Former Talksport man Charlie McCann marks your card with seven to follow on Saturday at Doncaster, Cheltenham and Kelso. View selections below
The last Group 1 contest of the British flat season is the highlight at Doncaster with Aidan O’Brien looking for a twenty-second Group 1 winner of the year.
Ten go to post and O’Brien saddles three including the 10/11 favourite Yucatan who finished runner up to stablemate Capri in the Gp 2 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh last time, and is reported to have thrived since that run. That form is, arguably, the best on offer but I’m not convinced Rivet (3.50) gave his running at Newmarket in the Dewhurst (7f) last time and his win in the Champagne Stakes here last month suggested this step up to a mile would suit. At 5/1 with BetVictor I would be disappointed if he were out of the first three.
The classic generation have won the 12f handicap for the last five years and I hope that trend continues courtesy of the lightly-raced Huge Future (3.15) who gave every indication that he would appreciate a step up to this trip when finishing runner up to a decent sort at Newmarket last time.
William Buick rides Huge Future and I’m delighted to see James Doyle get the ride on Frontiersman (2.20) in the St Simon Stakes at Newbury for Charlie Appleby; the selection is a lightly-raced half-brother to Derby winner Australia and I hope he can make up into a Group 1 horse in Dubai or Europe next season.
The selection made a mockery of his handicap mark when winning a Newmarket handicap last time and he can make the transition from handicapper to group class performer. His draw in stall 15 is a negative but he is clearly going the right way and at 13/2 with BetVictor he can reward each way support.
I hope it’s a red-letter day for Godolphin as I think Blair House (2.50) will appreciate the step up to 10f although I am loath to desert Lord Ben Stack who has done us a good turn in winning his last two starts.
At Cheltenham I hope to see Adrien Du Pont (3.00) make a winning return in the 4-year-old hurdle for Paul Nicholls; the juvenile has won four of five career starts and can reverse course form with Alan King’s Sceau Royal this afternoon.
Malcolm Jefferson has his string in great shape and I hope to see the real Urban Hymn (2.35) in the Novices’ Chase in receipt of 6lbs from Perth winners Ballyboker Breeze and Warriors Tale. The selection was a huge disappointment on his sole chase start to date and he has never fulfilled the huge potential he showed in his younger days.
One For Arthur (3.10) won the novice chase on this corresponding card last season and first time out might be the time to catch the Lucinda Russell-trained 7-y-old.
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Be lucky
Charlie
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