This is one of the best weekends in terms of
punting for quite some time. There is competitive action everywhere you look
and I have gone a little bit mad with the tips but I am really hopeful about
all of my selections below.
So
let's start at Ascot and the price may have disappeared by the time this goes
to press as KIPPS looks to be
overpriced at 7/1. Hughie Morrison's charge has ran some mighty fine races this
summer and really deserves to get his head in front. He ran his best race over
this course and distance when second at the Royal meeting to a potential St
Leger horse and that form is rock solid. 1m 2f and 1m 6f trips since wouldn't
have been ideal for him and I think his day in the sun could be today where
optimum conditions await.
Ben
Haslam doesn't send his runners down south for the fun of it and I think he has
found a nice opportunity for FORTAMOUR today.
Cieren Fallon is an interesting jockey booking off a low weight and with his
recent form looking strong, I think he has a right chance in an open race. He
stays 7f so this stiff 6f will be right up his street and at 10/1 he is a solid
each way play.
I'm
having two plays in the finale at Ascot and first up is VIA SERENDIPITY who capitlised on a low mark last time at Ascot. He
is been tipped in this column various times before and he is a classy performer
on his day as he proved. On his best form, he is still handicapped well enough
to go in again here and with conditions to suit, he should go close to doing
just that.
I'm
having a play on REVICH as he has
impressed the past twice. He was a confident tip the last day at Chester and he
obliged with menial effort. He has been hiked up in the weights but Angus
Villiers takes a few pound off and the fact he's bang in form can count for a
lot in these races.
Up
at Haydock a high quality card awaits. I'm leaving the Group stuff alone but
the handicaps interest me greatly. I tipped Cape Coast the last day but I'm
unsure how we will handle the soft surface so I'm sticking with FUTURE INVESTMENT who is guaranteed to
handle the ground. Ralph Beckett's horse won very easily over 2 miles the last
day at Chester and a 6lb hike shouldn't be enough to stop him going close here.
MIKMAK showed more 4 days at Ripon than
he has done for quite some time and given he is a horse who loves to get his
wellies on, he is given a chance today. Tim Easterby's horse produced one of
his best performances over this course and distance when winning here on heavy
ground last year. His ability to handle this sticky surface will stand him in
good stead and I'm really hopeful he can go close.
There
is a tidy jumps card at Stratford also and I think EL BORRACHO has been let in lightly on handicap debut. Olly
Greenall's charge has taken well to hurdles and his form got a big boost when
Leroy Leroy hosed up at Southwell the other night. An opening mark of 118 looks
pretty lenient and he is clearly bang in form so must go well.
Ascot 3.05 – Kipps – 2pt win
Ascot 3.40 – Fortamour – 1pt e/w
Ascot 4.15 – Via Serendipity – 2pt e/w
Revich – 0.5pts e/w
Haydock 2.50 – Future Investment- 1pt e/w
Haydock 4.35 – Mikmak – 1pt e/w
Stratford 4.45 – El Borracho – 1pt e/w
