Easter Racing - Saturday

A great day’s action yesterday at Lingfield for the All Weather Championships there’s a huge catalogue of action to get stuck into today. I’ve picked out a few select races from each meeting mainly the feature’s and the higher graded races to review…

KEMPTON

2.35 – A Class 2 sprint over 5 furlongs is the first of the action i’ll be reviewing and it’s a real tough one. It’s actually stressed me out a bit trying to piece this one together. You could make a case for most of the field here, and i’ve found it very hard to seperate A Momentofmadness and Robot Boy. Both have interesting form, and the one i’m siding with is Robot Boy. He’s run well on his last two all weather outings and will be hard to peg back if replicating that form. He’s trading at around 7/4 with Ryan Moore on board.

3.10 – A slighlty further handicap now this time over 6f Class 2 again and its another very competitive affair. Co favourites head the market in Eljadaaf and Eltezam. The latter was a promising two year old and put in some decent performances before missing the entirety of last season. He was well down the field on his reappearance in March but he just might fair better now with a hood fitted. He trades at around 4/1 for Richard Hannon, Frankie Dettori rides. Dutch Golden Age and Stellarta look to be decent each way players but my fancy is taking another chance of Eltezam.

3.45 – A listed affair here over a mile and is headed by a John Gosden hotpot in Laugh Aloud for Godolphin. I’m a big Gosden fan and I reckon this one is going to be very hard to peg back if he’s on his A game. She is under a penalty for a listed win back at Newmarket in September whereas closest rival Aljazzi isn’t. The latter looks to be the main threat for Marco Botti, Ryan Moore rides. Robanne could be a decent each way player at 8/1 as could Lucy The Painter at 16/1 if she can find any of her old form of last season. I think Laugh Aloud is going to be hard to beat here though therefore just gets the nod over Aljazzi.

4.15 – Another one over a mile now and it’s a fillies race headed by John Gosden’s Blending with Frankie Dettori on board. She was a bit disapointing when finishing sixth in the May Hill at Doncaster back in September however she is fancied to go close again here and which I do think she will. The likes of Ravens Lady and Sibilance obviously can’t be ruled out but the one I do like the look of as an each way shout is Assanilka for Harry Dunlop. She was beaten a few lengths in a Group 3 last time out before winning over course and distance on debut. She currently trades at around 6/1 and Richard Kingscote ride.

CORK

2.45 – Listed fillies race at Cork is the feature and its headed by a real short priced chance in Zhukova for the Weld/Smullen team. She won a couple of listed events last term as well as a couple of Group 3’s and only failed when being sent to the the elite race the fillies and mares on champions day at Ascot. That is cleary by far the best form on show throughout this field and she might not need to be at her best to take this. Glamorous Approach might be best of the rest for Jim Bolger as she does have a listed victory to her name herself, she trades at around 12/1 Zhukova should be taking this though.

HAYDOCK

2.40 – Massively competitive field again here with four horses at the top of the market all trading at a general 7/1. Of these I like Behind The Wire for Tom George and Adrian Heskin. He’s the youngest of the lot here and looks to be a progressive sort. He won very well last time out at Newbury and has been put up 9 pounds for that. Rathlin Rose has been winning military events at Sandown and Shanrose Santos and Fort Worth also come into this race on the back of good form. Fingerontheswitch could be a big each way player at 14/1. I like this horse and have backed him several times, Noel Fehily rides for Neil Mullholland.

3.15 – 1 mile 7 hurdle headed by Alan King’s Midnight Maestro at a general 9/2. His form has been boosted with his defeat to Pingshou at Cheltenham in December with that force going on to winning at Aintree last week. He certainly justifies favouritsim on that form and could be hard to peg back but i’m going to try and take him on with Limited Reserve. He hasn’t been seen since a very impressive victory in December. He is at the top end of the weights but he’s one that we don’t know how good he could be and is certainly worth taking a chance on at 8/1. Denis O’Regan rides for Christian Williams.

3.50 – This mares handicap over 2 miles 2 is headed by Harry Fry’s Secret Door. She looks to be a progessive sort and i’ll be backing her to build on her Ludlow success here by following up with another victory. It’s certainly not going to be plain sailing as it’s another very competitive affair. You could make a case for almost all of them and one I like as an each way shout is Toberdowney for Oliver Sherwood and Leighton Aspell. She beat a decent mare at Wincanton on Boxing Day and a repeat of that performance could see her outrun her odds of 12/1.

MUSSELBURGH

2.25 – This looks to be a race that is centered around Monsieur Joe. He is certainly the one to beat if he’s on his A game but that is the question. He hasn’t been seen since July having missed out on a run in Ireland in September due to a Colic. I’d be willing to try and take him Glenrowan Rose for Ketih Dalgleish and Philip Makin. He was a good second over course and distance when last season here in October and if the favourite or his stablemate Line Of Reason arent firing i’d certainly be looking to side with this one at 5/1. Lexington Abbey isn’t the best treated and is out of form but goes well fresh.

3.00 – Richard Fahey and Mark Johnston are responsible for seven of the runners here as they both flex their northern firing power. Rashford’s Double, Society Red, Navarone and Cullingworth for Rich. Of those obviously Rashford’s Double is in the best form coming into this on the back of a hatrick however i’d be willing to look at each way on either of Society Red or Cullingworth who both have a lot of positives to take when last seen out. they are 10/1 and 25/1 respectively. Rusumaat, Mailshot and Chupalla are the Johnston team and Mailshot is the one I like the most out of his, he’s 10/1 and has been very progressive on the AW as of late and could be worth an each way chance. Out of all their runners I still aren’t sure if they’ll take the contest mind as I think Novoman is the one to beat at the head of affairs for William Haggas and Liam Jones. He has solid form over 7f last season and he should appreciate the step up in trip to 1m. He currently trades at a general 7/2.

3.35 – Very interesting race this the Queens Cup handicap and is headed by Iain Jardine’s Shrewd at 11/2. He was 2nd in the Ebor off 1 pound lower under a 7 pound claimer but was consequently beaten easily in his two starts after. Isharah comes into this for Mark Johnston after an outstanding AW campaign which obviously gives him a chance, Solider In Action will be fit as well for Mark as he has had a spell over hurdles throughout the winter. Angel Gabrial hasn’t won since 2014 when winning the Northumberland Plate but the handicapper seems to be handing him a slight chance in the weights however I can feel a big run coming from My Reward here. He’s a 10/1 chance for Tim Easterby and David Allan and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him make the frame here on reappearance.