Only four days to go. The excitement is building all the
time and the bankers and lays are slotting into place & it’s looking like
potentially the best racing week of the year. Normally it’s best to keep your
powder dry over the weekend before but there are a couple that really take the eye
both here and in the US, not to mention the small matter of Golden Lilac in the
Prix De Diane, while Goldikova’s half-sister Galikova attempts to grab the
spotlight.
Back to the Saturday racing, it’s a little surprising to see
Oujia Board’s only son Voodoo Prince running in a handicap but I think he’ll be
going onto better things very soon and a mark of 85 he’s got to have a realistic
chance of taking the Bet On toteplacepot At totesport.com Handicap (1.55).
Granted, this is a tough race with recent handicap winner Tullius (strong form /
likely to improve for that) England Rules, who landed a Windsor maiden & Nottingham
winner Mashaaref are all likely to mount strong challenges but Vodoo Prince has
at least as much, if not more potential and he can land this, under the guidance
of Frankie Dettori & he can progress again from his last run.
In yet another minefield affair a chance is taken on an
impressive maiden winner who disappointed last time out. Deity took many eyes when
she played a fine turn of foot when an impressive winner of a 7f Newmarket
maiden in April before then trying her hand in handicap company at Goodwood.
Pulling from the start, and eventually making the lead, she was passed easily
and dispatched without much resistance. I hadn’t found an explanation
afterwards but when searching on
Highclere’s extremely useful page which tracks her progress, I found out that
she had taken an extensive blow afterwards and been diagnosed with an infection,
which explains the poor run. I view her as a maiden winner in the handicap
ranks and she offers plenty of value thanks to the Goodwood disappointment.
There will be more to come from Anoint, a good second at
Doncaster last year on his debut and an decent winner of a 7f Warwick maiden
last month, while Wiqaaya won easily over 7f at Wolverhampton and has claims if
transferring that form to turf, but by far the biggest threat is Sound Amigo,
who relished the step up to 7f when maintaining his unbeaten record at Haydock
last month and is difficult to get away from following the subsequent wins of 5
of the next 7 home. The only put off is the price.
Night Carnation is a hot favourite to land the Scurry Stakes
(3.30) and a probably a worthy one – although that’s probably based on the
impression she gave when beating the subsequent winner and rival Athoug – And she
went a long way to backing that up when showing enough guts to tough it out
over Move In Time, who has given the form a boost by winning at Beverley next
time out.
The horse I’m backing is one of those who has a perennial losing
record and usually is the lay that many traders have in their dreams. Since
landing a Yarmouth conditions stakes over a year ago, Margot Did has not won a single
race but she’s had more than one good excuse and has form in much better contests - finishing
second three times in succession last summer in Group races behind the likes of
Maqaasid and Memory - and it would be a big mistake to rule her out because of
her record.
After trying to cover too much ground too late on her
seasonal debut (sent wide to try and catch the winner) she got barged in a
bumping match for a whole furlong at York and got herself dropped behind the
field. Still last a furlong out, she worked her way into fourth and had her
saddle slip behind the line. She’ll need the breaks to come but things have to
get better for her sometime and she’s too big in relation to the winner and
third that day. Dinkum Diamond is most feared ahead of the favourite given that
he drops back to his best trip for an in form yard.
Moving over to York, where we have another three selections,
one a banker and two in the Bond Trophy (3.15), where I’ll start with Swiss
Dream, a half sister to the 2009 winner Swiss Diva. She was third in a very hot
race here behind Thirteen Shivers form that is working out very well, then she
won really nicely at Newmarket last time, a win which earned her an 8lbs rise.
She was as short as 11/2 for the Queen Mary last year off an impressive win and
is now showing that promise again.
The win of Captain Dunne in the Dash at Epsom showed us
about the value of group form in handicap company and while New Planet doesn’t hold
the same kind of credentials, I just can’t help but feel that he’s too big at
33-1.
His third in the Flying Childers (having come after a blazing
listed win) has earned him a top weight off 9-7 (giving upwards of 5lbs) but it’s
arguable he’s earned it and he can be forgiven his last placed finish in the
Temple Stakes. He was run off his feet against some class acts and he would
have needed the run. A step up to 6 furlongs could help him and he’s worth a
small poke.
Last, but not least, the banker of the day is Sea Moon in
the Give Generously To Macmillan Handicap (3.50). Quite a few have suggested
that he’s close to Carlton House in the handicap ranks at the Stoute yard &
he was fancied for the Derby off the back of a cosy heavy ground success at
Yarmouth (with the small helping hand of Pricewise) but connections have taken
their time with him and entries of the King Edward VII Stakes next week and in
the Irish Derby suggest he is more than highly liked. He should win
tomorrow.
Advice
York Sandown
3.15 – 0.5 pt each/way New Planet (33/1 Bet365) 1.55 - 1 pt win Voodoo Prince (11/4 Boylesports)
– 1 pt each/way Swiss Dream (10/1 Paddy Power) 2.25 – 1 pt each/way Deity (10/1 Paddy
Power)
3.50 – 4 pts win Sea Moon (11/10 VCBet) 3.30 –
1 pt win, 1 pt e/w Margot Did (6/1 Ladbrokes)
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