A winner- finally – yesterday and a close run thing with Too Darn Hot being beaten a neck in a thrilling Dante. We take one last big shot at the Dante meeting, with a card that is made for betting.
1.50 – 5f Langleys Solicitors British EBF Marygate Fillies’ Stakes (Listed Race) (Class 1) (2yo): Nightmarishly difficult with a field of 19, all of whom look to have realistic claims of making an impact. Good Vibes lost her race at the start when second at Newmarket to an odds on shot of Godolphin’s but she gave herself every chance a furlong out before tiring up and she ended up being two and three-quarter lengths clear of a subsequent five-length winner. She improved from that to take a novice event at Salisbury when she got the better of a previous winner and odds on favourite, and whilst she was receiving weight, she managed to get the better of a good battle despite hanging to the left and if she’s grown up since then she could prove better still and perhaps racing in a 22 runner field with what’s likely to be plenty of pace should prove to be an ideal set up. Lady Fanfitha was a well backed and decisive winner on her debut at Nottingham, form which has been boosted since by the second and third both winning since, and she is the second against the field here despite the strong claims of Lady Kermit, Fleeting Princess, Mightily Spirit, Companion,
Advice: 1 pt each/way Good Vibes (12/1 general) 1 pt each/way Lady Fanditha (9/1 general)
2.25 – 5f Langleys Solicitors British EBF Marygate Fillies’ Stakes (Listed Race) (Class 1) (2yo): Twist N’Shake’s reappearance second to Maqsad looked a good effort at the time and with the runner up now having won the Pretty Polly in great style that looks even better. She can take the beating, with a comfortable victory at Nottingham under her belt. Natalie’s Joy, a game winner of the Rose Bowl Stakes, and Magnetic Charm, fourth in the May Hill, can go well but Invitational is most interesting of the outsiders on her first turf start.
Advice: 2 pts win Twist ‘N’ Shake (15/8 general)
1m6f (1m5f188y) Matchbook Yorkshire Cup Stakes (Group 2) (British Champions Series) (Class 1)(4yo+): Two points of interest here; The first is a small each/way bet on Southern France for the Gold Cup, as he really ought to be better going over a longer distance and should hopefully have improved from his reappearance at at Naas. The other is a wager on Stradivarius to win this for the second season in a row, as he looks different class based on his best form, as long as he’s in good order.
Mildenberger is an interesting contender upped in trip, as connections have had Dee Ex Bee step up in trip and win the Sagaro Stakes (and quite impressively).
Advice: 3 pts win Stradivarius (8/11 Bet365, Paddy Power, Hills)
Ante-Post: 1 pt each/way Southern France, Gold Cup (16/1 general)
3.35 – 1m2½f (1m2f56y) Matchbook “Best Value” Exchange Handicap (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-100): UAE Prince’s form last season, including a fifth in the Cambridgeshire, is around the be best in this field and a mark of 99 looks fair enough. Roger Varian’s excellent form simply adds to his claims. Grandee and Lucius Tiberius have good claims on their best form and Grandee might be a new horse under Roger Fell, but perhaps the next best claims are held by Mistiroc, whose encouraging second at Doncaster last month was a real return to form. At his previous best he’d be a hell of a lot shorter for this – it’s only in July of 2017 he was finishing a close third in the John Smith’s Cup. Society Rock and Mythical Madness are just two more of interest.
Advice: 1 pt each/way Mistiroc (9/1 general)
4.05 British EBF Frank Whittle Partnership Fillies’ Handicap (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-90): Accommodate, a well-bred 3yo who is open to plenty of improvement now going handicapping for Sir Michael Stoute, ought to go well, but Agincourt looks as if she still has improvement left to give and her close defeat to Florenza on return was boosted by the sixth’s subsequent win.
Advice: 1 pt each/way Agincourt (8/1 general)
4.35 – 5f Yorkshire Equine Practice Handicap (Class 3) (3yo 0-90): Based on his reappearance win at Wetherby, 5 furlongs’ suits Roulston Scar much more than 6 and Kevin Ryan’s three-year-old can do better still based on that win here. Third Look Out Louis has since won to give the form a decent look. Free Love and Tenax, 1-2 in a Nottingham handicap last time out, will both be involved whilst the breeding of Ustath, a wide margin Wolves winner last time out, suggests that he’ll have a bright future.
Advice: 1 pt each/way Roulston Star (8/1 general)
5.05 – 1m4f (1m3f188y) Longines Irish Champions Weekend Handicap (Class 4) (3yo 0-85): The form of Skymax’s October Nursery looks to be the strongest in the field and one would hope that he’s straight for his appearance given that this is a valuable enough contest in itself and he should improve for this step up in trip. It’s a strong contest with last time out winners Laafy and Summer Moon also entitled to respect, but most interesting is Beechwood Jude. He hadn’t troubled the starter in three runs as a 2-year-old but on his first run at 12 furlongs he was second at Doncaster when coming with a good run from the rear and it could be the handicapper has no handle on his abilities in this sphere.
Advice: 2 pts win Skymax (7/2 general), 1 pt each/way Beechwood Star (12/1 general)
