Haydock's big flat race of the season the Group 1 Sprint Cup is the weekend highlight and Clive Cox reports last year's winner Harry Angel in good form as he looks to follow up 12 months on. The four-year-old is 7/4 with BetVictor and there is rain forecast to hit the track on Friday and Saturday. Any significant rain would certainly suit the market leader.
There is a decent card at Goodwood this afternoon and Bella Vita (2.35) is taken to go one better than when runner up at Epsom on debut. The grey was pulled out of an engagement last week with connections concerned about underfoot conditions, but the ground was described as good to soft at the Sussex track on Monday and conditions should be ideal for Even Johnson-Houghton's promising filly.
The valuable Mile maiden for juveniles can go to Line Of Duty (3.05) who failed to build on a highly-promising debut when second at Haydock over 7f back in July. The winner (Great Scott) was beaten a head in a Group 3 at Deauville and today's additional furlong should suit Charlie Appleby's Galileo colt who holds a couple of Group entries later in the month.
Pablo Escobarr has left Mark Johnston since finishing a disappointing fourth at Haydock on his second start (7f) and he has his first start for William Haggas this afternoon. I am convinced he is much better than he showed last time and it will be fascinating to see what the market says of his chances.
When you add her Majesty's Calculation and the promising Sir Ron Priestley into the equation you get some idea of how good a maiden this is. The racecourse executive will be thrilled with the quality of the field.
The two-mile handicap is another terrific race and I am absolutely convinced there is a big handicap to be won by Coeur Blimey on soft ground this autumn. On good to soft the seven-year-old, who could still be a top-class hurdler over 2m 4f+ if he brushes up his jumping, may find things happening too quickly, however, and he is reluctantly overlooked.
Austrian School's last win was from a mark of 85 and he now finds himself running off 100. He looked to stay two miles when second from a 4lbs lower mark at Musselburgh last time and marginal preference is for Imphal (4.10) who has been running consistently well in defeat so far this season and gets the each way vote for Marcus Tregoning and Hayley Turner.
There is a cracking jumps card at Stratford this afternoon and I'm not convinced Torhousemuir has the stamina for the extended two-mile-six-furlong trip. Courtlands Prince (2.50) gave the outside up for no one at Market Rasen on his chase debut and was carried very wide by a loose horse with a circuit to go.
The selection certainly lost more ground than the two lengths he was beaten, and he is unlikely to go off 33/1 this afternoon despite a 2lbs rise in the weights.
There is plenty of pace in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase which should suit Sam Red (3.55) who won here first time out last season and there is the possibility that he might be best caught fresh.
The seven-year-old is a stone lower in the weights than he was rated back in October as a result of a number of moderate efforts although it should be worth noting that the horse he failed to give 12lbs to at Fakenham (beaten 16L) on his penultimate start was Step Back who is now rated 149 having won the Bet 365 Gold Cup on his final start.
Sky Eagle (7.45) was just touched off at Newbury last time and steps up to two miles for the first time for Ed Walker at Kempton Park this evening. The selection is 3lbs higher this evening but has a record on the all-weather of 121 and he might improve again for the step up in distance tonight.
For all your racing odds go to BetVictor.com
