Beverley Saturday
1.30 William Hill Silver Cup Handicap 1m 4f 23y
It’s not been an easy week for Ed Dunlop, with plenty of sympathy for the La Grange trainer who has a warning off hanging over his head after his filly Lucidity tested positive for a metabolite of cocaine after being beaten at Brighton last July. That was the first time a runner from the yard has returned any kind of positive sample in almost 30 years, and with the source thought to be contamination (doping horses to win with cocaine stopped being popular 100 years ago), there is plenty of sympathy for Dunlop in racing circles.
It would be a boon for the yard to get a televised winner on the board, and the progressive Walter Hartright looks an ideal candidate. Racing in the same La Grange Partnership silks as Dunlop’s Gold Cup hero Trip To Paris, Walter Hartright won four races on the spin earlier in the season, including the opening contest of the Racing League, and although beaten in a similar contest at Chepstow last time by Lieber Power, he showed further progress to finish a close second.
Lieber Power has been narrowly beaten on both starts since, the latest when beaten a neck in the Sky Bet Handicap at York last Friday off a mark 6lb higher than for his Chepstow win. With Walter Hartright raised just 2lb for that Chepstow effort, he remains on a lenient mark, and is readily preferred to Quietness, who has also won four times this term, but looks harshly more assessed having gone up 6lb for her latest win at Thirsk, which came in a thinly contested race for the grade.
2.05 William Hill Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes (Listed) 5f
The market has the “Bullet” a tight affair this year, with firms going 4/1 the field despite just seven runners. That reflects the open nature of the contest, and I’d argue that Democracy Dilemma, favourite with some books when betting opened, might be the least likely winner, with the stiff finish a big negative about a horse whose main asset is blinding speed over the first three furlongs. What may well happen is that Democracy Dilemma drags the field along at an overly fast pace, and that could set things up ideally for my old friend Albasheer, who can be expected to rattle home from the back of the field.
A stiff five furlongs is what Albasheer requires to show his best, as ably demonstrated by a win and a close second at Ascot earlier in the summer, and whilst two down-the-field runs at York and Goodwood since then might indicate he’s gone off the boil a little, he was poorly drawn at York and left poorly placed after an early bump in the Stewards’ Cup where the first and second were in those positions throughout the contest.
Blue Storm would be considered a big danger after an excellent effort to finish second in the ultra-competitive Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes at Royal Ascot, but he’s not been seen since then, which is a slight concern, as is the form of the Gemma Tutty yard, which seems to have rather fallen away of late.
Sandown Saturday
1.50 Sky Bet Extra Places Every Day Handicap 7f
Lyndon B wins in his turn and that turn didn’t look far away when a luckless second at Newbury last time out, with Kieran Shoemark forced to sit and suffer as he waited for a gap to appear before he could make a challenge. Winner Woodstock had a far less troubled passage, and got first run, but the runner-up showed he was bubbling under nicely.
Lyndon B wants top of the ground to show his best these days (was a late defection in this race last year after overnight rain) and Sandown’s drying conditions are ideal, with two wins from three runs at the Esher venue on ground described as good to firm. The handicapper has raised him 3lb for Newbury, but that still leaves him on a workable mark on historical evidence.
2.25 Sky Bet Atalanta Stakes (Group 3) 1m
The question here is whether class act Tamfana will be inconvenienced by the drop to a mile having contested the Grand Prix du Paris last time out. I thought she was a blatant non-stayer there and while she kept on well enough to be third in the Prix de Diane prior to that, she was overhauled late, and it may well be that a stiff mile ends up her ideal trip. She was noted as an unlucky loser in the 1000 Guineas, and I fully expect the reversion to a mile with an uphill finish will be ideal.
David Menuisier has his team in good form, landing a double at Goodwood last Sunday, and Tamfana should be too good for her rivals at Group 3 level. It’s tempting to look for some each-way value in a race with this shape, but I’d have Tamfana closer to 8/13 than evens, and any odds against looks a gift.
3.00 Sky Bet For The Fans Handicap 1m 1f 209y
There is not much winning form on fast ground in this field, and conditions are a worry for Balmacara in particular. One who won’t mind hearing his hooves rattle is Jamie Osborne’s ex-German challenger Sean, who seems oblivious to underfoot conditions, and whose race record at one mile plus on turf in fields of ten or fewer reads an impressive 221122312332141243.
Many of Sean’s excellent efforts have come in pattern company and while well beaten in the Royal Hunt Cup on firm ground, he didn’t get going until late that day, and seems best at this trip nowadays. Jamie Osborne has saddled two winners already this week, and daughter Saffie is riding on the crest of a wave having taken top honours in the recently finished Racing League.
Chester Saturday
2.40 Livescore Bet Handicap 7f 127y
With the defection of likely favourite Percy’s Lad, this looks quite open. Though the ability to hold an early position is important, and whether this track will suit Carrytheone is a huge doubt, the seven-year-old is best with a stiff finish and is likely to face a wall of horses on the home turn given his come-from-last style.
Yanifer is drawn to get a good spot, but I would not be at all surprised to see Micky Fenton’s Galway Festival winner Physique make all the running from stall eight. That seems wide enough, but only Yanifer on his inside is likely to challenge for early supremacy and Physique had no trouble getting to the front in the ‘Ahonoora’ last time, so I fancy his chances of making the bend in front here. If he does, he’s likely to find this intermediate trip suiting him given he only just stays a mile, but was strong in the finish over Galway’s seven furlongs. Recommended:
Walter Hartright 1.30 Beverley – 1pt win at 11/4 (general)
Albasheer 2.05 Beverley – 2pts win at 9/1 (Paddy Power, 17/2 general)
Tamfana 2.25 Sandown – 2pts win at 11/10 (general)
Sean 3.00 Sandown – 1pt win at 4/1 (general)