Not a bad day if the Irish combos are taken out – Topazes beaten by, guess what, a 16/1 system bet alas not viewable early on) The other 2 non Irish horses placed
800 BATH
BETTING FORECAST: 9/4 Pippbrook Gold, 5/2 Caro George, 11/4 Sunny Peace, 13/2 Papuan Prince, 10/1 Alutando, 20/1 Zantic, 25/1 Park Run, 33/1 Ochenvay, Shybutwilling, 40/1 Age Of Miracles, 50/1 Danse De Sioux, Scary Movie
SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Sunny Peace has a tricky draw, but decent form claims and should go well. Pippbrook Gold had to be switched several times when unlucky at Windsor last month and is respected, but marginal preference is for CARO GEORGE who made a decent type work hard to beat him last time and should appreciate this step back up in trip.
Pippbrook Gold now 9/2 – level stakes on Caro and Sunny Peace if both still 2/1 or over. Yes, this race goes off at 8pm
335 CATTERICK
BETTING FORECAST: 4/1 Violent Velocity, 5/1 Makshoof, 11/2 Dig Deep, 6/1 Heywood, 13/2 Deserted Dane, 7/1 Prince Namid, 8/1 Paris Bell, 10/1 H Harrison, 14/1 Obe Royal .
SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Fascinating to see how the comeback kids Dig Deep and Makshoof get on but it is on the slow side for the former and Makshoof got outpaced over an easy 6f at Ripon last time. He is one to keep an eye on but HEYWOOD (nap) looked on the way back at Haydock recently and gets the vote.[EMW]
Wide open if the betting is anything to go by – Dig Deep and Deserted dane each way for me, currently 8/1 shots signifies prehaps each way claims at the very least
710 DONCASTER
BETTING FORECAST: 4/5 Watergate, 5/1 Favourite Girl, 7/1 Tiger Goddess, 10/1 Jimwil, 12/1 Classic Blade, 14/1 Drachenfels, 33/1 Fasalee, Free To Choose, 40/1 Flog It .
SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Mark Prescott’s 2yos have been improving markedly from their first run and WATERGATE, having shaped with plenty of promise on his debut, looks sure to be hard to beat. Favourite Girl could be a threat in receipt of plenty of weight but Jimwil may be the best each-way alternative
Watergate “sure to be hard to beat” – worth a chance I think although this is a maiden. ALternatively Flog It is 25/1 currently and Jimwil is 7/1 if you want each way speculation ( again we have to wait to 710pm so things could change)
140 EPSOM
BETTING FORECAST: 11/4 Blythe Knight, 7/2 Don´t Panic, 9/2 Young Pretender, 11/2 Alexandros, 8/1 Mia´s Boy, 9/1 Dunelight, Majestic Roi, 14/1 Metropolitan Man .
SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Last year’s winner Blythe Knight sets the standard and is just the pick of the older horses, ahead of Don’t Panic, but Saeed Bin Suroor sends out two very interesting three-year-olds in YOUNG PRETENDER and Alexandros, with the former preferred after he put up a bold show in the Dante until his stamina ran out
Blythe Knight out to 5/1 -significant? Don’t PAnic each way for me
325 EPSOM
BETTING FORECAST: 5/4 Getaway, 13/8 Soldier Of Fortune, 8/1 Youmzain, 14/1 Macarthur, Red Rocks, 20/1 Papal Bull, 33/1 Anna Pavlova, Multidimensional, 50/1 Turbo Linn, 200/1 Big Robert, Song Of Hiawatha .
SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Getaway will be a very popular choice to enhance his trainer’s fine record in this but even on the form of an impressive reappearance win at Newmarket last month, his odds are shorter than they should be. YOUMZAIN is a viable alternative, last season’s best form – notably when having Getaway and Soldier Of Fortune behind when such a good second in the Arc – entitling him to have a big say, while the likely decent pace here will suit too. That wasn’t the first time Youmzain has shown top-class form either, in particular when bustling up subsequent Arc winner Rail Link in the 2006 Prix Niel. At very big odds, Anna Pavlova is no forlorn hope and an each-way saver on her looks in order too
O’Brien horses – Soldier of Fortune, MAcarthur and Song of Haiwatha
Tricky race this one. Likely MAcarthur and SOng of HAiwatha are pace setters for Soldier of Fortune if the betting prices can be believed.
At the prices, MAcarthur each way continuing the O’Brien combo bets
405
Again, more Irish combo bets – Adored – Chinese White – Ice QUeen – Moonstone – Sail – Savethisdanceforme – Tiffany DIamond
The prices indicate Chinese WHite, Sail and Adored each way of the combos
450
BETTING FORECAST: 13/8 Iguazu Falls, 9/2 Dream Day, 5/1 Fathsta, Nacho Libre, 8/1 Film Maker, 10/1 Croi Mo Ri, 16/1 Nice Wee Girl, 33/1 Irish Pearl ,
SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: IGUAZU FALLS has the form to just about win, including when running well enough at Sandown last time when 1m in soft ground was probably a bit too much, and this return to 7f should be in his favour. Dream Day is next best
If still short, I’ll lay Iguazu Falls
720 GOODWOOD
BETTING FORECAST: 9/4 Sagara, 4/1 Raincoat, 9/2 Al Shemali, 7/1 Shahin, Speed Gifted, 9/1 Dragon Dancer, 14/1 Eastern Anthem, Peppertree Lane, 33/1 Young Mick, 66/1 Maid To Believe .
SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Speed Gifted looks likely to take high rank among the 4yos this season, but whether this is the right day or the right trip for him is open to doubt and it is a big ask of him, or any of the others for that matter, to get the better of SAGARA assuming that one returns in the same form as he ended last season in the Arc. Raincoat, Al Shemali, Shahin and Dragon Dancer are all capable of taking advantage should the selection disappoint.
Chance on Eastern Anthem, the biggest priced of the Godolphin 3
620 NAVAN
BETTING FORECAST: 3/1 Port Of Spain, 7/2 Mary Josephine, 4/1 Ms Victoria, 9/2 Johnstown Lad, 6/1 Miss Gorica, 8/1 Mesmerize Me, Nanotech, 14/1 Shinko Dancer.
Port of Spain win only
640 WEXFORD
Woodland BEauty for Dermot Weld each way