Another cracking weekend of racing and plenty of big fields to get stuck into, namely the Ayr Gold and Silver Cups, although Newbury also welcomes plenty of runners this afternoon.
Big field handicaps and a few short price favourites in pattern company means everyone is catered for before we build up to three days at HQ next weekend.
PHANTOM FLIGHT was one of the most impressive winners at York’s Ebor meeting in an all-aged handicap and looks well worth his place here at listed level.
The further he went, the further he went clear to win by five lengths and he gets 5lb off the older brigade here on just his sixth start. His previous effort was a luckless run and was still only beaten three lengths by St Leger runner up New London at Newmarket. He has long been held in high regard by his rookie trainer James Horton and PHANTOM FLIGHT can provide him with his biggest winner to date.
The rest of the runners are a largely exposed bunch, including the stalwart Euchen Glen who has finished fourth and second in the last two running’s of this race.
The Ayr Silver Cup can go the way of SNASH for Tim Easterby and David Allan.
He had a luckless passage in the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon five weeks ago, running on under hands and heels riding to finish a never nearer sixth. That effort came after a course and distance win here and he finds himself just 2lb higher. He was rated much higher when with Charlie Hills so has room to manoeuvre from this mark, has won four of his sixteen starts and his trainer has won two of the last three renewals of this race so ticks plenty of boxes.
Clive Cox has a good record in the Mill Reef Stakes having won the race in 2016 with Harry Angel and twelve months ago with Wings Of War.
He saddles Salisbury winner HEROISM here and I’ll be having a small play on him to upset the market leaders.
Despite missing the break on debut, he came through to win a shade cosily. The form is mixed, but the runner-up has won this week and the sixth home has also scored, but a few others have let the form down. However, he is a backable proposition at around 8/1 for a trainer with a good record in the race.
Sakheer will be popular for the St Leger winning connections after an easy six length win at Haydock when long odds on while York sales race winner, Shouldvebeenaring has followed up in a Listed contest at Ripon and is a worthy contender in a hunt for the four timer for Richard Hannon, but I’m hoping HEROISM improves past them both.
QUEEN ME ran a Stormer in the Lowther at York on just her second start and should take plenty of beating in the Group 3 Firth Of Clyde Stakes.
I was at Haydock when she made her debut, coming down the middle of the track to win a shade cosily. She is beautifully bred and was nicely clear of the remainder in the Group 2 on the Knavesmire and may have got up in a few more strides. She holds Maria Branwell on that York run, and most of the others on a line through it too and will be many people’s idea of banker material this afternoon.
*18+ | BeGambleAware
