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Sam King has bagged seven winners over the last week and is back with three more selections for Saturday’s action.
Chantilly's Prix du Jockey Club card tomorrow provides the classiest racing over the weekend, but there is still plenty of decent stuff on show this afternoon, with Haydock, Chester and York all responsible for competitive action.
In a competitive six-furlong handicap up at Haydock (1.48), Durham Castle stands out as being a potential improver off a workable mark on his reappearance.
Trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, who are operating at a 26% strike rate over the last fortnight, this son of red-hot sire Havana Grey couldn't have won with anymore ease when bolting up at Goodwood in September.
A 9lb rise in the weights for that effort clearly demands more but the third-place horse Aramram is now rated 98 following his success at Newbury earlier in the season, while the runner-up Rhythm N Hooves has also won twice since and certainly done the form no harm.
He was withdrawn on quick ground at Windsor last week, so the recent rain that has arrived in the Haydock area should be right up his sleeve and with that in mind, he's selected to land a third career success from just five starts.
1pt Win – Durham Castle
Odds – 9/2
On the same card, I'm happy to take on Alyanaabi in the feature Group 3 John of Gaunt Stakes (3.33).
Owen Burrows' likeable four-year-old will be popular following his all-the-way success in the course and distance Listed Spring Trophy Stakes earlier this month. That said, he dictated terms out in front that day and at the current prices, I'm keen to take a chance on Kikkuli, who shaped as though he needed the run back in fourth.
Harry Charlton's runner was bumped coming out the stalls and lost his position a furlong out, but he kept on well enough under hands and heels.
I'm almost certainly he's still capable of competing near the top level and he wasn't disgraced in Grade 1 company on his final start last season, once again catching the eye when four lengths behind subsequent impressive Maker's Mile winner Carl Spackler in the Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes at Keeneland.
The booking of Oisin Murphy, who is riding at a 32% strike rate (18-56) over the last two weeks, is a serious plus, while the Harry Charlton team have also been amongst the winners of late.
Those ahead of him in the market probably deserve to be there, but there are question marks about most of these and Kikkuli looks a shade too big at around 12/1.
1pt Each-way – Kikkuli
Odds – 12/1
Up at York, the booking of Ryan Moore for Sueno in the Group 3 William Hill Bronte Cup Fillies' Stakes (3.15) particularly catches the eye. John and Thady Gosden have made it no secret of their new riding policy going forward this season, so it's not exactly unusual to see Moore legged up, but that said, he is Ryan Moore and does have an impressive 26% strike-rate when riding for the Clarehaven team.
This nicely bred daughter of Camelot, who is closely related to the useful 1m6f winner Viking Storm, looked all about stamina when keeping on from an uncompromising position to finish fourth in the Daisy Warwick Fillies' Stakes at Goodwood early this month. That effort can easily be upgraded given the interference she suffered at the three-furlong marker as well.
Switched to the galloping track of the Knavesmire and up an extra two furlongs, she's expected to make light work of these before going onto better things later on in the season.
1pt Win – Sueno
Odds – 10/3
Loom looks to hold solid claims in the competitive five-furlong handicap at York (2.40) this afternoon.
The Richard Fahey-trained runner didn't look to get home when fifth on his seasonal reappearance at Newmarket (Rowley) early this season, showing plenty of early pace before fading out of contention.
It was no shock to see connections drop back to the minimum trip over this course and distance at York's Dante meeting, where he finished off his race nicely to fill the runner-up spot having been ridden with more patience on that occasion.
A 2lb rise in the weights for that effort is by no means disastrous, especially given he beat a useful prospect in a five-furlong novice event as a two-year-old before only finishing three and a quarter length adrift of Shareholder in last year's Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot.
A low-mileage three-year-old, there should be more to come from this recently gelded sprinter, and he's taken to get back to winning ways.
1pt Win – Loom
Odds – 11/2
