The weather looks set fair for the Bank Holiday weekend and the ground was given as good – good to firm in places – at Ffos Las for this afternoon’s seven-race card.
Hughie Morrison’s filly Hesperis (1.30) has an unbeaten record over 12f on good or faster ground, although she got one of the races in the Stewards’ Room, and she is taken to follow up her recent C&D success from a 4lbs higher mark. The selection cost 150,000 gns as a yearling and is open to further improvement after just five runs on turf.
The excellent David Probert has a good book of rides in south Wales, and he will be looking to improve on his 26% strike rate in the last fortnight although, at the time of writing, he has not ridden a winner in his last ten rides. There was odds against available on Wednesday afternoon/evening but he is 4/6 with Boylesports at the time of posting.
Ring Of Beara (2.00) holds an entry in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster next month and shaped like a sure-fire future winner when runner up at Goodwood on his racecourse debut. The winner – Imperial Fighter of Andrew Balding – finished second in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York last week and the Richard Hughes-trained son of Wootton Bassett was sent off just 3/1 on debut in what is invariably a decent maiden. The selection is drawn out wide in stall nine which is a negative, but I would be disappointed if he didn’t run a very big race.
Note his market rival is now a non runner making him long odds on.
Legend Of Dubai is from a family I love but I must confess to being surprised that he is making his belated seasonal debut over a mile-and-a half. He should win but he is not likely to be much of a price and might be best watched.
There is a Group 3 contest at Tipperary, and it looks a gilt-edged opportunity for Pretty Gorgeous to get her career back on track given this represents a drop in class for Joseph O’Brien’s filly whose last five races have been in Group 1 company. That said she is short enough in the betting for a filly who has yet to recapture her top-class juvenile form and I have an each way alternative.
Miramis (6.00) was beaten 16L on soft ground by Pretty Gorgeous on debut and isn’t particularly well drawn in stall ten, but I was very impressed with her maiden success at Gowran last month on what was her first start on good ground. Connections have always thought they had a decent filly on their hands and the each way recommendation is 28/1 at 10Bet.
El Borracho is the one to beat in the 2m handicap chase at Sedgefield, but I believe there are races to be won with Hasankey (5.20) and hope Lewis Cobb can gain a first win over fences. The selection – 9/2 with Boylesports – must have covered an additional 50 yards out in lane eight at Stratford over a near 2m 4f trip last time, but he was still in with a shout as the field jumped the second last.
This drop back in trip will suit and his conditional jockey takes off a valuable 10lbs. He is not bred to be contesting handicap chases at Sedgefield – from the family of Derby winner Harzand – but I thought he jumped well enough last time and should have the race run to suit. Instant Replay is a five-time course winner but never over the minimum trip and he is likely to help force the pace with Fisher Green.
I’m not convinced the track is ideal for Powerful Aggie (7.40) at Lingfield in the concluding 12f handicap on polytrack – mixed card turf & AW – but I was impressed with her finishing effort over this evening’s C&D a fortnight ago and hope Kieran O’Neill can get the filly motivated earlier. There is a bit of pace in the race – Red October, Corbulo, Bashful and Sword Beach can go forward – which will suit, and the hope is that the filly has learnt a bit following her eye-catching run her a couple of weeks ago. The selection is 11/4 with William Hill.