The ITV cameras will be at Lingfield on Good Friday for the celebration of the all-weather season and Saturday is Dubai World Cup night at Meydan. The horse I am most looking forward to in the desert is the four-year-old Godolphin-owned colt Blue Point in the 6f Al Quoz Sprint. The son of Sharmadal only raced twice as a three-year-old in Britain, winning his last start in an Ascot Group 3, but he looked a potential superstar sprinter when beaten a head by Ertijaal over five furlongs at Meydan last month.
The Charlie Appleby-trained colt is Evens at BetVictor with Ertijaal 13/2 given the additional furlong of Saturday’s contest is likely to see the Godolphin colt in a much better light. Looking ahead to the summer and the Godolphin owned sprinter Harry Angel is the 4/1 favourite for the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot with Blue Point 12/1 for the King’s Stand Stakes (5f) at the Royal meeting with BetVictor and 16/1 for the Diamond Jubilee. If Harry Angel were not in the same ownership as Blue Point that 16/1 would look far too big.
Three decent jumps cards this afternoon and the ground at Huntingdon is likely to be good come post time which should suit the keen Working Class (2.00) who was certainly not beaten when brought down three out at Warwick last time. The selection was only a miler on the level and is one of only two four-year-olds in the field, but Harrison Beswick is good value for his 7lbs claim and he can shake up the likely market leader – the Alan King-trained mare Passing Call.
Clondaw Westie has done us a couple of favours in recent weeks but his wins have been gained on soft ground and he is overlooked in favour of Leg Lock Luke (3.05) who represents the inform Colin Tizzard yard. The selection needs a decent surface to be seen at his best – that is why he has missed the winter ground – and I hope jockey Tom O’Brien makes plenty of use of his 8-y-old.
At Market Rasen, Royal Ruby (3.35) finished runner up at Plumpton last time and does not look overburdened from an opening mark of 115 as he begins life in handicaps for Nicky Henderson. The selection won a Southwell Bumper on decent ground and looks sure to get a decent gallop in this tight handicap.
Musthaveaflutter (4.20) returns to the scene of his fluent C&D success from an 11lbs lower mark last month and the Dan Skelton-trained six-year-old has since finished second at Huntingdon from a 4lbs lower mark. Bridget Andrews takes over in the saddle this afternoon with her partner Harry Skelton still sidelined through injury, but she has been in excellent form herself in the saddle of late and is good value for her 3lbs.
Le Musee (2.20) can make it third time lucky in the opening maiden hurdle stepping up in trip to the best part of two-and-a-half miles for the first time for Nigel Hawke. Harry Cobden could have gone to Huntingdon to ride Leg Lock Luke for the Tizzards’, but stays in the west-country at Taunton to ride Mount Rushmoore who is the obvious danger. The selection got bogged down in the Lingfield mud last time and this son of Galileo should appreciate today’s better ground.
The Missus is a fascinating contender in the two-mile handicap hurdle for Richard Johnson and Warren Greatrex and a market move would be worth noting on the mare’s return from a 680-day absence.
That said Cap Du Nord (3.55) is a confident selection coming back from a three-month break of his own. The horse looked well ahead of the handicapper when scoring at Sandown back in December and he then got booged down on heavy ground at Haydock later in the month. This better ground should suit and Denis O’Regan comes across from Ireland for five rides on the card for trainer Christian Williams. I think this might be his best chance of a winner.
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