Former Talksport man Charlie McCann marks your card with six to follow on Saturday at Doncaster, Kempton and Stratford. View selections below
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It would be fair to say this weekend is not the biggest one in the racing calendar but there is still some fascinating racing especially on the level at Kempton. Irish raider Lily’s Angel (3.15) has been kept busy over the winter winning three times on the all-weather at Dundalk before plying her trade out in Meydan where she won a valuable handicap for trainer Ger Lyons. She was not at her best at the Curragh last time on ground softer than ideal, and it is possible she needs a break but she is a different proposition on an artificial surface, has a cracking draw and gets the nod.
Cocktail Queen will be all the rage for the Fillies’ Conditions Stakes over a mile but she may need further this term and she is not guaranteed to go on the surface; I felt Zurigha (4.25) ran better than her finishing place suggests in the Group 2 Rockfel at Newmarket on her second juvenile start. There is plenty of pace in the race and the hope is that the selection doesn’t get embroiled in a battle for the lead from her wide draw.
There is a cracking card at Doncaster and in the Listed Doncaster Mile I am looking forward to the reappearance of Moonstone Magic as long as there is enough juice in the ground; the forecast is set fair for the weekend, however, and she is overlooked in favour of Gabrial (2.20).The selection showed some very good form over a mile and ten furlongs last season including when winning a very valuable handicap at Haydock last spring.
Jamie Spencer was often in the saddle last year but Kieren Fallon takes over as Spencer, seemingly, prefers the Michael Bell-trained Sovereign Debt. The latter is another who is at his best on soft ground but the forecast suggests the ground will be no worse than good at the weekend.
The lightly-raced Muharrer (4.05) was sold for 70,000 Guineas at the Tattersalls Sales back in October and has joined Michael Dodds having been with Marcus Tregoning previously; well-bred the selection may not have got home over 12f on soft ground on his handicap debut and the return to 10f will suit. The yard have made a good start to the current campaign and he is one to keep on the right side of this term irrespective of what happens at the weekend.
Aidan Coleman is riding at Stratford (Looking On 1.55 and Niceonefrankie 3.05) before he travels to Uttoxeter to ride Clouded Thoughts (5.05) who has Three Chords to beat in the 2m 5f handicap Chase; the selection failed to stay (3m 2f) at Catterick last time and as long as the ground is no worse than good to soft he merits nap material.
Emma Lavelle had a welcome winner last weekend and I suggest you keep on the right side of her horses in the weeks to come as her string have been out of sorts for much of the campaign; Claret Cloak will surely go chasing sooner rather than later but he is coming down to a fair mark and is a big danger to Lolith (4.15) who made a most encouraging return from a near two-year layoff last month at Newbury.
Looking further afield do keep an eye out for Ballinahow Star at Kempton on Tuesday in the rearranged EBF Mares’ Final postponed from Newbury’s meeting which was snowed off last month; the selection was still travelling well when brought down at Exeter last time and this has been her long-term aim for some time.
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Be lucky
Charlie
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