Thanks to Cairnzy for filling in for me in my absence. I was away on holiday with the family, so I didn't have time to see his results.
Percival 9/1 (EW, 3pl) – Yarmouth 4.17
With a lot of unknowns about the form of horses and the ground/trip, Percival could be worth a shot at 9/1.
Percival is lightly raced for Dylan Cunha, with just four runs under his belt in the UK since moving from France. He hasn't been terrible in his runs so far for Dylan, and maybe the return to a slower surface is what he has been after.
He ran on testing ground in France on a couple of occasions, and seemed to be okay on it. His form in France was either very solid or very poor, so it's a bit risky going for a horse with this type of profile. His odds make him worth a shot, and I'll be playing him each-way, as if he does turn up in good form, there's a solid chance of him hitting the frame.
James Doyle is an eye-catching jockey booking for Dylan Cunha. Dylan has used the Doyler twice this season, resulting in two wins.
The other horse that interested me was Princess Rascal. She has won for me a couple of times when tipped up on the page over the last couple of years. She is 18/1, but she has been out of form for a very long time.
Sea Cookie 9/2 – Yarmouth 5.18
It's always frustrating when the early birds take the price on a horse, and the bookmakers adjust, which is the case with Sea Cookie.
12/1 seemed massive, so it's not a great shock to see punters latching onto that price for this horse. He is attempting five furlongs for the first time in his short career, and based on how he runs over a furlong longer, it has to suit his style.
Like many sprinters, he is a keen-going horse. Matching his keenness with soft ground doesn't sound great, but I'm hoping that a faster-tempo race will allow him to settle, as will the first-time visor. First-time headgear can go one of two ways: it either lights them up and they are worse than before, or it settles them. Hopefully, David Egan can realise this very early in the race and ride him accordingly.
If the drop in trip and visor works, I think this small field contest could be ideal for him. He has shown he can win races, and in his defeat at Leicester, he showed that he can compete off a higher handicap mark, but his gas tank was empty after pulling too hard in the early stages.
He is now 9/2 after opening up at 12/1, which is getting a little short now, and I think a drift will happen at some stage to correct for his market change, so it might be worth waiting.
GambleAware