Another big weekend of horse racing action to focus on with big field handicaps, Group 1s, sprinters and stayers all featuring on ITV’s coverage this afternoon.
After a warm spell, thunderstorms are forecast for both Sandown and Haydock, so a weather watch is advised in case deluges hit the track.
Just the ten runners in this five furlong dash but, at around 5/1 the field, it highlights the wide open nature of the contest.
Remarkably, I can’t find too many that like to go forward, with plenty of this field preferring to come from the rear after a burn-up on the front end. For that reason, I like the claims of MARSHMAN under Ryan Moore.
Drawn in stall 3 and with hold up horses on his inside, he could bag the favoured far rail and dictate his own fractions off the front. MARSHMAN was second in last year's Gimcrack at York and made a winning seasonal reappearance in France. He had excuses when favourite at York for the Duke of York, being stuck on the far side away from the race developing, and then went back to France for a close third over the minimum trip.
He is actually held by the filly Get Ahead on that form who is also 4lb better off here, but the handicapper has MARSHMAN as an 8lb inferior animal, and he can dictate from the front.
He was only beaten five lengths in the King’s Stand Stakes and could be the one horse in the field who can still develop into a bona fide Group 1 performer. Plus, if he does go forward early like I expect, he is out of trouble with luck playing a huge part in these Sandown sprints.
As punters we can’t help ourselves but attempt to solve these decent handicaps and the Coral Charge on Sandown’s card is no different. There is no end of regulars in here, but I do like the claims of last year’s third, OUZO, off the same mark.
He is a model of consistency and although he does struggle getting his head in front, he always gives his followers a run for his money. He was third here last year off a mark of 94 behind former John Smith’s Cup winner Sinjaari and subsequent Group 3 scorer Checkandchallenge.
Apart from perhaps Sceptic right at the foot of the weights, the rest of this field looks largely exposed unlike last year when OUZO was also unlucky in running and a repeat effort may be enough.
There is evidence though that OUZO arrives in better form than twelve months ago. He was placed in his first three starts of the Dubai Carnival at Meydan and then ran on to be sixth in the Royal Hunt cup at Royal Ascot. Last year he was well beaten off at that meeting before bouncing back here.
The Old Newton Cup is another big field handicap that provides a punters’ puzzle on Saturday afternoon, this time at Haydock.
Sheer Rocks and Cumulonimbus are on hat-tricks and will be well fancied while William Haggas saddles a couple in likely favourite La Yakel and last year's third (when 11/8f) Gaassee.
Despite uninspiring form figures, the suggestion is MAKSUD for Hughie Morrison, and here is why.
He was very well back at Royal Ascot and that effort can be marked up. He did a lot of early running to get a position from a wide draw with a fast early pace, with those that fought out the finish all held up. He joined for the last two furlongs out but was soon swamped as those early fractions took their toll. He ran on though and was beaten under six lengths.
However, it is last year’s form that needs to lose scrutiny.
After a fair fifth in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot, he went on to run a very close second at Glorious Goodwood behind subsequent Great Voltigeur second Secret State, getting just one pound. Secret State is now rated 10lb higher while those in behind, Inverness and Soulcombe, won decent handicaps in the autumn and are pattern winners abroad.
Maksud runs off a 2lb lower mark here than the Goodwood run and finished second again in Listed company at Windsor suggesting he is well treated off 97.
Chester wasn’t this cup of tea on seasonal return and a big run is anticipated here.
*18+ | BeGambleAware
