3 minute read
Sam King is back with three selections on Saturday.
Although Royal Ascot is just three days away from taking center stage, there's still plenty of high-quality action to get your teeth stuck into on Saturday, with York, Sandown and Chester all staging intriguing cards.
Having hit the post with both selections at Sandown yesterday, I'm hopeful that Balmacara can provide a change in fortunes in the mile handicap at the Esher venue (2.05) this afternoon.
A well-beaten fourteenth in a competitive handicap on his all-weather debut at Kempton last time, Balmacara looks poised to leave that effort behind now returned to Sandown. He finished a very good second behind the two-time Group 3 winner Persica over ten furlongs at this venue last season, travelling strongly and quickening up well before being passed in the final furlong.
He's 6lb higher here but remains unexposed as a lightly raced four-year-old and could prove capable of getting back to winning ways with his reappearance outing under the belt.
1pt Win – Balmacara
Odds – 5/1
Ryan Moore always catches the eye whenever he's booked on a Richard Hughes-trained runner and I'm fully expecting Star Of Mehmas to get off the mark for the season in the Listed Scurry Stakes.
A talented daughter of Mehmas, she lost absolutely nothing in defeat when collared late on by Tropical Storm in the Listed Westow Stakes at York last time out, showing bundles of early speed in the process.
A winner of three of her four outings over the minimum trip, Richard Hughes progressive three-year-old should be suited by the test of Sandown's five-furlong track, while Ryan Moore looks to have been handed the plumb draw in stall two.
Main market rival Coto De Caza is 6lb clear on official ratings, but she hasn't run for 246 days and needs to prove she's trained on at three.
With that in mind, Star Of Mehmas looks the solid option, and she is a confident selection to record her fourth career success on her seventh outing.
2pt Win – Star Of Mehmas
Odds – 9/4
Up at York, Absurde will be popular for Willie Mullins in the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Grand Cup Stakes (3.00), but he looks short enough in the betting at around 6/4 and Alsakib is more appealing at the current prices.
Andrew Balding's charge already brings winning course and distance form to the table having beaten the reopposing Al Qareem here last summer, while this ought to set up nicely for the five-year-old with the aforementioned contender expected to take them along at an even gallop.
He arguably posted a career-best when fourth behind the multiple top-level scorer Rebel's Romance in the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup here in May and could yet have more to offer this season, with his latest effort being his first since undergoing a gelding operation.
Proven on quick ground, he looks to have plenty of positives surrounding his chances and it's tough to ignore his claims back in calmer waters.
1pt Win – Alsakib
Odds – 5/2
