Royal Ascot winner Star Catcher was supplemented for the Irish Oaks at a cost of 40,000 Euros earlier in the week and owner Anthony Oppenheimer is praying that the forecast rain arrives at the Curragh ahead of the weekend. John Gosden’s Ribblesdale winner is 9/2 (from 11/2) at BetVictor with Joseph O’Brien’s Iridessa – so impressive when winning the Gp 1 Pretty Polly last month – 2/1 market leader and Aidan O’Brien’s Oaks runner up Pink Dogwood 5/2 with BetVictor.
Those with previous form look vulnerable in the 7f Maiden at Epsom this evening and Flashing Approach could easily make a winning debut for Mark Johnston. The Middleham stable have sent out the winner of this corresponding race twice in the last three years and this well-bred colt holds an entry in next year’s Derby.
Sir Mark Prescott has only had one juvenile runner so far this term, but he will surely want to see a big run from the Frankel filly Alpinista (6.35) who will get further in time but is bred to be smart and is taken to make a winning debut. Note Prescott did saddle the winner of this corresponding race back in 2011. A market move would certainly be worth noting.
The locally trained Peace Prevails (8.15) has been raised 5lbs for a facile win over this evening’s C&D a fortnight ago, but she remains well handicapped on her best form and is taken to follow up for Jim Boyle and Charlie Bennett.
There is rain forecast for the west but hopefully it will come after racing at Chepstow where I hope to see Seaborn (5.05) grab a third win in five starts for Patrick Chamings. The selection finished runner up from a 5lbs lower mark at Brighton last time but that was on good to soft and connections feel he is a better horse on faster ground. It will take a career best to lift the finale, but this 5-y-old has only had 12 career starts and might be still improving.
At Ffos Las this evening Dovils Date and Pink Eyed Pedro will have their supporters in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle given they have won their last five races between them. The vote, however, goes to Jimmy Rabbitte (7.30) who looks ready for a step back up in trip having finished runner up over an extended 2m at Market Rasen last time. Dr Richard Newland’s 6-y-old has been raised 2lbs for that effort but can run from his old mark this evening.
In the opener at Hamilton Archie Watson’s Point Of Order (1.40) is taken to improve for his debut run at Beverley when he was keen but ran a race full of promise in third. It may be significant that he holds an entry in Redcar’s listed Two Year Old Trophy later in the season.
Lever Du Soleil (3.40) is looking to plunder a fourth win on British soil this month for Irish trainer Gavin Cromwell and is taken to maintain his upward curve despite being a stone higher in the weights than when beginning his winning sequence at Musselburgh.
The selection may have to make his own running in what could easily be a tactical four-runner affair, but he is only 3lbs higher in the weights than when scoring by no less than 11L at Catterick over 2m last week. Today’s 1m 5f trip is, arguably, on the sharp side and it would not surprise me to see jockey Clifford Lee take the bull by the horns.
Cromwell also saddles Peaches And Cream (3.55) at Killarney this afternoon and the latter could hardly have been more impressive than when scoring at Downpatrick on Monday. A 5lbs rise will not prevent a follow up if in the same mood.
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