Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips at York and Musselburgh on Saturday. View selections below.
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MAZYOUN (2.20) has sneaked in at the foot of the 7f handicap at York and looks ready to open his seasonal account.
Josephine Gordon teams up with Hugo Palmer’s blinkered gelding and Mazyoun can improve on his sixth to Battered over course and distance at the Dante fixture when soft ground was hardly ideal.
Mayzyoun ran really well to finish third in the totepool Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar last October and remains well enough treated if he can be coaxed into putting his best foot forward.
PURPLE ROCK (1.50) looks a terrific each-way bet at around 7-1 in the Queen Mother’s Cup.
This 1m 4f handicap for lady amateur riders is the traditional curtain-raiser on this card and Mick Easterby’s gelding ran a cracker when chasing home Zain Arion over course and distance in May.
He flopped at Musselburgh a week later but that run may have come a bit quick. Purple Rock holds Tapis Libre and Chancery on that earlier York effort and the Easterby clan are always to be feared on the Knavesmire.
GREAT FIGHTER (3.45) could still be ahead of the handicapper and is fancied to land the Stobo Castle Ladies Day Gold Cup at Musselburgh.
Jim Goldie’s gelding landed a nice touch over hurdles at Ayr before following up at Perth and running a cracker in the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock.
Reverting to the flat last month, Great Fighter readily drew clear of Cosmic Tigress here over 1m 6f. A 6lb rise is largely negated by Phil Dennis claiming 5lb and the visor Great Fighter has worn in those last four runs is retained. Stall one is ideal for this hold-up performer in a race won last year by subsequent Cesarewitch heroine Sweet Selection.
Goldie won this three years ago with Caledonia and I’m sweet on Great Fighter.
Keith Dalgleish fields a formidable challenge and it isn’t easy splitting Kensington Star and Sebastian’s Wish.
Kensington Star beat Card High on the nod at Carlisle and may have been value for a bit more having been hampered early in the straight and losing some momentum.
Sebastian’s Wish has won all three starts for Dalgleish since being switched from Richard Whitaker. The handicapper took offence at his latest wide-margin win, imposing a 12lb rise, but Sebastian’s Wish clearly loves it around Musselburgh.
DESERT LAW (3.10) has a solid Musselburgh profile and looks well treated in the William Hill Scottish Sprint Cup.
With a tasty £62,250 pot up for grabs to the winner, it is sure to be fast and furious. Desert Law finished fifth last year, meeting slight interference, and races off a 6lb lower mark. Paul Midgley’s gelding stormed home by more than three lengths over course and distance in April and is one of the better handicapped sprinters going to post.
Hoofalong won it last year from stall 16, the berth occupied this time round by well-fancied Duke Of Firenze. He finished third last year off 100 but has risen to 107 on the back of some excellent efforts this season, scoring at York before finishing on the heels of Caspian Prince in the Investec Dash at Epsom. Duke Of Firenze will need to weave a passage through down on the rail, so it could be a white-knuckle ride for his backers.
Caspian Prince picked up a 6lb penalty for his Derby Day victory but is clearly in terrific heart.
Kimberella was sent off the 3-1 favourite last year and ran well in fourth. However, he is 16lb higher which makes life tough.
KHAMAARY (2.35), unbeaten in two starts at Redcar, could be anything and is taken to defy a whopping 16lb rise in the William Hill Mares’ and Fillies’ handicap.
Mark Johnston’s three-year-old spread-eagled her field last month, coasting home by seven lengths from Mama Africa. The runner-up is fairly moderate but Johnston saddled the first two in this contest 12 months ago and could have targeted quite a few other horses at this prize.
Acadian Angel, another three-year-old at the foot of the weights, ran really well at Carlisle but has drawn the outside stall.
Forever A Lady, seventh last year, would benefit from a strong pace to attack. She pounced late at Carlisle when the leaders went off too quick and is holding her form well in a busy spell.
Forever A Lady found one too good in Alpine Dream at Chester last Saturday and was the only one to give subsequent Sandown scorer Titi Makfi any sort of race at Hamilton.
Normandie Lady beat Lincoln Rocks almost four lengths at Nottingham and ran into a decent rival in Amablis last time at Chelmsford City. She looks sure to be involved.
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Tally Ho
Alan
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