Saturday
A busy day up and down the country tomorrow as we prepare for a big week next week at Ascot. It would be easy to avoid going INTO BATTLE with such a busy week next week but I’ve found four which I can’t not back. Pardon the pun but I do really like Ed Walker’s 3 year old in the 1.30 handicap at Sandown. It’s a race which I have 4 tracker horses in but the selection rates the most interesting off a mark of 82. Having run well in the London Gold Cup last time, I would presume he would be a warm favourite here but the predictors have him up at 15/2. If he comes out at that price then it could be maximum bet time as I think he should be 9/4 fav here. The stiff finish will bring about plenty of improvement and a repeat of his Newbury effort will make him very hard to beat here.
Anything above 2/1 about ADAAY IN DEVON should be gobbled up as Rod Millman’s filly is the standout here. This represents a big drop in grade for her and for me she has proven herself to be a smart performer after her last two runs and that form would easily be the best here. Providing all is well, she is the one to beat here.
Up at York I just have to back WOVEN who looks to have returned this year in tip top form. His run last time really impressed me as 6f on good ground at a front runner’s track is definitely not his gig but he ran a stormer to finish 4th. Back up to 7f on softer ground should see him in a better light again and at 9/1 he looks a fair price.
The 3 year old sprint handicap wouldn’t normally be a race I”m punting in but I thought POCKLINGTON looked well weighted and over priced. He wasn’t disgraced in much higher grade last time out and given that was only his third run I expect plenty of improvement here. A mark of 96 could prove lenient if he is as good as connections think he is so he gets the vote in a competitive race.
Sandown 1.30 – Into Battle
Sandown 2.40 – Adaay In Devon
York 2.25 – Woven
York 3.35 – Pocklington
