Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips at Newmarket, York and Chepstow on Saturday. View selections below.
BUNTING (3.40) remains relatively unexposed and looks the pick of Willie Mullins’ three-pronged assault on the Cesarewitch Handicap at Newmarket.
The five-year-old runs in the colours of Tony Bloom and the owner previously tasted success in the 2m 2f marathon with Withhold (2017) and Stratum (2019).
Bunting’s latest run came over an inadequate 1m 5f at Leopardstown (fifth) and this longer test should unlock significant improvement.
Mullins, a triple winner of this event, also relies on top weight Hipop De Loire, third behind Sweet William in the Doncaster Cup, and veteran hurdler Winter Fog.
Last year’s controversial winner Alphonse Le Grande was noted staying on into fifth from an unpromising position at York last time and Tony Martin will have geared his preparation for another crack at this tempting pot.
Silvestre De Sousa boasts a fine record in the race and has been snapped up by Charles Byrnes to ride Reverend Hubert, an effortless seven lengths winner of the Cesarewitch trial over course and distance three weeks ago but drawn widest of all this afternoon.
Reverend Hubert goes well on a sound surface and merits a saver under his 4lb penalty.
Aidan O’Brien, an eight-time winner of the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes, can add another notch to his belt with GSTAAD (3.00).
The Dewhurst is Britain’s pre-eminent future Classic pointer and has been won by an array of thoroughbred giants through the ages. O’Brien’s latest success came in 2023 courtesy of City Of Troy, with his majestic colt going on to land the following year’s Derby.
Gstaad, an impressive winner of the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot as a juvenile, has lost out in photo finishes at Deauville and the Curragh this season and will need to be at the top of his game to repel the likes of Distant Storm, a wide-margin winner here last time following a below-par effort in the Acomb Stakes at York when pulling for his head through the early stages.
The opening Darley Stakes, a 1m 1f Group 3 contest, should see GLADIUS (1.15) to the fore for Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy.
Following victories at Sandown and Goodwood, Gladius produced a slightly disappointing fourth behind King Of Cities in the Strensall Stakes at York in August but will be suited by this return to quick ground.
Likely favourite Damysus split Pride Of Arras and Wimbledon Hawkeye in the Dante at York before finishing tailed off in the Derby. The son of Frankel bounced back to winning ways at Deauville and is preferred to Godolphin’s First Conquest and last year’s runner-up Liberty Lane.
BERKSHIRE SUNSHINE (4.30) has been off the course 325 days but Andrew Balding’s gelding can outclass 16 rivals in the two-mile Coral Racing Club Stayers Handicap at York.
The top weight hit peak form at this time last year, winning twice, and was last spotted chasing home useful Duke Of Oxford at Kempton.
Today’s opposition comprises mostly well exposed handicappers but wide-margin course winner Terrorise and Ribble Vibe, closely matched on their running here behind Rock N Roll Pinkie, should be on the premises.
The National Hunt season moves up a gear with Chepstow staging the valuable 2m 3f Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle. Dan Skelton, a past dual winner, saddles no less than five runners, with brother Harry taking the mount on ROYAL INFANTRY (3.20).
This will be the six-year-old’s first venture in handicap company but Royal Infantry hasn’t been hit hard by the assessor on the back of his Perth second to Willie Mullins-trained Kiss Will in April.
Knappers Hill scooped this valuable pot for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden in 2022 and it will be interesting to see how the market interprets a 700-day absence.
Josh The Boss went off the boil after winning the race 12 month ago under 7lb rider Jamie Neild and trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies always has his string in great heart at this early stage of the season.
Tally Ho
Alan
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NB. All odds shown are correct at time of publishing and are subject to change.
