Haydock Park stage their three-day Lancashire Oaks meeting this week and William Haggas has two of the seven entries in Saturday’s Group 2 feature. The market is headed by the Newmarket handler’s recent York winner Dramatic Queen at 2/1 with BetVictor but I favour her stablemate Klassique (3/1 at BetVictor) who created such a favourable impression when winning the Pinnacle Stakes over C&D – albeit on heavy ground – last time.
At Musselburgh this afternoon Ventura Flame (2.30) was considered good enough to take her chance in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot last time and didn’t disgrace herself – 5th of 8 in her group on the far side – having finished runner up at Carlisle on debut. This is more her grade and she is taken to make it third time lucky for Keith Dalgleish. The filly receives 12lbs from previous winner Bill Neigh – another who finished down the field at Royal Ascot.
Pepys has won first time out in the past and is a fascinating contender in the competitive 7f Handicap but my two against the field are Tribal Warrior and Jacob Black (3.30) with marginal preference for the latter. The selection remains 2lbs higher in the weights than when scoring over C&D back in May, but he looked better than ever when finishing third in the Carlisle Bell Consolation Race last time and has a good draw in stall four.
I am sure there is a race to be won with Pammi this season, but Sosian (5.35) took 20 starts to break her maiden tag but scored at Redcar on her penultimate run and ran a very good race in defeat when runner up at Hamilton last time. The filly was rated in the low 70s earlier in her career and can race off just 48 this afternoon with Sean Davis taking off a valuable 3lbs.
Hat-trick seeking Out for Justice is likely to be all the rage in the 3m Handicap Chase at Worcester, but I hope to see Border Break (2.50) reward each way support for Tim and Harry Reed. The selection won a point on his penultimate start before finishing a decent second over 2m 4f at Hexham last time. Shoal Bay has jumped out to his left on both starts over the larger obstacles but is open to significant improvement.
Litterale Ci (3.20) had jumped well and had not been asked a question when she blundered at halfway and was immediately pulled up by Aidan Coleman at Ffos Las last week. I hope that kindness can be rewarded this afternoon, and this looks a much weaker event.
At Bath this evening Listen To The Wind (7.40) has been raised 7lbs in the handicap for scoring at Yarmouth last month but Cieren Fallon’s claim negates the rise and the filly is taken to follow up for William Haggas this evening.