After a frustrating couple of days, we managed to turn it around and land two winners on Monday.
Both of the horses at Hamilton had to fight to the end of the race to get their wins, and I didn't think El Matador was going to get close when the race started.
I thought El Matador was going to enjoy the conditions due to his pedigree pointing towards him being a soft ground horse, but when he left the gates, he looked to be struggling to get up to speed. He then came upsides the leaders and managed to wittle them down and then fend off the runner-up.
City Captain showed that he wasn't affected by the drop to five furlongs, and his strong stamina was the key to his success inside the final 50 yards when he got a short-distance win.
South Shore 9/4 – Bath 4.02
Since moving to Robert Cowell's yard from Ruth Carr, South Shore has shown a solid level of improvement, and there looks to be further to come.
He has gone from being rated 55 to 75, which is a big jump up in the handicap, and his progress could stop at any given moment. However, in races like this, being on a horse that knows how to win is the best option, and he won by 0.75 lengths last time out, and did it with a bit to spare.
The runner-up at Sandown was Maharajas Express, and he has since finished second and was a winner on his most recent start. When South Shore was ahead of Maharajas Express, there was a 3lb difference in the weights, and because the runner-up has won since, there remains a 3lb difference, so I can't envisage a change in the form.
There are others in this race that have been placed or won on their last start, but they don't appeal as much as South Shore, who should enjoy this track. Sandown is an uphill track, and Bath has a steady incline.
Tipsy Tiger 5/1- Ayr 3.08
From what I can see, this is the first runner in Scotland for William Stone, and considering that this is a very long trip and he's never ventured this far with his runners, it could be worth siding with Tipsy Tiger.
William Stone's runner is best on testing ground, and the ground is heavy at Ayr, which gives him every chance of capitalising on a falling handicap mark. There are other runners in this race that also like the bad conditions, and they are in better form, but I am a sucker for a long-distance traveller, and 5/1 is more than tempting on Tipsy Tiger.
GambleAware