Former Talksport man Charlie McCann marks your card with eight to follow on Saturday at Doncaster, Stratford, Kempton and Meydan. View selections below
Today’s William Hill Lincoln will be run on soft ground after heavy overnight rain on Thursday changed the going and led to the defection of antepost favourite Captain Cat who was withdrawn by trainer Roger Charlton on Friday morning.
The short-list consists of Hi There and Tres Coronas but the vote goes to Tullius(3.50) of Andrew Balding who has a touch of class, will love the ground and whose talented apprentice takes off a valuable 3lbs. He still has plenty of weight to carry (9st 7lbs) but gets the each way vote (first four) at 7/1 with BetVictor.
Fencing might find the ground too soft in the Doncaster Mile and the vote goes to Graphic (2.05) fourth in the Cambridgeshire last season before improving a again on soft ground last autumn when he looked a Group horse scoring at Nottingham back in November. Trainer William Haggas had a well backed winner at Lingfield last weekend and he can get his turf season off to a bang.
In the Spring Mile Dance And Dance (3.15) needs everything to go his way and looked an unlucky loser on more than one occasion last year, but he is very well handicapped and one of these days everything must fall into place. Another of my recommendation’s ridden by Oisin Murphy who will not be claiming 3lbs for much longer.
We are sponsoring three Channel 4 races from Kempton Park and in the Grand National 6 Places at BetVictor Handicap Absolutely So (3.30) has a good draw in stall four and can strike fast and late for Andrew Balding and Martin Dwyer. Lightly-raced the colt wasn’t at his best when last seen at Lingfield over 7f back in February but had shown enough at today’s trip previously to suggest he could take a hand in receipt of 16lbs from Hoof It owned in partnership by golfer Lee Westwood and his agent Andrew “Chubby” Chandler.
Zerfaal (4.05) was well supported on debut in a decent Newbury maiden but failed to deliver and this brother of the Guineas winner Makfi now has a bit to prove. He was entered in many of the top juvenile events last autumn so he must have been showing something in Newmarket for John Gosden but this is very much a recovery mission.
At Stratford Gifted Leader (3.40) was last seen winning the charity race at the Cheltenham Festival and can run off the same mark as when last successful over timber over today’s course and distance for trainer Ian Williams. The 9-y-old should be spot on for today’s race and his conditional jockey Robert McCarth is good value for his 5lb claim.
The richest horserace in the world takes place this evening with the Dubai World Cup due off at 6.05. Last year’s Derby winner Ruler Of The World has a difficult draw to overcome and I am going to take a chance each way on the progressive Sanshaawes ridden by Christophe Soumillon. The gelding has won twice over C&D earlier in the Carnival and went down by less than two lengths to Prince Bishop last time having covered 22 metres more than the winner from his wide draw.
Earlier in the card I expect to see last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Magician (5.17) land the Sheema Classic for Ireland; the colt won the Irish Guineas last summer so has the necessary pace should the race become a sprint and he has an excellent draw in stall four.
Soft Falling Rain (1.10) can follow up last year’s success in the Godolphin Mile for Mike De Kock although Shuruq was very impressive in Group 3 company last time and on her day is a very talented filly.
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Be lucky
Charlie
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