The middle day of Haydock’s Sprint Cup meeting begins with a competitive handicap over 10f even though only five go to post. Three of the quintet have raced prominently or led in the past and a decent gallop should allow Camelot Tales (1.10) to settle better than is often the case. The Crisfords’ fit their three-year-old with blinkers for the first time and the selection – 3s with Boylesports – is just 1lb higher than when scoring over this trip on fast ground at Ayr at the beginning of July.
Bake and Miramichi have, between them, won their last six starts and are clearly improving at a rate of knots although the former steps up in trip and is not guaranteed to appreciate ten furlongs on breeding.
The mare Arctic Fox (4.30) has been compromising her chance by starting slowly in recent starts, but I remember her running away at this 1m 6f trip when finishing fourth at York on her penultimate start. The selection – 3s with 10Bet – has never won over 1m 6f but is 8lbs lower than for her last victory albeit over two years ago at York. Paul Mulrennan was in the plate when the mare finished a close fourth at Ripon last time and he keeps the ride. Note there is little pace in the race although I expect Franny Norton to take thorough stayer Watersmeet forward.
At Ascot Love Is Golden is a short price to return to winning ways having finished runner up off this mark at Hamilton last Friday in the valuable Lanark Silver Bell. He will be 2lbs higher in the weights from tomorrow, but preference is for Recovery Run (3.05) who is a rare animal this season in that he is without a win so far this year yet represents the stable of Andrew Balding whose string have been in such sparkling form all summer.
The selection – 3/1 with William Hill – drops back in trip having looked a non-stayer in the Gp 3 Geoffrey Freer over an extended 1m 5f. The 3-y-old is 9lbs lower in the weights than he was at the start of the season but has run some terrific races in defeat including when third at Glorious Goodwood. This stiff 12f on good ground is ideal although this is another race where there is no guaranteed frontrunner. The Nathaniel colt did make all over a mile at Sandown as a juvenile – beat Irish Derby runner up Lone Eagle – and I wonder if David Probert will try and make all if none of his opponents go forward.
Frankie Dettori has not ridden since the weekend, but he has two rides today. He takes over on Her Majesty’s Saga who has a favourite’s chance in the 7f Maiden and is again in the plate for Uncle Bryn (3.40) who has disappointed in two starts so far this term but has been gelded since finishing last in the Dante back in the spring.
The son of Sea The Stars was considered classic material when winning both starts on the all-weather last autumn, but his bubble was burst at Epsom in a listed contest on his reappearance. He drops back to a mile this afternoon and do note he is just 12/1 for the Cambridgeshire. He is currently number 47 in the weights and will have to win today to stand any chance of getting a run I would think. The gelding is 3/1 with MansionBet.
At Kempton this evening Loving Dash steps up to 12f for the first time but she looked one to avoid at Nottingham last time when she hung left in the straight having travelled into the race like she was sure to play a part in the finish. She is best watched at present.
Out Of Reason (8.15) bounced back to form when a close third off this mark at Wolverhampton last time and he ran a very good race on his sole polytrack start when he did not get the best of runs over a mile here as a juvenile. The booking of William Buick is a plus for Alan King’s gelding and he has a decent draw in stall five. The recommendation is 15/8 with 10Bet.
