The ground was described as good to soft at Haydock at noon on Thursday ahead of today’s nine-race card at Haydock Park.
Simon and Ed Crisford have their string in particularly good form and their Arij (4.25) makes his handicap debut having finished third at Wolverhampton on his reappearance over an extended mile. Today’s step up in trip should suit given he is the half-brother to five winners at or around today’s 10f trip. James Doyle – who did us a favour when scoring for the yard on Cape Cavelli at York last week – takes over in the saddle. This is a competitive opener, but he gets an each way recommendation at 11/2 (from 17/2) with William Hill who are paying five places on the race.
There wasn’t much between D’Bai (6.55) Snazzy Jazzy and Happy Power when they were behind Space Blues and Safe Voyage over C&D last month, but it is the Charlie Appleby runner who is taken to reverse the form this evening. The selection improved from his reappearance to chase home Space Blues at Longchamp although he got much closer to his stablemate on that occasion than was the case on his first start when he was drawn wide and hampered coming out of the gates.
In the second division of the 7f Maiden Cold Front (7.55) can make it third time lucky for William Haggas. The selection has finished runner up in all three starts but I thought he did little wrong when behind Godolphin’s Man Of Promise who is entered in a listed contest at Windsor on Sunday. Connections believe the colt needs a bit of give in the ground to be seen at his best and there should be no excuses on that Front this evening. The selection is 11/8 with bet365 with the money coming for Godolphin’s newcomer Future King.
Over at Leicester and Rateea (5.35) certainly caught my eye when third at Newmarket last time when he would surely have gone very close with a clear passage. Marcus Tregoning’s son of Invincible Spirit has been raised 1lb for that effort, but I would be disappointed if he did not go one better this afternoon. The 11/4 with William Hill has gone but the 5/2 is still a fair price.
The filly La Dragontea is rated 5lbs higher than Thibaan (8.05) and receives 5lbs from the selection but I am convinced there is more to come from the selection who finished runner up to Frankly Darling at Newcastle on his reappearance. The winner won the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot before finishing third in the Oaks at Epsom although those behind have done little for the form in the last month.
I thought the selection looked a sure-fire future winner when a good fourth at Kempton on debut and I feel he will give the filly – who finished a close fourth in the Lingfield Oaks trial on her penultimate start – weight and a beating tonight.
At Beverley Single (1.10) gives the impression he will appreciate the step up to 2m for the first time having finished second to Prescott’s Revolver at Doncaster last time. Mick Channon fits his three-year-old with cheek-pieces for the first time and he has decent form on fast and soft ground. Danny Tudhope takes over in the saddle.
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