Former Talksport man Charlie McCann marks your card with six to follow on Saturday at Sandown and Haydock. View selections below.
At Haydock Dream Cast (1.45) really should have won at Windsor on Sunday and the hope is he can go one better running off the same mark with the excellent Jim Crowley in the plate; Dusty Storm will ensure there is plenty of pace in the race and the hope is that the David Simcock trained runner can swoop fast and late over the flying five furlongs.
There is no doubt that Albasharah (11/4 at BetVictor) was an unlucky loser at Royal Ascot but that was only in handicap company and she will have to improve again to land the Lancashire Oaks and Banoffee (2.55) looks overpriced at 7/1 especially when you consider she went off the same price at Epsom in the Oaks on her latest start when she didn’t appear to give her running.
The selection is the sole representative of the classic generation and Great Heavens won the corresponding race last year as a 3-y-old. John Gosden has saddled the last couple of winners and he saddles Gallipot, who can be forgiven her latest run when slowly away in a race where it paid to be on the pace, and Wannabe Loved although both look to have a bit to find on this occasion.
The group 1 action come from Sandown Park and the Coral Eclipse Stakes and it is hard to see past favourite Al Kazeem (3.50) winner of the Tattersalls Gold Cup and the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot already this season. In the latter race the selection got up in the shadow of the post to beat Mukhhadram (8/1 at BetVictor) who was given a canny ride from the front by Paul Hanagan.
The Queen Anne over a mile might not have taken a great deal of winning at Royal Ascot last month with favourite Animal Kingdom, palpably, failing to give his running but Declaration Of War won well and he promises to be equally effective stepped up in trip.
The filly The Fugue was over 3 lengths behind the selection at Royal Ascot and it is hard to make a case her reversing the form; the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood must be her primary short-term target back against her own sex.
I felt Kyllachy Rise (1.30) would appreciate the return to 7f when finishing in mid-division in the Britannia at Royal Ascot and he can run off a 5lb lower mark today; Richard Hughes take over in the saddle and he must run well although the unexposed filly Plover with Ryan Moore booked looked one to follow at Kempton last time, having run with such promise on her debut at Newmarket back in May.
Mince has completely lost her way this term and is blinkered for the first time and dropped back to the minimum trip for only the second time in her racing career; sooner or later you feel she will return to form but do note that six of her seven career wins have come in the second half of the season.
Despite carrying a 4lb penalty Tickled Pink (2.05) with the combination of fast ground and five furlongs suggested as ideal for the filly who showed such dash the last time she encountered fast ground at Newmarket back in April. She is drawn close to the far rail and should lead although the headgear could light up Mince who is drawn next to the selection in stall three.
Richard Hughes was heavily criticised for the ride he gave Wentworth at Royal Ascot and the jockey faces a difficult take deciding what to do from stall 17 in the Coral Challenge; he is 4lbs higher than when 4th at Ascot but remains undeniably well-handicapped. He is only 3/1 at BetVictor at the time of writing but must drift given he needs luck in-running from his poor draw.
Windhoek, on the other hand, has the plum draw in stall 1 and the booking of Ryan Moore suggests Mark Johnston expects a big run from his 3-year-old. I just favour Rockalong (2.40) at 9/1 with BetVictor who likes to race prominently and can, hopefully, get a decent tow into the race from Windhoek.
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Be lucky
Charlie
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