There is the chance of light drizzle at Hamilton this afternoon for their seven-race card the feature of which is the valuable four-runner Conditions Stakes over the minimum trip of five furlongs.
David O’Meara saddled Move In Time (3.30) to win the corresponding race 12 months ago and I think he can follow up in this small field (has won two four-runner races in the past) despite the fact that a number of people have expressed concerns over the form of the yard.
Paul Midgley saddles half the field and if the rain fails to materialise Line Of Reason will be tough to beat but Move In Time to swoop fast and late inside the final furlong.
Long Call (3.00) has been raised 2lbs since finishing second on his reappearance at Yarmouth and is taken to go one better for Charlie Appleby and Martin Lane who takes the mount. The classic generation have won two of the three renewals of this 12f handicap and the only other 3-y-old in the field Monsieur Glory is respected but Irish raiders Lara Carbonara and Sharjah look bigger dangers.
At Stratford the mare May Hay looks vulnerable carrying a 7lbs penalty given she appeared the only horse to appreciate the rain-softened ground at Southwell last time. Fergal O’Brien has his string in form and the mare Annie Alainn (7.20) won three times in her native Ireland and looks fairly treated on her first start in Britain and any further rain would not inconvenience.
There is plenty of pace in the 2m 4f handicap chase with Walden Prince and Cold Knight confirmed front-runners as is the returning Notarfbad who has certainly been given a chance by the handicapper given he has been dropped 11lbs since he last run albeit over 500 days ago.
The vote, however, goes to Monkey Kingdom who ran well at Aintree on his penultimate start and is very well treated on his best form; Jonathan Moore is good value for his 5lbs and he will have the race run to suit.
Derrychrin (8.20) remains a maiden and failed to build on what was a good British debut when disappointing at Newton Abbot last time but that was over 3m 2f and this drop back in trip should suit. The selection is blinkered for the first time and if the change of headgear works the oracle he must go close in a very ordinary race.
Peter Bowen has saddled the winner of the Bumper twice in the last four years and Sam Noir (8.50) gets the vote on debut. Those with experience look beatable and the Bowen yard are in red hot form despite the fact that Sunday’s Summer Cup selection Al Co, backed from 10s to 9/2 fav, only got as far as the second under Jamie Moore.
Soft ground the order of the day at Chepstow this evening and in the finale Highlife Dancer (9.10) can go one better than when second at Yarmouth last week off this same mark. The 8-year-old is not getting any younger but has won fifteen races including on soft ground and he gets on well with tonight’s pilot Charles Bishop.
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