A dry day forecast for Beverley, but the ground was given as soft on Tuesday morning for today’s eight-race card.
Dreams Of Thunder (2.15) had previous winners behind when beaten half a length into third on debut at Windsor and she is taken to break her maiden tag at the second time of asking. The filly – 15/8 with MansionBet – cost connections 265,000 gns at the Breeze Ups back in the spring and is likely to get further in time, but this stiff track should suit.
Trainer Robert Cowell hands the ride to Barry McHugh with Jason Watson – who was in the plate on debut – riding a couple at Brighton for Robyn Brisland. McHugh has only ridden three winners so far this season albeit from just fifty-five rides.
Michael Dods has his string in good form and Proud Archi (3.45) can reward each way support in the 16-runner extended 7f handicap.
The recommendation – 9/2 with BetVictor – is 2lbs better off with Ugo Gregory for the three-quarters of a length he was behind that rival here last month and is visored for the first time this afternoon. If the headgear works, the oracle he can gain a fourth C&D success although he has not struck gold since August 2018. Note his last win came from a mark of 82 and he races off 64 this afternoon.
Johnny Boom (4.45) looked well ahead of his current mark when scoring at Yarmouth last time and an 8lbs rise may not prevent Richard Fahey’s three-year-old landing his hat-trick having scored over today’s C&D previously.
The selection – 11/8 with William Hill – has improved since switching his attentions to turf and he is unbeaten over this afternoon’s 10f trip. He is drawn out wide in stall 11, but they have been shunning the far rail in the straight at Beverley in recent weeks and I hope to see Paul Hanagan make his challenge down the centre of the track. His ability to handle soft ground must be taken on trust but he has looked a most progressive sort in his last couple of starts.
At Southwell, I hope to see Edinburgh Castle (8.50) defy top-weight in the concluding two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle. The selection has been a frustrating sort over both codes, but I felt he looked in need of further when runner up over two miles here last time.
The 5-y-old – 3s with BetVictor – has only had three starts over hurdles – all over the minimum trip – and ran a cracking race when third at Chester on his last start on the level over 1m 6f back in the autumn. The forecast good ground looks ideal.
