now. The one I like is Online Alexander from the Kevin Ryan yard. He was fourth behind Red Baron at Thirsk and is now much better off at the weights and has been promising to win a decent handicap after some fair efforts in pattern company. Selection: Online Alexander 15/2 Skybet 3.45 York: 888Sport Charity Sprint Handicap (6f) A 20-runner 3yo sprint handicap to finish off with and probably the most open race of the day. The two lightly raced unexposed sorts Scalzo and Twilight Son will be popular with the punters but neither will offer much value and I would sooner look at something at a price. The Mark Johnston pair Mukhmal and Indescribable both won last time out and the course win of the latter just edges it for me despite a 6lb rise in the weights and an extra furlong to contend with. Selection: Indescribable EW 16/1 Paddy Power

[beaker1]

Re: Flat Racing ~ Saturday 13th June 1.45 Sandown – winner.co.uk Handicap A very open event to get Sandown’s card underway, however, Richard Hannon’s impressive Haydock winner Tashaar will not face the starter. The one to focus on could be RARE RHYTHM for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin after quite an encouraging return to action at the course 23 days ago. Making his ground on the outside he ultimately failed to see out the 1m2f trip on his seasonal comeback and was eased-off when beaten and hampered. He was only beaten five lengths by a horse of Sir Michael Stoute’s called Dartmouth, who could now be Royal Ascot bound, and the slight drop in trip to 1m1f looks a wise move. The handicapper has also dropped this son of Dubawi’s mark by 2lb to 87 and he looks feasibly well-treated. Four of the runners are making their first start in handicap company after winning their respective maiden’s last time out which proves tricky when weighing up their chances. Of those Raw Impulse from the Clive Cox stable could be the most interesting. This one-time Derby entry broke his maiden tag at the second time of asking at Nottingham last month over 1m2f and looks a bright middle-distance prospect. The form of that race may not be the strongest but improvement can be expected for this son of the second leading 2nd season sire in Europe, Makfi. Western Reserve is well-bred and won impressively last time out at Chelmsford and warrants the utmost respect, especially with Ryan Moore on top. Providing he handles the switch to turf he should be in the mix but doesn’t make as much appeal as the other two selections off a mark of 89. 2.00 York – Queen Mother’s Cup Lady Amateur Riders Stakes (Handicap) Pearl Castle and Serena Brotherton teamed-up to win this race last year and has to be respected again despite lining-up here off a 6lb higher mark. He was last seen when running behind the re-opposing Only Orsenfoolsies at Hamilton 29 days ago. Pearl Castle has a 7lb pull in the weights for that 5¼ lengths defeat which should see the two finish closer together this time. Both horses arrive here in form and have to be considered to make the frame. Ralphy Lad is bound to be popular in his bid to land a four-timer, especially given connections have acquired the services of the in-form Sarah O’Brien. However, his last two wins have come on soft ground has to prove his effectiveness on a much quicker surface (twice well-beaten on Good to firm). Therefore, the one they may all have to beat could be APTERIX for the Brian Ellison yard. This two-time hurdler winner won a Thirsk maiden at the beginning of May and ran with great credit over 1m6f at Musselburgh. His rider’s claim mean he gets in off the same mark here and a fastly-run race over this trip could be ideal meaning he could prove tough to stop receiving weight from his market principals. 2.20 Sandown – Winter Sports Handicap Basem has plenty to prove on his seasonal debut on ground faster than he’s encountered in the past, however, this half-brother to the Group 1 winning Faarh, could well have more to give as a four-year-old. He didn’t get home over 1m2f at Salisbury on his final start last season and a mile seems a sensible place to start off his campaign. Godolphin also saddle Pallister and he could be worth another chance after proving a non-stayer behind the Derby second Jack Hobbs on his first start for connections here 50 days ago. He was entitled to need that outing and with the 3rd and 4th horses from that race going in since it is proving to be a very good race indeed. Like Basem, the drop back in trip looks the right thing to do and a much bolder showing can be expected if recapturing the smart juvenile form he showed for Mark Johnston. The race could however, go to Seamus Durack’s TOURNAMENT who has already proven to be well-treated on his two runs since arriving from France. He was certainly more value than the winning margin suggests when a narrow winner at Lingfield and he wasn’t disgraced off a 2lb higher mark at Haydock on the back of a five-month break. He should strip fitter for that effort and the booking of Richard Hughes certainly catches the eye. At a first show of 9/1 he looks to hold very strong each-way claims. 2.35 York – JCB Stakes (Handicap) A wide open 19-runner handicap and many of these arrive here in decent nick. ONE WORD MORE makes plenty of appeal with the 7lb claimer Rachel Richardson (rode a winner here on Friday) bringing him back down to 92, a mark he won off at Thirsk three starts ago. His next start can be completely written off given it came on soft ground at Chester, and he backed this up by bouncing back to form off 98 over course and distance last time out. He is far better off with So Beloved and Alfred Hutchinson, who finished ahead of him here last time, getting an 11lb swing with the former and an 8lb swing from the latter, and rather surprisingly the selection is the biggest price of the trio at 14/1. The other two selections are clearly in fine fettle at present and look poised to run well again and still hold decent claims of their own, especially David O’Meara’s So Beloved, who has quickly become synonymous with improving horses from other yards. 2.55 Sandown – Winner Bet & Watch Scurry Stakes (Listed Race) The draw can often play a big part on the straight five furlongs at Sandown so despite his penalty, Clive Cox’s Profitable looks likely to go close once again here. He got the better of John Gosden’s smart filly Tendu at York last time despite giving her 5lb and despite him taking a while to get his head in front at this sort of level, he still remains open to improvement. He was a little unlucky not to finish nearer here on his return to action in April and he sets a good standard for his rivals to beat. The winner that day at Sandown was John Gosden’s Waady who also won his maiden over course and distance last September. He was far from disgraced when upped to six furlongs in the Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury last time where he finished fourth, although there is a certainly an argument to suggest he is better over five furlongs. He is still entitled to be improving having had only five starts to date and he looks one of the potential Group horses in the line-up. However, it might be best to side with David Barron’s LIKELY who made quite an impression when making winning by five lengths on debut at Carlisle last May. The runner-up that day was Tim Easterby’s Mattmu who finished the season by winning a Group 2 and he was denied a second victory at that level against his elders in the Duke Of York Stakes. The filly suffered a stress fracture last year which has been the reason for her absence and although her fitness has to be taken on trust, she looks a major player. She still holds an entry in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot next week and whilst that might come too soon, this assignment looks very winnable from stall 5.