Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips at York and Chester on Saturday. View selections below.
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PACIFY (1.50) carries the colours of the Prince Of Wales so it would be entirely appropriate if he won the Queen Mother’s Cup at York.
The race is confined to lady amateur riders and Serena Brotherton has long been one of the safest pair of hands in these types of events. Pacify has twice contested hot handicaps at Epsom this season, running sixth to Dash of Spice on Derby Day on the back of an encouraging fourth to the very smart Ajman King. This longer trip may not be entirely ideal but Ralph Beckett’s gelding can make his class tell off a 2lb lower perch than Epsom.
Last year’s winner Tapis Libre returns to defend his crown off the same handicap mark under the same jockey, Joanna Mason. He beat Mukhayyam more than a length 12 months ago and is 5lb better off. Tapis Libre also finished third in the 2016 Queen Mother’s Cup, so it is safe to assume he has been primed for another big day in the sun.
Desert Ruler’s second to Jabbaar at Chester was a good run and he was a course winner three seasons ago. He was also near the top of my shortlist in a very open contest.
GOLDEN APOLLO (2.25) scooped a big 6f sprint here last season and is fancied to go close over this extra furlong. Tim Easterby’s four-year-old was noted making steady headway into fourth spot here last month behind Gilgamesh, one place behind Get Knotted and two ahead of Salateen, both of whom again take up the cudgels.
Spanish City is the right favourite and a 3lb rise for his Doncaster success looks lenient. Spanish City was given an awful lot to do in the Victoria Cup at Ascot, but ran on strongly into sixth.
The Sky Bet Grand Cup Stakes over 1m 5f has attracted some useful sorts and WEEKENDER (3.00) gets the nod for John Gosden and Frankie Dettori.
Weekender, Dettori’s only ride at the meeting, will appreciate this faster surface after managing a laboured third to Magic Circle at Sandown and this son of Frankel can confirm placings with the first-time blinkered Time To Study. A bigger threat is likely to come from Marmelo, a neck behind classy
Vazirabad in France on slower ground. If the forecast heavy rain arrives in time he will be hard to beat, so a weather watch is advised.
With 20 runners declared for the 6f handicap it is something of a minefield for punters. FOXTROT LADY (3.35) sports the Lochsong colours of Jeff Smith and she has won her last two starts in the manner of a fast-improving filly.
Beshaayir beat her fair and square in a maiden at Newbury last September but William Haggas’s filly disappointed over an extra furlong at Musselburgh. She still rates a potent threat.
Any significant rain will enhance considerably the chance of Angels.
At Chester, the tricky 1m 4f handicap features several improving three-year-olds. It might be worth chancing SHUHOOD (2.40) over a couple of more fancied rivals as he ran a cracker at Epsom, despite almost boiling over in the preliminaries and overshooting the start.
He did well in the circumstances to finish third to Connect and Court House. This extra two furlongs shouldn’t inconvenience him on the evidence of an earlier clear-cut victory at Newmarket and the second, third and fourth horses have since boosted the form.
Trainer Ian Williams has decided that Shuhood will wear a hood this time and he may just have the legs of Austrian School, Berkshire Royal, Istanbul Sultan and Neverbeen To Paris.
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Tally Ho
Alan
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