Beverley Saturday
1.30 William Hill Silver Cup Handicap 1m 1f 207yd
Crown Of Oaks was ultimately impressive when beating Hornsea Bay at Ayr on his first start since a gelding operation, and it’s no surprise to see him a short price for this assignment against largely exposed rivals. He’s likely to go well, but his price leaves little room for error, and an each-way play on course specialist Time Tells All is the preferred play.
A dual course and distance winner earlier in the season, Declan Carroll’s five-year-old was a staying-on third in a similar contest here last Sunday and can go well again assuming the ground doesn’t ease. Jo Mason replaces Carroll’s 3lb-claimer Zak Wheatley and that looks a jockey uplift to my eye, with Mason’s track record far superior to Wheatley’s, and the Shergar Cup star is a rider who has been profitable to follow blind over the last couple of years.
2.05 William Hill Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes (Listed) 5f
Blinkers for the seven-year-old Regional seem an odd addition given he usually races freely on the front end, and there is always the possibility that the restrictive headgear will affect his ability to anticipate the start. Trainer Ed Bethell has a poor recent record when reaching for the blinkers, and that makes me wary of him.
Preference is for the progressive Adrestia, winner of the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap at Royal Ascot against her own age group, and who has improved again in defeat since, finishing an excellent nose second of 20 to Brazen Bolt in a valuable handicap at Goodwood last time, where she was just in front of Redorange. She meets that rival - runner-up in a listed race at Deauville since - on 2lb better terms and is taken to confirm that form. A draw in stall one sounds all positive, but David Allan does need to ensure he doesn’t get in a pocket, which is my only real concern about her chances here.
Chester Saturday
3.15 Virgin Bet Supports Safe Gambling Handicap 7f 127yd
It’s not hard to make a solid case for Hawksbill here, having caught the eye when beaten on the nod by Sir Paul Ramsey over an extended mile at Haydock three weeks ago. Since then, Sir Paul Ramsey has run another blinder to be a close third of 17 to Fifth Column at York last week, underlining the value of his previous effort. Hawksbill looked the likeliest winner for much of that race and the slight cut back in trip will suit the strong-travelling son of Kameko here.
The handicapper has raised each of the pair, but Sir Paul Ramsey is effectively 9lb higher and meets Hawksbill on 5lb worse terms. If the latter takes to cheekpieces for the first time then he really ought to turn the form around, and backing all Palmer’s horses wearing cheekpieces for the first time over the last two years would have yielded a profit of £1,426.10 to a £10 stake at Betfair SP.
Sandown Saturday
1.50 Download The BetMGM App Handicap 7f
Rain on Friday morning has eased the ground at Sandown to the soft side of good, and that must be borne in mind when making selections. Kodi Lion has form on pretty much any surface and looked a tad unlucky not to get back to winning ways at Haydock last time when staying on strongly to be a fine three-quarter-length second of nine to Excellent Believe over seven furlongs. A repeat of that will see him go close and, while he’s been nudged up 1lb, he has William Buick taking over from Frederick Larson, which adds to his appeal.
2.25 BetMGM Atalanta Stakes (Group 3) 1m
Skellett is worth chancing on her three-year-old form and shaped better than the result in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom on her only outing this term, racing too freely to last home. She improved for the fitting of cheekpieces last term, winning the Listed Fortune Stakes over course and distance and running really well on yielding ground in the Prix Chloe at Chantilly. Those efforts give her every chance at this level and her overnight price is too big if you can forgive her Epsom effort, which isn’t hard to do.
3.00 Read Meg Nicholls’ Blog At BetMGM.co.uk Handicap 1m 1f 209yd
The London Gold Cup is usually a rich source of future winners and, while he’s untried on ground softer than good, Saddadd, winner of that valuable Newbury contest in May, looks well handicapped still, and is the type to go on to better things, as illustrated by an entry in the Champion Stakes in October. Four of those he beat at Newbury have come out and won subsequently, with Quai De Bethune landing the Golden Gates Handicap at Royal Ascot, and the collateral form suggests a 6lb rise for that success is not enough to prevent a follow-up for Roger Varian’s colt.
3.35 BetMGM Solario Stakes (Group 3) 7f
It’s hard to gauge why Publish is much shorter than Pacific Avenue here when the pair have achieved a similar amount on the track, and the latter has had less racing. Publish is proven on both the ground and the course having landed a course-and-distance novice last time, but Pacific Avenue impressed when making a winning debut at Newmarket, despite being the stable’s second string. All of those behind have franked the form, with runner-up Wild Desert a luckless third in the Superlative Stakes and the other trio from the Newmarket contest all winning next time up. As a son of the Cheveley Park winner Lumiere, Pacific Avenue is bred to be a top-class juvenile and appeals at the odds as the clear value in an intriguing renewal of the Solario.
Recommended
Time Tells All 1.30 Beverley – 1pt e/w @ 16/1 (general)
Adrestia 2.05 Beverley – 1pt win @ 9/2 (Bet365, 4/1 general)
Hawksbill 3.15 Chester – 1pt e/w @ 6/1 (general – 4 places)
Kodi Lion 1.50 Sandown – 1pt win @ 7/2 (general)
Skellett 2.25 Sandown – 1pt e/w @ 16/1 (general – 4 places)
Saddadd 3.00 Sandown – 2pts win @ 3/1 (Bet365, 11/4 general)
Pacific Avenue 3.35 Sandown – 1pt win @ 5/2 (Bet365, 9/4 general)