Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips at Chester, Sandown and York on Saturday. View selections below.
ARCHDUKE FERDINAND (4.30) can take full advantage in the six-furlong handicap if the forecast rain hits Chester.
The six-year-old grey gelding possesses plenty of early speed and can soon assert from his midfield draw. He made all to score at Redcar last time and a repeat of his fourth in the 21-runner Coral Sprint Trophy at York (soft) last October would make him highly competitive.
Tim Easterby’s old boy Hyperfocus is a dual course winner when the mud is flying and is handily berthed in stall two.
CLAYMORE (2.45) is very well handicapped these days and can go close in the 13-runner 1m 2f handicap at the Roodee.
Jane Chapple-Hyam’s gelding showed distinct signs of a renaissance when chasing home Lavender Hill Mob at Newmarket last month and has a handy draw in stall two. Four places are generally available for each-way backers.
Ian Williams has a terrific record with his handicappers at Chester and GISELLES DEFENCE (5.05) can add to his tally.
The gelding may have found the ground too lively when a beaten favourite at Leicester 11 days ago but wasn’t disgraced in third.
Cieren Fallon replaces an apprentice and Giselles Defence scored off a similar mark on good to soft at Newbury last July.
LEADENHALL (4.45) may be the answer to York’s competitive 14-runner one-mile handicap.
Tim Easterby’s five-year-old ran out a clear-cut Pontefract winner at the end of April and wasn’t disgraced behind red-hot favourite Cadarn next time out at Redcar.
Leadenhall produced one of his best performances here last summer when finishing third behind Tolstoy on rain-softened ground and any showers will be to his advantage.
Easterby also saddles Garden Oasis, now seeking a hat-trick following victories at Ripon and Ayr but taking on slightly stronger opposition here.
Fellow Yorkshire trainer David O’Meara goes one better by fielding three candidates, including last year’s winner Pisanello.
Danny Tudhope rides Catterick and Yarmouth winner Capital Guarantee, while the eye is drawn to in-form stablemate Cosmos Raj.
The O’Meara team are casting their net far and wide and THEORYOFEVERYTHING (2.05) is despatched south with an obvious chance in Sandown’s one-mile handicap.
The grey, the mount of Rossa Ryan, finished a close-up fourth behind Great Chieftain in a messy affair at Haydock last time and any significant showers will boost his prospects, having scored twice on soft last season.
Ryan Moore is an eye-catching booking for Classic, denied by a neck in this corresponding event 12 months ago when racing off a 5lb higher perch.
Tally Ho
Alan
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NB. All odds shown are correct at time of publishing and are subject to change.
