Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips at Goodwood and Hamilton on Saturday. View selections below.
ORION’S BOW (3.45) can fire off a Saturday six-shooter in the Qatar Stewards’ Cup on the final day of Glorious Goodwood.
The gelding has catapulted sprint king Dandy Nicholls back in the spotlight after racking up five straight wins, the latest coming in the Scottish Stewards’ Cup at Hamilton.
Orion’s Bow hacked up that evening on soft ground but goes on different types of terrain. With runners congregating middle to low on the sprint track all week, stall 12 looks a perfect pitch.
Dancing Star is a fast improving filly and made it three wins from four starts at Newmarket’s July fixture. Stall four is fine and she should go well for Andrew Balding’s in-form yard after sneaking in at the very foot of the handicap.
If there is some rain around that would bring Richard Fahey’s outsider Withernsea into the picture from stall six under Jamie Spencer.
DAL HARRAILD (2.35) has been brought along steadily by William Haggas and is developing into a smart middle-distance three-year-old.
He was despatched north to Musselburgh in June to land a valuable handicap from St Michel on quick ground and the runner-up has franked the merit of that form. Dal Harraild was given an awful lot to do when running on into third at Ascot earlier this month and may well have reeled in Manjaam and Shabbah in a few more strides. A 3lb rise doesn’t seem excessive.
My other bet on the card is an each-way punt on CALDER PRINCE (4.55) at a juicy price in the concluding seven-furlong handicap.
The top weight ran a cracker at York last Saturday when beaten a neck and a short head by Get Knotted and Above The Rest after hitting the front briefly at the furlong pole. The Knavesmire was riding pretty slick and Calder Prince will appreciate this slightly easier surface.
At Hamilton Park this evening Pat Shanahan sets a poser by running CARBON DATING (8.45) and Lara Carbonara in the concluding 1m 3f handicap.
Jockey bookings suggest the latter is the better fancied of the two stablemates but Carbon Dating is running back into peak form on the evidence of last Saturday’s third to Marengo over a longer trip at Chester.
Carbon Dating has plummeted to a mark of 76 in the 12 months since an excellent fifth to Medrano in the Listed Glasgow Stakes over course and distance. The ground was riding soft that evening and Carbon Dating was rated 96, so he is looking very well handicapped these days.
ARCHIE’S ADVICE (6.45) has been kept busy by Keith Dalgleish and his trainer has recruited 7lb claimer Lee Clifford to negate a ratings rise following Archie’s Ayr success over Fray.
My selection runs with an awkward head carriage but can get the job done. Archie’sAdvice is especially effective at Hamilton and handles soft ground well. Stall 10 has to be a concern around the loop but with the likes of Muroor around to set a decent gallop, young Clifford should be able to tuck in and find some cover.
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Tally Ho
Alan
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