1:35 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash 5f
Badri races mostly at six furlongs but is a course-and-distance winner who returned to form on debut for Michael Herrington when chasing home Jordan Electrics at Hamilton last time. There isn’t much to choose between them at the revised weights, but Jordan Electrics is a Hamilton specialist and Badri is preferred at a track he’s won at.
2:10 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers 1m 7f 209y
It’s almost impossible to bet in a race where the favourite is a reserve and could get in with less than an hour to the off given the format of the competition.
If Samui doesn’t run, then it may pay to have a small interest in veteran The Grand Visir, who didn’t get the breaks at Goodwood last time and is now 13lb lower in the handicap than when placed in this race 12 months ago. An Ascot Stakes winner in the past, he’s won or been placed on five of his seven runs at Ascot.
2:45 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge 1m 3f 211y
Truthful needed the run on her return at Newmarket behind Mistral Star in the Aphrodite Stakes, and she is better judged on her second to the same rival at Salisbury last summer when trying to concede that useful filly 11lb.
With Flash Bardot (a three-time winner since) back in third that day in receipt of 12lb, it’s fair to say Truthful ran above her mark in splitting the pair. She will be better off returning to handicap company now and appeals as the sort to do better still given her profile.
3:20 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint 6f
Jarraaf looks the likeliest winner of a rather thin-looking handicap for three-year-olds, and the son of Zoustar looked suited by the drop to six furlongs when winning impressively over course and distance last time, beating solid yardstick Fresh by two and a half lengths. Billy Loughnane is an excellent result for him in the jockey ballot and he should take plenty of beating despite a rise of 8lb.
3:55 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic 1m 3f 211y
Another short-priced favourite who looks hard to oppose is Solomon, who bolted up in an apprentice handicap on Sunday at Haydock and is able to race off the same mark, and with the best of the draw.
Going Remote appeals as the best option without the likely favourite and Jessica Harrington’s charge can be forgiven a poor run on soft ground at Galway.
The yard is in fine form, a double at Sligo adding to an excellent haul of four winners and six seconds at Galway, and the return to a sound surface can see Going Remote back to his best.
4:30 Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile 7f 213y
Tempus is a bit of a monkey these days and hasn’t won for a while, but he is in good form of late, making the frame here and at Newmarket on his last two starts with blinkers fitted. His Ascot form is on the straight track, but he ought to be suited by this trip around a bend, and his wide draw is an advantage.
Haydock Saturday
2:25 Betfred ‘the Classic Bookmaker’ Handicap 1m 37y
Things have taken a turn for the better for Nigel Tinkler of late, with six winners in the past fortnight- as many as he had managed in the previous three months. One of those winners was Theme Park, who had become well-handicapped during that lean spell, and he did very well to win at York after runner-up Boy Douglas had controlled the pace and stolen an advantage in the home straight.
Theme Park put in a fast final sectional as others were also quickening, and he remains well-handicapped on last season’s form. Suited by a flat track and a sound surface, he again gets conditions to suit here, and will take the beating.
4:45 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Dick Hern Stakes (Listed) 1m 37y
Caernarfon appeals most in this listed contest despite the fact that she needs to concede 3lb to her main rivals after winning a similar contest at Pontefract two starts back. That represented a return to form and she backed it up with a good third in the Group 3 Meadow Court Stakes at the Curragh last time.
Despite finishing third in the Oaks last year, she doesn’t really stay middle distances, and her form at around a mile reads much better. Since the Oaks, she has been unplaced on all five starts at a mile and a quarter, and she even looked to have her stamina stretched at a mile and a furlong at the Curragh.
Given that her form at seven furlongs/mile reads 32213141, with the fourth coming in a field of 20 for the 1000 Guineas won by Mawj, she looks overpriced.
Theme Park 2:25 Haydock – 1pt e/w 7/1 (Hills, 4 places; 13/2 general)
Caernarfon 4:45 Haydock – 1.5pts e/w 5/1 (Hills; 9/2 general)
Going Remote 3:55 Ascot – 0.5pts e/w Going Remote 14/1 (general)