Saturday 31st August
By SP2A Analysis
Curragh 4.35 - Irish Cambridgeshire - 1 mile - 24 run - Good / Good to Firm
It's not rocket science here to suggest a rail is an advantage, high or low, but equally important is to pace to work off and probably most important is some Course and Distance form and experience.
I have narrowed the 23 down to 6 in a short list. Among those who did not make that cut are the likes of State Actor at the top of the market who is drawn 23, a bit unexposed and the one to beat in terms of the bookies and market. Genuine Article in Stall 19 looks solid if unspectacular, Booyea on the other side in Stall 1 (which was the winning stall last year) looks to have a chance but with wins off marks of 79 and 88 may be a bit too high in the weights off a mark of 94.
I always like a couple at big odds for the notional £1 e/w in these marquee handicaps and so I will suggest (no more than that) that you look at one drawn low in the shape of Independent Expert for Andrew Slattery drawn in Stall 20 with plenty of pace around him and a nice mark and on the other side in Stall 4 is Narmar, also around 40/1 for Henry De Bromhead with Seamie Heffernan a notable jockey booking.
My top r rated though in preference order are-:
NO MORE PORTER - a very nice each way price and a bit below the radar who is drawn in Stall 22 and who could get a lovely lead through from the Course 6 furlong expert Big Gossey drawn nearby, I will be disappointed if Adrian McGuiness's 6 year old who has some Course and Distance winning form is not bang in contention here.
BLUES EMPEROR was runner up in this race last year off a mark of 96 and arrive shere off a mark of 91, Stall 16 may just be high enough to give him a route up the high side of the draw and he looks to have been saved a little and primed for this by Johnny Murtagh, who also runs SHAYZAAN berthed in Stall 5, so a nice alternative draw opportunity, this one also has winning form at 9 furlongs so provided he gets a safe passage and some daylight, could be really rattling home as the tanks empty on many of the others.
COEUR D'OR just beat BLUES EMPEROR in this race last year and off just 3lbs more and in Stall 9 has all of the experience you'd look for and I think well worth a place punt here again. (MG)
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Chester 2.40 - Handicap - Class 2 - 7 and 1/2 furlongs - 15 run - Good / Good to Soft
The best handicap on a poor Saturday of Racing in the UK and one we can attack with some proven Course and Distance experts.
At the top of the market Under Siege is promising but a basically inexperienced 3 year old who may or may not like Chester. Carrytheone is in excellent form and well berthed but is a horse who has a tendency to find trouble in running and these are far from the wide open spaces he is used to.
It's logical therefore to go with what you know and what's quantifiable and in this case, REVICH a Course and Distance winner who can and has won from various Draws here in the past and who should be coming fast and late over the top of the field and BOARDMAN ridden by the often under-rated veteran David Allen and who gets a lovely draw in Stall 4 for Tim Easterby. (RJ)
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Beverley 4.55 Handicap - Class 4 - 1 mile 1/2 furlong - Good to Soft - 12 run
It's a sad indictment of the Sports current issues that The Beverley Bullet has attracted a field of just 7 runners for a Class 1 race and a £40,000 first prize, so we'll see if we can find a winner in this more competitive 12 runner handicap.
This looks very very trappy, so I take ZOZIMUS runner up in this last year and in form this, to reverse fortunes with PARK STREET winner of this last year and who loves the Course and who looks best of the rest today (North)
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