Dalgleish’s Charge Can Rush To Glory
There are 5 UK meetings, today, with action at Hamilton, Lingfield, Ripon, Ffos Las and Kempton. A 5f juvenile sprint gets the ball rolling at Hamilton (2.00). Merry Banter continues to improve and won last time out, but now faces a penalty and is up against 3 useful-looking colts. Harome was beaten here by less than a length, over 6f last week, while Bourbonisto’s Doncaster run showed much promise. Inglorious is taken to score on debut, however, being a half-brother to 8 winners. Keith Dalgleish can make it a quartet of 2-year-old successes, from 14 attempts in this campaign..
The 4.40 at Lingfield is a Class 4 handicap, over 1m 1f. The return of Inke is of interest, although having taken such a long break he’s best watched – particularly with a 5lb hike. Molten Lava has run well recently, but Martin Smith’s Bridge Of Sighs is the pick. His 2nd-place to Inniscastle Lad looks the best piece of form and the move up in grade was fairly inevitable. Champagne Bob, who will carry Tom Marquand (claiming 3lb) looks a decent each-way bet, as well.
Wilde Stepping Down To Clean Up
The feature race at Ripon is the 3.50, a Class 3 handicap over a mile. However, this is actually a step down for Wilde Inspiration who has won in Class 2 company at Haydock and more recent defeats have been by consistently narrow margins. Lat Hawil and Get Knotted are 2 others that have run at a higher level, while Treasury Notes has won over course and distance. It all adds up to a competitive affair, but Wilde Inspiration should just land the spoils.
The 7.00 at Ffos Las is another Class 3 handicap, this time for chasers. After a rough start to 2016, Dursey Sound showed signs of returning to form, when finishing 3rd behind Trickaway and Somchine at Southwell last month. There’s been a great deal of talk about the potential success of Jonjo O’Neill and Richard Johnson this Summer and this race looks right up their street. Brody Bleu can also go close, with talented apprentice Harry Cobden claiming 5lb on the French 9-year-old.
Boost To Rocket Home
Juvenile followers will have been eagerly anticipating the first appearance of Hawana (Kempton, 7.10), John Gosden’s $350,000 yearling (War Front/Tare Green). This one could turn out to be a very good miler, but Mark Prescott’s Boost should be able to take advantage of her inexperience today. The Pivotal filly ran on well to finish 3rd, on debut here and can notch at the second time of asking. Bee Case and Textured are horses we can expect to see a great deal more of, but both are best just observed amongst this extremely green field.
Meetings In Ireland, France & South Africa
The 6.50 looks the highlight of a fairly mediocre-looking evening at Fairyhouse, with 3 well-matched runners all in with a shout. Golden Pearl won over this course and distance, back in September. Munshid and Blood Moon have locked horns before and Munshid came off better. However, Blood Moon was conceding 5lb and a tight 3-way finish could well be in prospect. Fit For Function barely looks fit for purpose, amongst this sort of company and the Captain Gerrard gelding will probably have to settle for the best view on the racecourse.
There’s a meeting at Lyon-Parilly and also one at Fontainebleau, where Dark Dream takes on Anducas and Pistoletto in the Prix de la Beauce. 9 races are on the card at Vaal, with Chinese Whisper quietly-fancied to shed her maiden tag in the opener.
Today’s Picks
HAMILTON
2.00 Inglorious
2.30 Perfect Words
3.00 Birkdale
3.30 Ingleby Spring
4.00 All You
4.30 Keene’s Point
5.00 Stoneham
FFOS LAS
6.00 Kinari
6.30 June French
7.00 Dursey Sound
7.30 Miss Crick
8.00 Calculated Risk
8.30 Hold Court
9.00 Bumble Bay
KEMPTON
5.40 Dalaki
6.10 Muntahaa
6.40 Magnum
7.10 Boost
7.40 North Creek
8.10 Jodies Jem
8.40 Royal Reef
9.10 Perfect Alchemy
LINGFIELD
2.10 Golden Slam
2.40 Abaco Ridge
3.10 Make Music
3.40 Tudor Icon
4.10 Talent To Amuse
4.40 Bridge Of Sighs
5.10 The Juggler
5.45 Hint Of Grey
RIPON
2.20 Dalton
2.50 Wotabreeze
3.20 Bogardus
3.50 Wilde Inspiration
4.20 Secret Clause
4.50 House Of Commons
5.20 Kip
FAIRYHOUSE
5.50 Ocean Tides
6.20 Buffalo Blues
6.50 Blood Moon
7.20 Pacodali
7.50 Three Majors
8.20 Elusive In Paris
8.50 Cockney Wren
FONTAINEBLEAU
R1 Zahiria
R2 Leomar
R3 Anducas
R4 Darinja
R5 End Of Story
R6 Mount Isa
R7 Blue Soave
R8 Funky Mary
LYON-PARILLY
R1 La Fibre
R2 Caufield
R3 Meadra
R4 Zor
R5 Masina City
R6 Stella Pyla
R7 Mountain Spring
R8 Palang
VAAL
R1 Mating Call
R2 Bold Rex
R3 Chook
R4 Freely Forever
R5 Movie Man
R6 Cumberland
R7 American Story
R8 Go Fly A Kite
R9 Bright Bronte
