Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up his five tips at Goodwood, York, Haydock & Curragh. View selections below.
MARK JOHNSTON improves his middle-distance handicappers at a rate of knots through the summer months and two horses falling into that category are ITHOUGHTITWASOVER (3.20) and GULF OF NAPLES (3.10).
Ithoughtitwasover is despatched to Goodwood for the 32red.com handicap in search of a quick hat-trick of victories, having scored at Newmarket and Hamilton in recent weeks. Both times, he quickly put the race to bed and was never really threatened in the William Hill Braveheart Stakes at Hamilton on his latest outing. That came on soft ground, but there is no reason to suggest Ithoughitwasover will not be as effective on a quicker surface. Top young hurdler Grumeti looks the principal threat after beating Local Hero at Ascot, showing a smart turn of foot on his return to the flat game.
Gulf Of Naples stays closer to home at York for the Listed 1m 6f event, having been a late absentee from the Braveheart Stakes due to testing conditions. His earlier exploits, especially when third in the Chester Cup, having had to expire a lot of energy to gain a position from his wide draw, will make him hard to beat. Godolphin’s Cavalryman is top-rated but hasn’t won for nearly three years.
At Haydock, SOLE POWER (3.00) bids to follow up last year’s triumph in the Betfred Temple Stakes when he arrived late on the scene to beat Kingsgate Native and Prohibit. As usual, the field is packed with battle-hardened speedballs but Sole Power fairly rattles off this fast ground. The Irish sprinter was a shade unlucky not to win the Prix de L’Abbaye and was runner-up in a couple of events at Meydan in March. Paul Hanagan is a good booking.
The Betfred Silver Bowl is bristling with progressive three-year-olds and the best may not have been seen of GABRIAL (2.30). He was bet as if defeat was out of the question at Chester only to fail by a neck to contain Arnold Lane on soft ground. Gabrial may well improve again on this sounder surface and is well drawn (2) in the 17-runner field. Forest Row and Archbishop remain unexposed on this type of ground but boast solid credentials.
In the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh, TRUMPET MAJOR (3.15) is worth an each-way investment at around 7-1 in places. Fourth to Camelot in the British equivalent, Richard Hannon’s Classic contender had earlier smashed his rivals under a penalty in the Craven Stakes.
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Tally Ho
Alan
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