Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips at Ascot, Newmarket, Redcar and Longchamp on Saturday. View selections below.
AL QAREEM (2.25) will be hard to peg back as he bids to supplement last year’s comfortable victory in the 1m 4f BetMGM Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot.
Last year’s victory came on soft ground and with plenty of rain forecast, conditions should be in his favour. A dual winner this summer, he ran a gallant race in defeat when third behind Al Riffa in the Irish St Leger almost three weeks ago.
The admirable Hamish and Military Academy pose the chief threats.
APOLLO ONE (3.00) can make a bold bid to make it back-to-back triumphs in the six-furlong Bengough Stakes.
The gelding returned to form in the Portland Handicap at Doncaster last month when denied narrowly by in-form Eternal Sunshine, despite the concession of almost two stone to the winner.
Fourth home Run Boy Run has since landed the Ayr Gold Cup and meets my selection on worse terms.
Fancied pair Elmonjed and Prince Of India, closely matched on last month’s York form, should figure with most firms offering four places each-way.
FALLEN ANGEL (2.40) can continue Karl Burke’s brilliant season by landing Newmarket’s BetMGM Sun Chariot Stakes, a Group 1 contest for fillies and mares.
She finished an honourable fourth in the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp on this weekend 12 months ago and arrives on a roll following successes at Deauville and Leopardstown.
Lady of Spain, unbeaten in five career starts, clearly poses a potent threat and Roger Varian’s filly holds a slender advantage over reopposing Blue Bolt on last month’s Sandown form.
Charlie Appleby’s Cinderella’s Dream landed the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket’s July fixture but disappointed at Deauville last month when sent off a hot favourite.
HOT FLAME (3.50) looks the pick of several in-form three-year-olds taking on older rivals in the 1m 4f fillies’ handicap.
Rab Havlin sent her to the front from the stalls before scoring with some ease at Haydock 30 days ago and Hot Flame can master Orionis and Miss Wong.
The fitting of cheek-pieces on Orionis did the trick at Newbury 15 days ago, while Miss Wong chases a hat-trick for trainer David Simcock.
At Redcar, MIGHTY QUEST (2.11) can put her ability to handle soft ground to full use in the 1m 2f handicap.
Harry Charlton’s filly made all the running to score by almost three lengths on testing ground at Bath last October and returned to winning form at Windsor 26 days ago when cutting down Finn Russell close home.
Ralph Beckett’s Shipshape remains unexposed on the back of three encouraging efforts last season and rates a danger on his handicap bow.
Solar Bentley arrives on the back of a narrow Pontefract victory nine days ago.
In tomorrow’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp SOSIE (3.05) is fancied to go close for legendary French trainer Andre Fabre.
Fabre seeks his ninth winner of the race and Sosie, a five-time course scorer on testing ground, produced an excellent fourth last year. He has been lucky with the draw in stall four and can go well along with stable companion Cualificar, winner of last month’s traditional trial the Prix Foy and the mount of William Buick.
Tally Ho
Alan
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NB. All odds shown are correct at time of publishing and are subject to change.
