Racing tips: The King can open his account as an owner with a win on Educator

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Yesterday's selections didn't win but they both placed, which is better than nothing and means we don't lose anything and can keep our betting bank in good hands.

Touching on yesterday's picks, Melakaz was drawn wide and I eluded that it was a concern of mine and it did prove to be a hindrance like I thought. He was well off the pace turning for home, he had plenty of time to bridge the gap if good enough but he lacks the gears over this trip and though he stayed on powerfully he needed a better turn of foot to hit top gear to get competitive today. I think this horse is still well-handicapped in a normal race of around 10 horses or less over 2m and I will be backing him when he's next out.

Notre Belle Bete was extremely well-fancied for his return to the AW and probably would've gone close if the race wasn't run at a total dawdle. The horses close to the pace had a much better chance as they crawled round so for Notre Belle Bete to finish 3rd and was staying on strongly, being the only horse who made ground from off the pace also shows he is in good form and is one to keep an eye on when he returns on the AW again.

Salisbury 4:54

Though it's not ideal to be tipping a horse at around EVS, I think EDUCATOR should be good enough to win on a return of 170 days to defy the short odds.

William Haggas hasn't rushed Educator back to the track which is a sign that they think a lot about this horse, and the Racing Advisor, John Warren, been quoted saying how much they like him at home and that they think this race is the perfect race for him to return to. He had a minor setback, so they've taken it very slowly with him considering it was a small problem, which enhances the fact they aren't prepared to rush him back and they clearly think the world of him.

Personally, I don't think this race is that good (probably come back to bite me as Educator finishes last 🤣). Belloccio is a good horse but hasn't really shown the level he probably is at, as shown by his inconsistent profile. He is a horse who has the ability and will relish any rain which comes and softens the ground, but off a hefty weight of 10st against an unexposed 3yo running off 15lbs less is a big ask. Gloucestershire returns to the Meade yard after having a run for Todd Fletcher in America, on the back of a 208-day break I think this is more of a fact-finding mission for connections and if he was to win this it would be a small shock as he wasn't exactly well-handicapped when he left and his handicap mark hasn't altered since then. Okeechobee has started his career off well but hasn't exactly got the strongest of form and has been kept to the AW so this is a totally new question to him on turf with the ground potentially having some kind of ‘soft' in the description. He could be a nice horse but an opening handicap mark of 92 is no guarantee, I think he is best watched on turf debut.

That leaves me with Educator who is the first runner for the newly crowned King. He should have no worries with the ground if the rain comes with the Sire, Deep Impact having many soft ground winners and having a Dubwai mare is also a positive for the ground. The form of his only run this season looks good with the 3rd, Israr improving from a 89-rated horse to a 99-rated one. Before that win he had entries in the Dante and the Derby, which is a big thing for a Haggas horse. William Haggas doesn't mess around when it comes to stuff like that as he doesn't like to run horses in those races unless he goes there with a live chance, so for him to have entries in those races suggest he should be better than a handicapper and a mark of 90 should definitely be within reach.

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