Racing Chat - Saturday 31st August

[The Brigadier]

Beverley 1.30

The first of two races covered by the ITV cameras at the Yorkshire racecourse is the 1M 4F class 2 William Hill Silver Cup Handicap which has attracted a disappointing turnout of just five contenders. The two that stand out are Marcus Tregoning’s Quietness whose won four of his 5 starts since joining Tregoning and Ed Dunlop’s Walter Hartright who arrives in similarly good form having won four of his last 5 starts also. Both are front runners so expect a solid pace and the race seems to evolve around the pair with Thundering 5lb wrong at the weights, Loyal Touch out of form and top weight Drawn To Dream with questions to answer. It was a hard call between them but with Walter Hartright having track experience in winning two from three here he gets the pick under Ray Dawson who gets on board for the first time.

 

WALTER HARTRIGHT 1 point win @ 5/2 BetVictor

 

Sandown 1.50

Sandown’s four races from ITV kick off with this class 3 7F handicap which has attracted ten runners and has a very open feel about it. Lyndon B was a real eye catcher last time but is eight years old now and can’t have much more to uncover whilst Waiting All Night and Star Of Orion are closely matched on Newmarket form from earlier in the month. It maybe worth taking a chance on Ricard Hannon’s bottom weight Mr Baloo who is the mount of William Buick (he was originally down to be ridden by Pat Dobbs). A dual winner at Kempton this season on the all-weather he wasn’t disgraced at Goodwood last time when fifth (only beaten 1 1/2L) by Queens Reign back in May over a mile and should appreciate dropping back to this intermediate distance.

 

MR BALOO 1 point each way @ 20/1 BetVictor 1/5th 123

 

Beverley 2.05

A field of seven assemble for the listed William Hill Beverley Bullet Sprint run over the minimum trip of 5F. Bar Staincliff, theres only 9lb officially between them and claims can be made for all. Clarendon House and Albasheer can lose their races at the start so I’ve dismissed them and the fancy is the Robert Cowell trained, Tom Eaves ridden Democracy Dilemma who is a real 5F specialist. He’s not won since Chester in May but (bar Haydock in June when taking too keen a hold) has run well since in listed and handicap company including when fourth of 22 in a valuable York handicap at the Ebor meeting won by Jm Jungle. The only three-year-old in the field is Jack Channon’s Staincliff and although he has 13lb to find on official ratings can make his presence felt and should be competitive as well.

 

DEMOCRACY DILEMMA 1 point each way @ 9/2 Betfred 1/5th 123

 

Sandown 2.25

The Group 3 Sky Bet Atalanta Stakes has attracted nine fillies or mares and has a warm favourite in the shape of the David Menuisier trained three-year-old Tamfana. She may well win but I feel she’s worth opposing as the majority of her form is on softer ground (although she was a very good fourth in the 1000 Guineas on good ground) and she is dropping back from 1M 4F to a mile here. It can be argued that she is a Group 1 filly in a Group 3 race but at around even money I’ll prefer to find one each way to back. Ralph Beckett’s Doha is the one that I like with her latest fine fifth in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood (beaten 4 3/4L) already boosted by the victory at York of the runner up See The Fire. This will only be the consistent four-year-old’s eighth race and she may still be on the upgrade. Back her each way.

 

DOHA 1 point each way @ 8/1 Betfred 1/5th 123

 

Chester 2.40

The first of two races covered by ITV today is this competitive 7F 127 yard class 2 Handicap featuring a near maximum field of sixteen following the defection of my original pick Percys Lad. The least unexposed of the field is the only three-year-old in the race, Andrew Balding’s Under Siege who’s well drawn in stall 3 and can run well. He bumped into the smart Economics at Newbury on his debut prior to finishing runner up to Lead Artist at York. That pair are now officially rated 121 and 112 respectively so an initial mark of 94 could be lenient. He was slowly away at Windsor next time out when beaten at 30/100 and was workmanlike when winning his maiden at Chelmsford a fortnight ago at odds of 2/5. The grey son of Wootton Bassett is the pick in a tricky handicap.

 

UNDER SIEGE 1 point each way @ 11/2 Unibet 1/5th 12345

 

Sandown 3.00

A disappointing turnout of just seven for this valuable class 2 1M 2F handicap. A strong fancy is the Simon & Ed Crisford trained Involvement. The three-year-old Lope De Vega colt won a better race than this at Newmarket’s July meeting off of a 6lb lower handicap mark and wasn’t entirely disgraced when fourth of 9 in listed company at Deauville since behind the progressive Ombudsman. William Buick is in the saddle and his chief threat may well be the Eve Johnson Houghton trained Balmacara who is unproven on good fast ground (he has actually been withdrawn twice this season on good and good to firm ground) and may find today’s conditions too lively.

 

INVOLVEMENT 2 points win @ 11/4 Coral

 

Chester 3.15

Just eight have declared for the listed 1M 6 1/2F Virgin Bet Chester Stakes in which there is only 8lb officially covering the whole field. Real Dream is interesting now that he’s had a second wind operation having blown out last time but my fancy is the Irish challenger Absurde who has a touch of class about him. The Willie Mullins trained six year old won the Ebor Handicap at York last year as well as the County Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham over sticks. It’s easy to forgive him his latest start, his first for 155 days when a well beaten fourth of 5 in a Group 3 won by very easy winner Grosvenor Square at the Curragh in which was a very messy contest. Sure to strip fitter for that, Daniel Tudhope’s mount can score here and put himself in the picture for a possible tilt at the Melbourne Cup in November.

 

ABSURDE 1 point win @ 3/1 bet365

 

Sandown 3.35

The ITV coverage concludes with the Group 3 Sky Bet Solario Stakes for two-year-olds which has attracted a final field of eight runners. Andrew Balding’s Royal Playwright comes with a big reputation but his win at Salisbury hasn’t worked out with the ten individual horses to run since all beaten. Tiger Mask had his Goodwood Group 2 Vintage Stakes form boosted when the horse that finished alongside him going on to win the Gimcrack at York and he looks the main threat to my strong fancy Field Of Gold. Trained by John & Thady Gosden this imposing Kingman colt who cost 530,000 euros as a foal looked a decent performer when quickening away from his field in a Newmarket maiden on the July course. That form has been franked since by the subsequent victories of the fourth and sixth and the Juddmonte owned juvenile is held in high regard by all at Clarehaven stables. The Gosden’s have an excellent record in this race having won it with smart performers Ravens Pass, Kingman and Too Darn Hot amongst others and can produce another classic performer here.

 

FIELD OF GOLD 2 points win @ 15/8 William Hills

[richard-westwood]

Irish cambridshire ..curragh

Coeur dor  345 12/1 Val 0.73 

Wigmore street. 340 12/1 Val 0.73 

No more porter 330 20/1 Val 1.33 

I'll try 3pts Ew all 3 and forecasts