Our good run continued last week with w/c 4/09 -11/09 bringing a profit of +£18.75 with Hodler, Lovely Breeze and Luxembourg among three of the gambles landed. The month to date is now +£22.07 and Kinross and Giaveletto – would have finished second with a clear passage in the St Leger – ensured we got off to a good start to the current week at Doncaster on Sunday before taking a short break on Monday and Tuesday.
A tremendous days racing on Wednesday with excellent flat cards at both Sandown and Yarmouth whose feature race is the listed John Musker Stakes.
3.35 Sandown
The listed action at Sandown is the Fortune Stakes over a mile for three year old+ colts and geldings.
Roger Varian fits BAYSIDE BOY with blinkers for the first time and I hope the ground does not dry out too much for the three-year-old whose career best efforts have both been produced on ground with plenty of cut. Indeed he was recently taken out of a race due to the firm ground at Haydock on Sprint Cup day. Note there was the possibility of light showers Tuesday evening and overnight.
William Buick takes over in the saddle for the first time on the colt. If the headgear works the oracle he looks the one to beat. Under normal circumstances a draw in stall one is a plus over the mile, but if they come stands’ side in the home straight then it would be a slight negative although he is likely to be held up by the champion jockey elect.
Magical Morning won his sole previous start at Sandown and will appreciate the drying conditions but holding, tacky ground would not suit.
Recommendation: Bayside Boy at 9/4 with William Hill
4.40 Sandown
My two against the field in the 10f 3-y-old handicap are Savrola and LADY SHOTGUN with marginal preference for the latter who is making her handicap debut off what looks a realistic mark.
The filly is the first foal of the near top class stayer She Is No Lady who went on all ground. It is likely that the selection will get further in time but, after just three career starts, she is open to significant improvement and she may have faced a very difficult task trying to give weight to Misty Dancer at Goodwood last time. This stiffer track will suit and she gets the each way vote for Ralph Beckett.
Savrola bumped into Simply Sondheim at Newmarket last time and lost little in defeat. That was his first start on soft ground and he ran right up to his very best. A 1lb rise looks fair but I just favour the filly in a competitive heat.
Recommendation: Lady Shotgun EW at 13/2 with William Hill
3.20 Yarmouth
Thirteen go to post in the Yarmouth feature and it is a vintage renewal of the John Musker won by the classic generation for the last four years.
The market is headed by last year’s winner Ville De Grace who goes well fresh and has been off the track since the spring. I was slightly disappointed by her run in the Middleton at York in May but that form has been franked in the interim period and her previous second to Dreamloper at Newmarket is excellent form given the winner’s subsequent exploits. She is a worthy favourite.
John Gosden and Roger Varian have saddled the winner of the corresponding race six times in the last eight years and I believe they have outstanding claims again.
Gosden saddles the lightly-raced Queen Of The Skies and Shaara and the former has been on my radar since she broke her maiden tag at Chelmsford on her second start. The each way vote, however, goes to Varian’s SOUND ANGELA who steps up to ten furlongs for the first time this afternoon.
The filly was slowly away and met trouble in running at Deauville last time in Group 3 company under her normal pilot Jefferson Smith. She is not certain to get the trip on breeding but I was very impressed with her previous Newcastle win and she takes this option rather than a Group 3 at Gowran Park at the weekend.
Recommendation: Sound Angela EW at 11/2 with William Hill 4 places
5.15 Kelso
CALIOPE won a division of the extended 2m 2f handicap hurdle back in 2020 from a 12lbs higher mark and I thought he ran a cracker at Cartmel last time from a 1lb lower mark. Diane Sayer’s 9-y-old also finished third in this corresponding race 12 months ago from an 18lb higher mark when he would have finished even closer with a clearer run.
There are no prices available at the time of writing, but I would hope he would be an each way price.
Recommendation: Caliope EW at 7/2
