Today's Racing - 7th April 2012

2 pts win Eastern Sun, 4.20 Kempton (11/4 general)

There’s a very high class AW card at Kempton today with three races live on 4 but the best betting opportunities may come later on. Godolphin’s Double Dealer is a worthy favourite for the competitive handicap early on but he’s now a short priced favourite in such a field and the temptation was to back Highland Knight off a lenient mark at 10’s, although the seasonal absence just puts me off enough not to go in. The betting for the Snowdrop Stakes has things between Soorah and Law Of The Range but both are a best priced 5/2 and there’s no less than a length between them on their two meetings, while the one horse with a run this year (Soorah) has laned herself a poor draw in 10. The Queens’ Prize sees Thimmar and Rasheed at the market for the inform Gosden team and while both have solid chances the horse I fancy most from his stable today is Eastern Sun in the Betfred "Double Delight" Conditions Stakes at 4.20.

A winner of his debut at Newbury in June, he had just one other start when third behind Talwar in the Solario Stakes. He disappointed with how well beaten he was that day but the winner got an easy lead and loved the soft ground that day (something we can safely assume was not to Eastern Sun’s liking) while the tactical nature of the race may have put him at a disadavntage. The three rivals he faced that day were all pattern class, so it was a tough assignment on just his second start, and with his yard in good form he’s fancied to make a winning return for his three year old season. Lord Of The Shadows, Leqqaa and Medhdi are all capable of troubling the selection but I see the most scope for improvement form this one.

1 pt win Charminster, 1.50 Haydock (6/5 Blue Sq)

Donald McCain, aiming to retain his Grand National with Ballabriggs a week today, has a 50% strike rate which his novice chasers at Haydock going back to 2008 and while Charminster isn’t exactly one to put the mortgage on, he seems to be the best of these and the return to a left handed track (he would have won at Carlisle but for jumping right all the way) should help him an awful lot when he takes on four rivals at Haydock today. Captain Paulie and Fliticity can be discounted on form, while he should have enough to beat Lidar and Kings Grey.

1 pt each/way Wise Move, 2.55 Haydock (9/1 general)

Brian Ellison’s Hada Men takes up a giant slice of the market here thanks to his impressive win last time out and while he has totally realistic claims even off his much higher mark, at just 3/1 in a really competitive race he really makes the market for some each way value.  The one that appeals most from this point of view would have to be Nicky Henderson’s Wise Move, who won off 108 at Market Rasen before being brought back too quickly next time on ground that also might not have suited him at all. He should have more improvement in him and gets weight from all but two here, so an each/way bet looks to be a decent option at 9/1.