Good evening folks
With the racing on offer I could have gone more but just three further selections are below, along with the ones already sent and their write ups. Nothing further for a busy Saturday.
2:15 Newmarket
DON’T TELL CLAIRE – 3/4 Pt EW @ 14/1 4 places Skybet, 13/1 4 places Bet365, generally
Has recorded form figures of 1,2,2,1 (beaten a head and a nose for the 2nd places!) here in in handicaps and seems to love this time of year where she is a perfect 2 from 2. She gets on very well with Jack Mitchell who is reunited with her for the first time since finishing just beat at Royal Ascot. Should go very well indeed..P.S this yard likes a gamble so check the markets for even more positive vibes
3:25 Newmarket
EQUIANO SPRINGS – 1/2 Pt EW @ 12/1 4 places generally
Absolutely loves Newmarket. He has won this race 3 times in the past 4 renewals. Tom Queally, his winning jock, is back in the plate and provided the ground doesn’t ride too soft, should run his usual good race.
4:20 York
MANILA SCOUSE – 1/2 Pt EW @ 25/1 6 places Skybet, 25/1 5 places generally
Tipped two runs back at this track, found the fast ground a bit too much despite going off a well backed 2nd favourite. This rain softened turf will be much more up his street and this 4 year old can resume his upward curve
4:25 Newbury
EMBRACE – 3/4 Pt EW @ 23/2 4 places Bet365,11/1 5, 12/1 3 places, 9/1 & 17/2 4 places generally
Trainer Owen Burrows has a brilliant record at Newbury states and echoes my thoughts – Hopefully the drop in class into handicap company can bring its rewards. Embrace ran a blinder first time up in the Fred Darling where she finished fourth and ran on nicely. We have been quite bold with her and she finished in mid-division in the 1000 Guineas and we tried her in the Sandringham and the ground was a bit quick for her. We upped her in trip at Salisbury the other week and that didn’t really pan out. We are going to drop her into handicap company and she obviously handles plenty of juice in the ground.
Kevin Stott is 3 wins from 5 rides ALL TIME for this shrewd stable in handicaps so hopefully everything is in place for a big run and passed over in favour of old friend Hodler (will go well but prefer if Sexton was riding?)
2:05 Newbury
GET SHIRTY – 1/2 Pt EW @ 12/1 3 places generally
Needs to bounce back but he has been shaping very well despite his form figures. Down a career low mark of 97, his form figures on soft or worse (bound to be testing) read an impressive 1,2,1,1,1,2,2,3 so hopefully he can recapture his form from a couple of seasons back. If doing so, he is a massive danger to all in this and should be nowhere near the outsider IMO and worth chancing.
2:25 Ayr
ADMIRAL D – 1/2 Pt EW @ 30/1 5 places Bet365, 25/1 6 places generally
ABDUCTION – 3/4 Pt EW @ 20/1 5 places Bet365, 18/1 6 places generally
Admiral D looks very well handicapped on last years Gold Cup run. Abduction loves Ayr, bolting up over 7 furlongs 3 runs back. He gets on extremely well with Shane Gray who is 1 win, and a narrow 2nd from 3 rides.
Trainer quote – Abduction is in the Silver Cup and we will see but he is in good nick. His last race at Ascot didn’t go to plan and he still ran well but they didn’t go a gallop. He won very easily at Ayr three runs ago and if he gets a truly-run race, he will be a player and I don’t think the ground will be a big factor. He won at the meeting last year over seven furlongs and is probably one of my best chances in the Silver Cup.
3:00 Ayr
DOROTHY LAWRENCE – 1/2 Pt EW @ 15/2 Bet365, 13/2 generally
Catch me if you can is a great tactic at this course and none will be going faster than this rapidly improving filly. Not really my type of race but the Karl Burke stable continue in superb form and the trainer jockey combo are 3 winners from the last 4 runners, the other placed. Should place at the very least IMO and if the favourite blows out (has been mightily impressive but passed over @ 11/8 in this) then this is here for the taking.
3:35 Ayr
MAGICAL SPIRIT – 1/2 Pt EW @ 30/1 5 places Bet365, 25/1 6 places generally
PROBE – 3/4 Pt EW @ 30/1 5 places Bet365, 25/1 6 places generally
One backed on each side of the track. Magical Spirit has caught my eye all season and I have had him on the radar for this, especially after his bloodless 3 length win in the Silver Cup in 2020. Kevin Ryan does brilliantly in this so worth a bet. Probe looks a big price in this IMO. He produced a career best when winning a big-field handicap at Newmarket’s Guineas meeting and on his previous start he’d been beaten just a length behind the ante-post favourite, Orazio, over the same course and distance. Orazio has clearly improved since, but Probe meets that rival on 7lb better terms on Saturday and he’s been freshened up following a mid-season dip in form. He won after a break on his reappearance in March, acts well on softer going and seems likely to have plenty of pace to aim at towards the far side. This smooth traveller looks primed for a big run if in the right place, especially with a useful 3lb claimer reducing his burden further and who won a big field sprint here earlier in the week.