Catterick Monday 9th May

 

A very moderate field but at a nice each way price there is one that does jump off the page a little amongst the mediocrity.

 

Haven Lady is a strong favourite for John Quinn and Jason Hart, its purely based on AW form though and both the return to turf and the trip raise enough questions for me to want to take it on and I don't see it as a win saver value. Go Fox is interesting on some Irish form but that suggests it may be better over a longer trip and this is a pretty tight track. Regimento drops back in trip and can run "choke out" so its a logical move but its only real run of note was on the AW at Southwell. Belvedere Blast is also hard to quantify on Irish form and all but one of the rest look very moderate.

 

The one that caught my eye was O'REILLYS PASS. It runs for Ruth Carr and never really got going last year like many in her Yard. If you look back to 2020 though it ran with some merit for David Elsworth as a 3 year old and was placed off marks of 58 and 60. It looks too good to ignore off a basement mark of 46 having had a run and very little in the field has got any form with such recent signs of ability, so I'm happy to take a speculative punt and will be disappointed if we don't get a place at least.

 

 

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There is a key bit of form here from a recent Redcar race where Tiger Spirit won at 20/1 narrowly beating YASMIN FROM YORK and Zuckerberg. Tiger Spirit gets a 3lbs penalty and won't have the AW race fitness advantage it had before over YASMIN FROM YORK who ran a bit freely early too before staying on. I'm confident that YASMIN FROM YORK can therefore turn the tables on Tiger Spirit. Zuckerberg gets 1 lb from Yasmin From York but is a 24 race Maiden and although I see it as a huge danger, I think there is one other worth an investment.

 

At the top of the market the one to beat is Ghadbban and on this occasion I think it is a worthy favourite IF you want a win saver but my main niggle is the trip, its best turf form is at 12 furlongs although it does get 2 miles. Berry Edge is a danger but best form is at 10 furlongs and Native Fighter may need the run. At bigger Odds is First Blood who has a bit of AW form over at Dundalk that suggests 2 miles might be an ideal turf trip.

 

The other one I quietly fancy though is LINDWALL from Don McCain's yard and ridden by Graham Lee. It's had a wind op and  if that helps the horse then AW wins at 14 furlongs off marks of 54-57 and 64 suggests 64 of turf is not a bad mark. The horse is sure to be fit enough to run to its merits and no better rider than Lee who gives 100% on every horse he sits on.

 

 

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Catterick 2.30 Country Charm @ 12/1  / Bluella @ 20/1 (double figure odds at 5 furlongs from Low Draw here on Good to Firm is a profitable stat).

(significant number of Bookies go odds to 4th place so worth a dabble - B365 / Sky / PP / WH / 888 / BFsb / Coral / Unibet / Boyles)