The Yorkshire Cup is the feature race on the final day of York's three-day May meeting and I was fortunate enough to catch up with BetVictor's Brand Ambassador Michael Owen to discuss the chances of his Brown Panther in the feature event.
“Brown Panther seems in great form and this has been the plan since Dubai; we have to give weight away to five talented rivals which is less than ideal but Panther was, arguably, as good as ever in Dubai last time and we are looking forward to what promises to be a terrific renewal of this valuable and prestigious event.”
Brown Panther (3.15) is 9/4 at BetVictor to won on the Knavesmire this afternoon and 20/1 to win both the Yorkshire Cup and next month's Ascot Gold Cup which is his next target. He didn't appear to quite get home in the Gold Cup 12 months ago but connections are convinced he will stay the 2m 4f trip.
It will be no easy task giving 5lbs to last season's Leger runner up Romsdal and I liked the way the latter was keeping on over 12f at Newbury last time; this step back up in trip looks sure to suit but Brown Panther gets a narrow vote.
The Channel 4 cameras are also at Newbury and there is a competitive 6f handicap which sees the reappearance of Fast Track (2.55) for David Barron. Jimmy Fortune takes the ride on this gelded son of Rail Link who was a most progressive sprinter last term until disappointing on his final start at York. The Barron stable are in good form and there is a big race in Fast Track him I believe this season.
In the 10f handicap Approaching (5.00) looked ready for a step up in trip when running on over a mile on his handicap debut at Bath earlier in the month; this son of Derby winner New Approach was very well backed (3/1) and it will be interesting to see if there is money for Amanda Perrett's 4-y-old with Jim Crowley back in the saddle.
There is a tremendous evening card at Aintree and Virgilio (7.05) carries a 7lbs penalty for a recent Warwick success and can follow up for the excellent Dan Skelton. The selection would be running from a mark 13lbs higher if this race were run tomorrow and this looks an excellent piece of placing.
Royal Irish Hussar has disappointed in recent starts but remains open to improvement over timber and would be one to consider if the market spoke in his favour; remember he was once antepost favourite for the Triumph Hurdle having won his first three starts over timber and ran well on ground too soft when last seen back in January.
Looking Well (8.10) can defy a rise in the weights for Nicky Richards in the 3m Handicap Hurdle with leading conditional David Mullins negating the rise with his 5lb claim. The selection looked beaten at Newcastle on his penultimate start before his stamina kicked in and he will need a decent test around this sharp track. He will make a decent novice chaser next term.
I hope the ground is not too fast for Perfect Candidate (7.40) who was last seen in the 4m National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival; that trip looked to stretch his stamina and he ran much better than his finishing position would suggest on that occasion.
Abricot De L'Oasis is unbeaten over fences for Donald McCain and must go close to his hat-trick but top-weight Indian Voyage (6.00) might not be the forlorn hope his form figures would suggest for Grand National winning jockey cum trainer Maurice Barnes. His forecast price is 14/1 at BetVictor and he might belie those odds although one has to forgive his latest run at Carlisle which, hopefully, was a pipe-opener following a two month lay-off.
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