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16:10 Chester
We start off todays action not too shortly after Channel 4’s coverage has ended. Heading over to Chester for a three year old contest over the longer fourteen furlong distance.
The current betting favourite is All For The Best who comes here off the back of a winning turf debut at Bath. That was over just a furlong shorter than todays trip and most of the four pound rise in the weights is negated by jockey Rosie Jessop’s three pound claim. The Prescott trained horse should enjoy the longer distance and if truth be told I’m finding very little reason to go against it. If it wasn’t for the incredible form and onslaught that trainer Mark Johnston was having at the moment I’d have been with the current market leader.
As I’m sure you can guess by now I am siding with the top weight. Chadic is another horse that won well last time out and a four pound rise is pretty fair on the horse. Johnston has had a whopping twenty two winners in the last two weeks and has a strike rate in excess of 25%. The yard also perform very well around the course which gives the horses chances an extra boost. It is probably fair to say it looks like a two horse race and I’m siding with the Yorkshire trained runner.
Chadic (WIN)
17:40 Ascot
Despite the televised action from Ascot we have already taken in today we return back to the course with a selection in the final race on the card.
Chances can be made for several of these runners including the likes of Solo Hunter, Heisman and River Dart. The Queen’s runner Mustard also has to be respected but seems to have disappointed with its two runs this season.
The aforementioned Solo Hunter has been very consistent when not finishing out of the top two and is very likely to be finishing in the places once more but may find a couple just too good.
Heisman represents big connections and has to be respected with its all weather form. The horse will obviously improve upon it’s opening display when finishing seventh but that was still pretty poor. It runs off the same mark as it did that day and I couldn’t be all that confident it will find success.
River Dart sprang a surprise when picking up a win when stepped up by half a mile from its previous attempts. The horse benefited markedly for the increase in trip and if it can improve on that it would be another that could fill the places.
Godolphin haven’t been firing the winners in that readily this season but may have found a good one here in the shape of Think Ahead. The four year old was out for a year but didn’t let that stop it when winning well on its return. That form looks to have worked out well with three of the six opponents that have run again since either winning or placing. The horse is bound to improve more and with just three runs to its name it is bound to have a lot of scope for improvement and should lead those memorable all blue silks home in front.
Think Ahead (WIN)
21:00 Salisbury
After what will have been an action packed day of racing by now we end today with our final selection. In the last race at Salisbury.
There may only be a small amount of participants with just the five entrants but some of the top yards are represented here.
Two of the five already have course winning form of which one is in the shape of Mick Channon’s Palerma. The four year old won on its reappearance but has been a tad disappointing since then and its current 16/1 price tag represents its chances. The other course winner Our Queenie is priced similarly and in my opinion has an even smaller chance than the Channon horse.
If Blue Waltz was able to recapture last years three year old form then it should see itself ahead of these rivals but a disappointing end to last season coupled with the big question over wether or not it has trained on is too much of a concern for me.
This leaves just the two three year olds who are both closely matched at the head of the betting. Suffused won nicely last time out and duly went up by seven pounds in the weights. The Roger Charlton looked to have plenty of scope for improvement and Charlton has been in a rich vein of form but unfortunately the same can’t be said for jockey William Twiston-Davies. Despite the young jockey partnering the horse on its only two wins I still favour the Godolphin runner.
Serene Beauty has run three times this year and improved with each outing. The yard are finally beginning to hit their stride and I always feel pretty confident with Godolphin horses at Salisbury especially later in the season. The horse was given a hefty hike in the weights but should have enough to come out on top.
Serene Beauty (WIN)