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13:15 Haydock
This two year old contest sadly only has the six set to go to post so looking for an each-way alternative looks a hard ask. Although it’s obvious it’s safe to say the unbeaten favourite Naval Power is going to be difficult to surpass and Charlie Appleby’s runner should keep his 100% record intact.
For those looking for the best of the rest it’s going to be a toss up between Tom Clover’s Seeking Gold and the Kevin Ryan trained Captain Winters to fill the runners up spot.
NAVAL POWER (WIN)
written by Rory Paddock
13:45 Haydock
A Group 3 one mile race that looks mightily open. A clash of older more experienced heads against a quartet of three year olds.
From the younger generation the only horse in the field to have won their last race is Triple Time. A horse on the way up but the lengthy absence of 364 days is enough to put me off.
If Bayside Boy can reproduce the best of his two year old form he’d have a very clear and obvious chance but he’s not lived up to his early career promise.
Despite filling the runners up spot on his last three starts I’m hoping John Gosden’s Reach For The Moon can go one better and after a very encouraging run at Royal Ascot should benefit from this drop in trip.
Dark Shift has had a fantastic season in handicap company and deserves a crack up at this level. Charles Hills runner has produced his best at Ascot and here at Haydock has a few questions left to answer. Dark Shift looks a solid each way option but Reach For The Moon looks the classiest runner in the field.
REACH FOR THE MOON (WIN)
written by Rory Paddock
14:05 Kempton
The first of two live races on the all-weather from Kempton this Saturday is the Group 3 September Stakes where Dubai Honour is the clear, short priced favourite. He’s been competing at Group 1 level of late so a drop to this grade is certainly advantageous. If he’s at his best he’ll dominate a race of this nature however without a win in close to a year I’d rather find an alternative.
Both Solid Stone and Mostahdaf shouldn’t be far away with the pair holding decent career best performances and both holding great records on an artificial surface.
Gear Up makes the trip from over the Irish Sea and won’t be lining up at Kempton for a holiday. A very good win in a similar contest at Leopardstown last time out should stand him in good stead and although the level of opposition looks tougher here he looks a decent each way bet.
GEAR UP (E/W)
written by Rory Paddock
14:20 Haydock
With sixteen runners in this long distance, three year old handicap there’s a case to be made for a plethora of them.
Current market leader Tamilla has won her last two races and aims to make it a hat-trick of consecutive successes. William Haggas’s charge looks to be a filly on the up but considering she only shook off her maiden tag two starts back she’s made a considerable step up in class and this looks a much tougher test. If she’s progressed since her last run she’ll be in the mix.
The Irish raider Irish Lullaby is another runner looking to claim three wins in a row and produced a battling performance to win at Galway last time out. She’s only gone up 4lbs for that success and with Frankie booked for the ride she looks to have a lively each-way chance at current double figure odds.
Trainer Mark Johnston holds two entries at big prices and I’d urge punters to ignore both at their peril. Both Temporize and Pons Aelius have shown enough in their careers to date to suggest that they can outrun their prices.
Of the remainder another worth mentioning is Ralph Beckett’s Speycaster who might not be the most prolific but went well to finish 4th over course and distance last time out and may appreciate this better ground.
IRISH LULLABY (E/W)
SPEYCASTER (E/W)
written by Rory Paddock
14:40 Kempton
A strong renewal of this valuable handicap where, On A Session holds strong claims but has to give weight away to all his rivals. David Barron’s charge came up just short when trying to plunder a nice prize at the Galway festival. He backed that up with a fine run at Chester but may be vulnerable to an improver.
Morgan Fairy is a progressive type but she’s been well held in two runs since a Newmarket victory. This is her first time tackling colts and geldings since her debut and I think she’ll struggle against this classy opposition. The lightly-raced First View returned from an absence this season, winning at Leicester and then running well without really threatening in the John Smith’s Cup. The application of first-time cheekpieces may bring further improvement but they’ll need to.
Clive Cox’s yard could be in better form with just a 12% strike rate at present but his Spirit Of The Bay comes here on the back of two good runs at Doncaster and Sandown.Those efforts came against her own sex and she needs more. It’d be costly to underestimate six-time course and distance winner Uzincso. John Butler's inmate loves it around here and shouldn’t be far away.
UZINCSO (E/W)
written by Peter Keogh
14:55 Haydock
Veteran, Euchen Glen is a very consistent performer in these long distance events and will do very well to take this contest off top weight against some younger and less exposed rivals. He also hasn’t been in the best form this year aside from a placed effort at Goodwood and on the balance of things, he is opposed here.
Contact was only beaten a length and a half last time out at Newmarket and though he appeared to stay the new trip, the current market leader may be high enough in the weights for now and he wouldn’t represent value here today.
Evaluation was also only just beaten a few weeks ago at Sandown and is an obvious contender having already racked up four victories this year. He is also quite tactically versatile so would make a lot of appeal here.
Charging Thunder had been progressing very well until a below par effort last time out. He could quite easily resume his progress over this longer trip but he was well beaten by Dark Jedi on that occasion and he is preferred here.
Tim Easterby’s charge has been running very consistently this term and his form ties in well with a few of these rivals and he doesn’t deserve to be the double figure price he currently is. He is my each way selection in this open contest.
DARK JEDI (E/W)
written by Tom Bates
15:10 Ascot
Fresh seems to like these big field tests and he finally gained a much-deserved success when beating a few of these over the course and distance last time out. Nudged up four pounds for that, he will have to be better than ever to follow up but James Fanshawe's five-year-old still looks to be progressing and a healthy deal of respect is afforded.
Documenting took advantage of a sliding mark when bouncing back to form at Newbury, prior to that he had finished close up behind the re-opposing Fresh and he has plenty of form to be recommended. Proven at the venue and a winner off a slightly higher mark on the All-Weather last season, he could go well at decent odds although in theory, he ought to be vulnerable for win purposes.
Shining Blue started his career with three wins, clearly a promising type, he can be forgiven for flopping at Goodwood and his effort at York last month was a step back in the right direction. Unexposed and from a yard amongst the winners, he warrants serious consideration and a big run could be on the cards.
Dance Fever is becoming disappointing and he was no match for Documenting at Newbury last time. Often unlucky in running, he will need the gaps to appear but he will likely to be suited to the set up of this race and he could sneak a place.
Accidental Agent has strong form claims and he was dropped 3lbs for his most recent seventh here, now eight, he is no back number in this and though he is taken on, he could pick up the pieces if they go silly up front.
Inver Park has more form over six furlongs although he took the step up to seven in his stride when bolting up here two starts back. Saffie Osborne takes off what could be a valuable 3lbs here and whilst one would possibly want a more experienced rider, she is well aware where the winning post is.
Aratus, Space Tracker and Tactical deserve mentions but the vote is handed to Inver Park who is taken to find more improvement at this trip for trainer George Boughey.
INVER PARK (WIN)
written by Chris Connolly
15:30 Haydock
The big group race of the day is the Group 1 Sprint Cup where the Owen Burrows trained Minzaal currently heads the market. A second at Deauville is some of the best form on offer and he deserves his spot as the favourite. I’d be shocked if he was out of the top three but with so many runners set to enter the stalls I’m looking for one at a better price.
Course and distance winner Emaraaty Ana won this race last year and claimed a very encouraging third at York in her most recent performance. A similar effort should see her finish in the money but her lack of career victories is a concern and this looks a much tougher renewal than the one she claimed last term.
Based on ratings both Naval Crown and Brad The Brief cannot be discounted and with Godolphin’s charge already claiming Group 1 success this season it’s safe to say he has a victory, in a race of this nature, in his locker. That being said of the duo I prefer the course and distance winner Brad The Brief. A winner of the Group 2 Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh back in May was a very eye-catching performance and although he’ll need to improve further now dining at the top table looks generously priced by the bookies.
Despite a ten month absence Art Power returned to action to claim a 4th placed finish on his return. That came over seven furlongs and it’s safe to say he’s produced his best over this shorter trip. He finished just a head behind Minzaal in the Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot last year and as such is more than adept at this level. He’ll come on leaps and bounds for his recent return and should strip much fitter. If Tim Easterby’s charge is anywhere near his best he’ll give his rivals something serious to think about.
ART POWER (E/W) written by Rory Paddock 15:45 Ascot
A mile and half Heritage Handicap in which Godolphin come into this mob handed with five runners and none piloted by their regular jockeys. This leads to Ryan Moore appearing in the Royal Blue silks on the likely favourite First Ruler, who won last time out at the course but over two furlongs less. The step up in trip will likely suit this exceptionally well-bred son of Dubawi although he was keen the last day and he will likely need them to go at a decent pace. Frantastic won over the same trip as First Ruler the last day and faces the same prospect of going up in trip, but he has in my opinion been given a harsh rise of 5lb which would rule him out for me.
William Haggas has a strong hand in this with La Yakel and Mandobi and I will give the latter a good each-way shout. Although on the face of it he has been slightly disappointing on his last two starts this race represents a step down in class after running at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood, in races both won by Secret State. Nothing in this race is up to the standard of Secret State and under Danny Tudhope he should give it a good go and is proven over the mile and a half.
MANDOBI (E/W) written by Michael Taylor