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Angus On Saturday
By Angus Loughran
Last updated: 09:03 Saturday, July 26, 2008
Angus’ Best Bets
Ascot (C4)
14:00 – Doctor Crave 2pts win
Raven’s Pass won this 12 months ago, so which ever horse takes this will be expected to go on to great things. As we know John Gosden trained that winner last year and he looks to have another decent prospect here in Doctor Crave. Still unbeaten after two wins at Doncaster and Newbury and although this is by far his biggest test to date connection feel he’s up to the task and with no trip and ground worries he rates a solid bet.
14:35 – Roseabee 2pts e/w
My pick here has landed her last three races and if she was trained by a more fashionable trainer then I’m sure her price here would be a lot shorter. Roseabee has improved with each of her last three runs and despite those only being nurseries she’s got the most experience in the line-up and she can use that to good use.
Of the rest, is significant that Ryan Moore has been booked to ride the Jeremy Noseda trained Kissing The Camera and therefore she rates a huge danger.
15:40 – Redford 2pts e/w
A really competitive affair here with 29 runners heading to post over 7 furlongs and with not one favourite winning the race in the last decade it might not be a good sign for Lovelace and Redford - who dominate the betting. At the time of writing both are around the 5/1 mark and with both their stables (Mark Johnston & Michael Bell) in cracking form at present it’s hard to say which one will actually go off as the jolly.
They are drawn on opposite sides of the track, which could make for a really interesting finish with Lovelace in the 22 stall and Redford in the 4 berth. The former comes here with a 3lb penalty after a close second in the Bunbury Cup at HQ a few weeks back and although he seems to love these big-field handicaps I think he’s now got plenty of weight.
Redford is also in a rich vein of form at present, having won three of his last four races on a variety of ground. Some might argue that he might need a bit more cut, as his better efforts have come on good ground or worse, but he’s won on a good surface and with Ascot watering I think that’s what we’ll get. Jamie Spencer takes the ride, and after scooting up with him at Newcastle admits he might have come to the front a bit too soon when he disappointed in the Britannia at Royal Ascot.
Of the rest, Ryan Moore teams up with his dad to ride Hitchens and despite never winning over 7 furlongs this consistent 3 year-old won’t have anyone better in the saddle and rates a solid each-way alternative.
16:20 (King George) – Duke of Marmalade 4pts win
Not the best line-ups for such a high profile race and for me it’s hard to look beyond the jolly Duke of Marmalade. He scooted-up in the Price of Wales’s Stakes at the Royal Meeting last month and although some people doubt his stamina over this longer trip I can’t see it myself. He certainly wasn’t stopping at the end of that 1m2f race and with the opposition here not the strongest it will be a surprise to me if this isn’t another successful Group One race to these shores by the Ballydoyle team.
Of the rest, Aidan O’Brien looks to have solid place claims with another of his runners Macarthur at around 14/1 after his fine win over this course and distance in the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes. Lucarno is likely to try and test any stamina issues of the favourite by trying to copy his all the way win at Newmarket recently but on this faster ground he’s likely to find a few too quick in the final stages. Finally, Youmzain has certainly got the form to take this, after his second in the Arc last year, but the Channon team are badly out of form and that’s a big issue to overcome in my book.
York (C4)
15:15 – Pipedreamer 2pts win
The Skybet York Stakes looks a cracking affair, but despite a spate of thirds John Gosden’s Pipedreamer can finally can some compensation for some good runs. He followed up his third in the Group Three Brigadier Gerard Stakes with two fine efforts to come third again in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and the Coral Eclipse. Those were both Group One races and so this slight drop in grade looks to be right up his street.
Others to note is the Godolphin runner Campanologist as Frankie makes the trip to ride him. He finished a close fourth in the Coral Eclipse and is therefore closely linked on form with my pick and with the boy in blue starting to find a few winners in the week he rates my next best.
15:45 – Harrison George 2pts e/w
The Richard Fahey team have been in great form of late and they can pick up another big race Saturday handicap here with Harrison George. Yet to finish out of the top four in all of his 11 starts this horse is as consistent as they come. He’s also won his last two races, albeit by narrow margins, but both those efforts have been here at York so he clearly loves it here and can go close to landing the hat-trick.
Newmarket (C4)
14:35 – Wind Star 2pts e/w
Alan Swinbank can take this with his runner Wind Star who’s been unlucky not to find the winner’s enclosure in his last two starts. He drops back a tiny bit in trip and with the opposition not looking the greatest I think he can finally get off the mark for the season. Looking at the remainder Mark Johnston has taken this twice in the past decade and therefore his runner Missioner is respected.