Another Abbot didn't perform how I expected and was massively underwhelming.
It was a step up in grade, and with that comes risk. However, the form of his previous win was stacking up nicely, so I don't think the true version of himself turned up.
Abduction drifted out to over double his price from when he was tipped up, and if he was that price when I posted, he would've been an each-way tip. He went through the race nicely, struggled to find a gap, but when he did, he didn't have much left under the bonnet. He finished in third, and I think he will be winning in due course.
Indian Run 11/4 (2pt) – Thirsk 4.10
In a competitive sprint, it's hard to be too confident in a horse, but I really like the look of Indian Run.
Julie Camacho's sprinter has seen his official rating go up by one pound after a bounce back to form at Windsor. The two runs before, you can have excuses for. His returning effort, he looked in desperate need of the run, and then the run at York was a strong race.
He finished second at Windsor on his latest effort, and I think that form looks decent. The form from the York race has been franked by multiple horses since, so it might not have been as bad as it looked.
On his old form, Indian Run would smash this field. He ran well behind More Thunder, recording an RPR in the low 100s. He's only a five-year-old, and sprinters generally keep their form for a lot longer than the other distance horses. The odds haven't been compiled yet, but hopefully he's a good price.
Yes Day 7/2 (1pt) – Worcester 1.20
Unless a gamble takes place, I think Yes Day should be the favourite for this race. At the time of writing, he is currently the second favourite behind Duel Au Soleil.
On good ground during the summer, I've always liked Yes Day for the staying handicaps, and he has been a selection on the page on a couple of occasions. He got us a win last season at Exeter, and since then, his handicap mark has tumbled.
He is running off an official rating of 111, which is 1lb higher than last time, but 10lbs lower than his last win. He ran his first decent race in nearly six months at Stratford, finishing behind Imperial Alex. The winner won on his next start at Uttoxeter in a good race, and I think the drop back to three miles could be beneficial.
GambleAware