Newmarket 3.00

 

This is a very competitive race but on the Good to Firm Going on this stiff Course I do think a prominent running style could pay dividends. 

 

Candleford for William Haggas is a warm favourite but it's upped in trip and also up nearly a stone in weight (13 lbs), so I'm happy to take it on. Contact has form figures of 2-1-1-3 and also going up the handicap scale and also upped in trip but rates an equally dangerous horse. Trawlerman has so far failed to live up to undoubted potential, they try this trip and if the horse clicks he could be very nicely priced. Summers Knight for Mark Prescott needs to resume it's progress but any runner from that Yard in a handicap merits consideration.

 

I looked long and hard at Spirit Mixer for Andrew Balding who is a very in form horse but with a mark that's steadily risen from 79 to 100 I do think that the handicapper may now have its measure. HMS President and Dark Jedi were both last time out winners and along with Midnights Legacy and Zoffee look to have claims but I'm not sure any of those is now well handicapped with penalties.

 

The Good to Firm Going can make early pace and a prominent running style a BIG asset, simply get to the front, set the fractions and get rivals off the bridle and if they feel a bit of pain on the stingy Going they don't always let themselves down and the leaders don't always come back to the field. There is no better Yard at exposing this tactic that Mark Johnstons and I have noted an increase in winners from the Yard in the past few days. It's always good to try to visualise a race which I have done here.

 

I think that both TRIBAL ART who can be quirky in the Stalls so that is a risk but who has proven stamina can run a big race here IF breaking and behaving, Atzeni is a fine exponent from the front and with Franny Norton, who is the master of the tactic on SOAPY STEVENS  who won last time and is clearly in fine fettle, I am happy to go a bit "left field" in terms of the overall market.

 

At big Odds I'm also quite taken with Jane Chapple-Hymas UBER COOL. The yard fights well above its size and weight and can ready any good horse and this one is best at this trip and has some solid form and runs off a nice mark and David Egan is another jockey not afraid to ride with tactical awareness.