The ground was described as good to soft at Haydock at noon
on Thursday ahead of today's nine-race card at Haydock Park.
Simon and Ed Crisford have their string in particularly good
form and their Arij (4.25) makes his handicap debut having finished third at
Wolverhampton on his reappearance over an extended mile. Today's step up in
trip should suit given he is the half-brother to five winners at or around
today's 10f trip. James Doyle – who did us a favour when scoring for the yard
on Cape Cavelli at York last week – takes over in the saddle. This is a competitive
opener, but he gets an each way recommendation at 17/2 with William Hill who
are paying five places on the race.
There wasn't much between D'Bai (6.55) Snazzy Jazzy and
Happy Power when they were behind Space Blues and Safe Voyage over C&D last
month, but it is the Charlie Appleby runner who is taken to reverse the form
this evening. The selection improved from his reappearance to chase home Space
Blues at Longchamp although he got much closer to his stablemate on that
occasion than was the case on his first start when he was drawn wide and
hampered coming out of the gates.
In the second division of the 7f Maiden Cold Front (7.55)
can make it third time lucky for William Haggas. The selection has finished
runner up in all three starts but I thought he did little wrong when behind
Godolphin's Man Of Promise who is entered in a listed contest at Windsor on
Sunday. Connections believe the colt needs a bit of give in the ground to be
seen at his best and there should be no excuses on that Front this evening.
Over at Leicester and Rateea (5.35) certainly caught my eye
when third at Newmarket last time when he would surely have gone very close
with a clear passage. Marcus Tregoning's son of Invincible Spirit has been
raised 1lb for that effort, but I would be disappointed if he did not go one
better this afternoon. The 11/4 with William Hill has gone but the 5/2 is still
a fair price.
The filly La Dragontea is rated 5lbs higher than Thibaan
(8.05) and receives 5lbs from the selection but I am convinced there is more to
come from the selection who finished runner up to Frankly Darling at Newcastle
on his reappearance. The winner won the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot
before finishing third in the Oaks at Royal Ascot although those behind have
been disappointing in the last month. I thought the selection looked a
sure-fire future winner when a good fourth at Kempton on debut and I feel he
will give the filly – who finished a close fourth in the Lingfield Oaks trial
on her penultimate start – weight and a beating tonight.
At Beverley Single (1.10) gives the impression he will
appreciate the step up to 2m for the first time having finished second to
Prescott's Revolver at Doncaster last time. Mick Channon fits his
three-year-old with cheek-pieces for the first time and he has decent form on
fast and soft ground. Danny Tudhope takes over in the saddle.
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