Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips at Newbury and Ripon on Saturday. View selections below.
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WITH the track expected to ride very testing, SAFE VOYAGE (3.35) can bounce back to winning ways in the Unibet Hungerford Stakes at Newbury.
John Quinn has had the mud-loving six-year-old in tip-top form this season and Safe Voyage’s bid for a four-timer was denied only by a resurgent Romanised at the Curragh. That form sets the bar high and the northern gelding is just preferred to last year’s winner Sir Dancealot. David Elsworth has mapped out a similar preparation this season, once again using the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood as a winning springboard to this Group 2 prize. Sir Dancealot defied a 3lb penalty last year when seeing off Dream Of Dreams but has nothing in hand of Hey Gaman on their Goodwood running.
SUN POWER (1.50) was denied by a neck when clashing with Charlie Appleby’s unbeaten Al Dabaran at Ascot on good to soft and gets the nod over Juan Elcano, a winner on debut for Kevin Ryan at Haydock (heavy) before chasing home Mystery Power in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes. Mark Johnston saddles unbeaten Thunderous in an interesting contest.
MORANDO (2.25) takes quite a significant drop in class and is fancied to justify favouritism in the Unibet Geoffrey Freer Stakes. Andrew Balding’s six-year-old thrashed a below-par Kew Gardens by eight lengths at Chester in May before being elevated in grade without further success. Sextant, running in the Queen’s colours, has won three out of four for Sir Michael Stoute and adds lustre to the race along with talented Technician, a fine sixth to Nayef Road in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood.
WILLIAM GEORGE (3.00) prove no match for Makzeem over course and distance last month but races off a 3lb lower mark in the Unibet Handicap over seven furlongs. Ripp Orf is usually at his best in big-field handicaps and ran right up to his mark when fourth of 23 runners behind Raising Sand in the International Stakes at Ascot. He should go well, with three-year-old Breath Of Air also considered.
Any number of seasoned sprinters is in with a chance in the William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon where EURO IMPLOSION (4.55) looks a safer option in the 1m 4f handicap. Keith Dalgleish’s gelding hacked up at Musselburgh eight days ago (soft), having twice posted good placed efforts at Ripon behind Just Hubert and Theatro respectively.
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Tally Ho
Alan
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