Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips at Sandown, Beverley and Chester on Saturday. View selections below.
ALOBAYYAH (2.25) toyed with her rivals when winning on debut at Yarmouth (soft) last October and is pitched into the deep end against some established fillies and mares in the Group 3 BetMGM Atalanta Stakes at Sandown.
William Haggas has kept his filly under wraps on the prevailing fast ground this summer but the handbrake has been released now that the rain has arrived.
Cathedral, fourth in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, has left Ralph Beckett to join Kevin De Foy’s burgeoning ranks and sets a good standard.
The Beckett yard is doubly represented by Fair Point, a soft ground winner at Ascot last September, and course winner Skellet. They represent a formidable duo.
Spiritual flopped at Deauville earlier this month but has some useful back form.
CASTLE COVE (3.00) flies the flag for the Haggas yard in the 1m 2f handicap.
His ability to handle testing ground was underlined at Chester in June when making up a lot of ground to snatch victory close home. His subsequent unplaced effort in the 18-runner Chesterfield Cup at Glorious Goodwood, finishing on the heels of the principals, was a perfectly respectable effort.
Saddadd hasn’t been seen since landing some big bets in Newbury’s competitive London Gold Cup in May but will be fancied by his backers to defy a 6lb rise.
Roger Varian’s three-year-old colt possess plenty of scope for improvement and is joined on the shortlist by hat-trick seeking Dangerman, transformed on his last two starts by the application of blinkers.
James Tate’s Flying Frontier, a dual course and distance scorer, may do best of the older generation.
CROWN OF OAKS (1.30) can get punters off to a flier in the 1m 2f William Hill Silver Cup Handicap at Beverley.
The Haggas-trained gelding justified strong market support when outpointing chief market rival Hornsea Bay at Ayr last month and should have the legs of Godolphin’s Desert Shadow, well-held by Dangerman on his last outing.
Windsor runner-up Financier will do well to concede weight to his two younger rivals but shouldn’t be far away.
URBAN SPRAWL (4.55) paid the penalty for chasing a strong gallop when fading into fourth at Windsor 16 days ago but has his sights lowered in the one-mile apprentices’ handicap.
Charlie Johnston’s gelding finished runner-up here in late July and should be able to dominate his six rivals under Archie Young.
Little separates ALSAKIB (2.40) and likely favourite Tabletalk in the 1m 6f Virgin Bet Chester Stakes but Andrew Balding’s gelding gets the nod.
The grey finished a close-up fourth behind Rebel’s Romance in the Yorkshire Cup and a repeat of last season’s third in the Ormonde Stakes here would make him hard to topple.
Tom Clover fits first-time cheek-pieces on Tabletalk, twice runner-up in Group 3 grade earlier this year. His more recent third to Al Qareem at York in July reads strong form in this Listed contest.
Tally Ho
Alan
Check out all todays Horse Racing Results and claim free bets.
NB. All odds shown are correct at time of publishing and are subject to change.
