Rosemary's Rose was very strong in the market, but didn't capitalise on a weak field.
She was backed into EVS, and had the prime spot to win if she was good enough. From a wide stall she had to tack across, and in doing so she saw a lot of light, and that might have been the reason she was a little keen. She was very one-paced when they went for home, and looked beaten. She then stayed on towards the end, but was never going to threaten. Finished in third place.
Midgham Man was also supported in the market, as she missed the place by half a length. I think you can give the same comments to this race as the one above; they were virtually identical.
Tex 7/4 (2pt) – Brighton 3.30
If you were lucky enough to get some of the early prices of 4/1 on Tex, then you have pulled the bookies' pants down. There is no way on this planet he should have opened up at those odds, and they brought them down to 9/4, and he has now settled at 7/4.
Since he had a mid-season break of 58 days, he has come back in great form. He won an Ascot Class 4 handicap by over a length and then ran as well as he could at Goodwood in a very competitive race. He didn't get the best passages in that race, but still managed to finish 9th/26.
He runs off 1lb lower than he did a week ago, and the fact that they are sending him out after another quick turnaround suggests they have to strike whilst the iron is hot.
Mister Sox 7/1 (0.5pt EW, 3pl) – Pontefract 4.45
Whilst the likes of Uppercase and Alfa Whiteburd are attractive to bet on due to their winning runs, on paper this looks like a pace collapse will happen.
Both of the horses I've named are front runners, and in an ideal world they will take each other on and burn one another out. This would also suit The Good Biscuit, who loves a strong gallop to aim at, and runs this track well. The problem with that horse is that he is climbing the weights, and I thought that Mister Sox had a better chance from a lower weight.
Mister Sox won over today's course and distance in easy fashion earlier in the season. He is only 2lbs higher in the handicap, and we know he can pop up in races like this, or even better. He finished a fast-finishing second in a Class 3 handicap at Thirsk behind Indian Run a month or so ago, and that is definitely the best piece of form. The third behind Badri isn't a bad line to follow either.
15/2 looks like a more than fair price.
GambleAware