AFTER a three-day drought from Wednesday to Friday at Royal Ascot I came good in great style on Saturday with 16-1 and 10-1 winners and another 16-1 shot coming second.
It was great to get back on form and with the 10-1 winner on Tuesday it ended up being a pretty successful week.
Hopefully I can keep that form going today with five selections at Newcastle, Newmarket, Doncaster and over the Irish Sea at The Curragh.
Newmarket 1.10
A good quality race for fillies here and I am keen on the Archie Watson runner SO BRAVE. She won her debut very nicely and with Watson in fine form (first Royal Ascot winner last week) I think this filly can kick on and win this race too.
Newcastle 1.30
It’s very difficult to ignore William Haggas and Danny Tudhope when they join forces at the moment and THE GRAND VISIR looked like a horse going places last time out. He’s a classy Frankel colt who has great potential as a stayer over 2 miles and I can see him becoming a big name in the next few years for staying races.
Newcastle 2.05
The Northumberland Plate is the highlight of the day at Newcastle and is a fascinating staying handicap. I’m taking a chance at a reasonable price with SIR CHAUVELIN.
The horse is in great form (2nd at Royal Ascot) and Jim Goldie will be keen to take advantage before the handicap mark goes up by 2lb after this race. Danny Tudhope retains the ride and my man love for him has been well documented in this column of late. He went to Doncaster yesterday and won three races from three rides looking almost effortless in the process. A man at the peak of his powers on a horse who is in the form of his life. Let’s hope that’s good enough in a competitive race here.
The Curragh 2.15
Careful you don’t miss the start of this race after the big race at Newcastle. Hopefully they will wait until the Plate is finished but they don’t always do that on a Saturday with so much racing going on.
This is a fiercely competitive sprint over in Ireland but British trainers have a very good record in the race (and in Irish sprint handicaps generally). There are plenty of British raiders today and the one I fancy is actually the grand old servant DUKE OF FIRENZE. He has not lost any of his zest and love for the game and was very good at Epsom two runs ago where he met trouble in running in a slightly better race than this. The handicapper has been generous, dropping him 5lb since then, and with the bonus of Silvestre De Sousa on board I think he looks like great each way value.
Doncaster 7.30
My man Danny Tudhope heads down to Doncaster after racing at Newcastle and I think CONSEQUENCES is the pick of his five rides although he has a chance with all 5 of them in my opinion. Consequences drops considerably in class and should be favourite in my view given his previous form.
Recommended Bets
- 1.10 Newmarket – So Brave – 4pt win (6-1, William Hill, bet365)
- 1.30 Newcastle – The Grand Visir – 4pt win (5-1, bet365, Betfair, Paddy Power)
- 2.05 Newcastle – Sir Chauvelin – 2pt ew (14-1, Paddy Power, William Hill, Betfair – all paying 5 places)
- 2.15 The Curragh – Duke of Firenze – 2pt ew (25-1, bet365 and 33-1, MarathonBet)
- 7.30 Doncaster – Consequences – 4pt win (11-2, Ladbrokes, Betfair, Paddy Power)
