Racing Chat - Saturday 8th June

[The Brigadier]

Haydock 1.50

Just eight go here for this listed Achilles Stakes run over the minimum trip of 5F. Roger Teal’s Live In The Dream stands out and this represents a drop in class for the five year old who’s contested Group ones and two’s on his last four outings winning the Group 1 Nunthorpe at 28/1 last August at York. He ran very well on his seasonal re-appearance on ground that wouldn’t have suited and with conditions more in his favour here and having officially 6lb and upwards in hand of his field it will be a shock were he not to get himself back into the winners enclosure. George Boughey’s Believing may be the one to chase him home but this should be an easy victory for Sean Kirrane’s mount.

 

LIVE IN THE DREAM 2 points win @ Evens bet365

 

Beverley 2.05

A big field for one of the two class 2 two year old contests today with fifteen juveniles declaring for this Hilary Needler Trophy run over the minimum trip of 5F. With the stalls on the inside it usually pays to be drawn in the low stalls and the selection has bagged stall 4. Tom Clover’s Over Spiced stepped forward for her Brighton fourth on her debut when leading a furlong out and sticking on to win by half a length in a Leicester maiden. That form looks relatively good now with both the runner up and third winning since and in an open looking race looks the each way pick under Joanna Mason who was on board last time. Adrian Nicholls’s Maw Lam made a winning debut from the re-opposing Mademoiselle and is drawn on the far rail in stall 1 but will need to get away quicker than she did that day or she could get cut off from the others.

 

OVER SPICED 1 point each way @ 17/2 BetVictor 1/5th 1234

 

Haydock 2.25

A nine runner 1M 4F class 2 handicap is up next in which several can be given chances. Charlie Hills’s Maghlaak sports first time blinkers and could be interesting if forgetting his latest modest effort whilst David O’Meara’s Iron Lion could run well though like Maghlaak has to put a poor recent run behind him. One horse who arrives in good form is the Rae Guest trained filly Divina Grace who started the season well with a fine third at Goodwood a fortnight ago to Ayaad. Sure to have benefited from that run, her first for 230 days, she looks the pick here with Callum Shepherd taking over from Darragh Keenan.

 

DIVINA GRACE 1 point each way @ 5/1 bet3651/5th 123

 

Beverley 2.40

Only six go to post for the latest renewal of the class 2 Two Year Old Trophy with the most intriguing runner in the race (and on the card) is the Wathnan Racing owned, Karl Burke trained newcomer Shareholder. Costing $62,000 as a yearling he must of breezed exceptionally well at the Arqana Breeze Up’s in France as he was bought for 460,000 euros by his wealthy owners only seven months later. James Doyle rides as the retained owner’s jockey and could, as they say, be anything. You can’t beat experience though so I will l take him on with the Tony Coyle & Kaine Wood trained Regal Gem who had his debut victory won over a furlong out when scoring at Pontefract a fortnight ago over 6F. He’s dropping back to the minimum trip under David Nolan and with improvement likely looks a value bet with the Richard Fahey trained Moving Force another to enter the equation following his course and distance victory 25 days ago for his very much in form yard.

 

REGAL GEM 1 point win @ 9/2 BetVictor

 

Haydock 3.00

The first of two Group 3’s on Haydock’s card today is the 1m 4F Lester Piggott Fillies’ Stakes which has attracted a bumper field of fourteen. William Haggas has won the last two renewals (three from the last five years) which is not surprisingly as his wife Maureen is the daughter of the legend Lester Piggott. He saddles an interesting runner here in the shape of the seasonal debutant Sea Theme who won two of her fours starts as a three year old at Doncaster and the listed Galtres Stakes at York. She will have to be part of the staking plan but the main bet will be with the Charlie Appleby trained four year old Sapphire Seas who won four on the bounce last season culminating in a listed success at Yarmouth in September. Runner up in a Group 2 at Meydan in February she contested a better race than this on her latest start when fourth of five in the Group 2 Middleton Stakes at York’s Dante meeting behind Bluestocking. She steps up a furlong and a half today which should suit and with a saver on Sea Theme looks the bet.

 

SAPPHIRE SEAS 1 point each way @ 13/2 coral 1/5th 1234

SEA THEME 1/2 point each way @ 6/1 Coral 1/5th 1234

 

Beverley 3.15

A wide open class 4 7F 96 yard handicap completes the trio of races covered by the ITV cameras today at the Yorkshire track and has attracted a maximum field of sixteen. It has a wide open look about it although my two against the field are Michael & David Easterby’s Eligible ridden by Joanna Mason who found trouble in running when a 4 1/2L seventh to Riot at York last time and following a 2lb drop in the weights finds himself on a mark on the same mark as when he last won on the turf at York a year ago with the other one that interests me being the Craig Lidster trained Billyb. He too ran well in a big field York handicap last time, his first for 273 days and first for Lidster, when finishing fifth (beaten 3 1/4L) to Feel The Need and like Eligible is now back on a winning handicap mark. Slight preference of the pair would be for the former but both are worth backing to small stakes each way in a wide open modest handicap.

 

ELIGIBLE 1 point each way @ 17/2 William Hill 1/5th 12345

BILLYB 1 point each way @ 10/1 BetVictor 1/5th 12345

 

Haydock 3.35

A dozen go to post for this Group 3 John Of Gaunt Stakes run over 7F. Officially there’s only 11lb between the field on ratings and several hold chances. The winners of the last two year’s are back to challenge for honours in the shape of Pogo and Jumby who both have each way claims. Charlie Appleby’s Noble Dynasty is stepping out of handicap company with his latest victory at Newmarket already boosted by the runner up English Oak bolting up since. He’s a player alongside Richard Fahey’s Ramazon who is the selection here. Fahey is in an unbelievable run of form at present and anything he saddles has to be given the upmost respect at present. Ramazon has finished runner up on his last four starts with his latest silver medal coming in the Victoria Cup at Ascot with the re-opposing Bless Him, Popmaster and Jumby behind and apparently held. He is two from two at the track and deserves to get his head in front with his yard in such superb form.

 

RAMAZON 1 point each way @ 7/1 bet365 1/5th 123

 

[richard-westwood]

On 6/4/2024 at 7:49 PM, richard-westwood said:

Just a quick one ....I've started typing the weekend racing in and first race to finish was the 225 hay ....computer had one horse quite a bit clear of rest and I thought what crappy price am I gonna get on this ...expecting 9/4 .....and it's 12/1 willh !!.....I'll try 10pt Ew at that value price ... Davina grace .....I think might have double entry though .....this looks the stronger chance but you never know ...the other race is a group 3 ...I think thats stretching it 

From earlier in week