Disclaimer: Compulsive gambling can harm your health and relationships, and leave you in serious debt. If you have a problem with gambling and you’d like to stop, support and treatment is available. To find information, support and counselling on gambling addiction, please visit the NHS website: www.bit.ly/NHSGambling
THERE is some cracking action both on the level and over the sticks this weekend and my main each-way wager falls on the head of AURIGNY MILL in the Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock Park due off at 3.15.
The likelihood is that the Cheltenham Festival winner, Lark In The Mornin, will start a strong market leader against his older rivals following his impressive success in the Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. Of course he is open to plenty of improvement on only his fifth hurdles start, but I fancy that the selection can give him weight and a beating here.
Trained by Victor Dartnall, the seven-year-old in turn also has few miles on the clock for a horse of his age (11 starts) and following an impressive win in a class three event at Kempton he was sent off as short as 22/1 for the Handicap Hurdle at Newbury, but was never going a yard from the off, eventually trailing home some 68 lengths off the winner Iberico Lord.
Given a 76-day break following that below par run he returned with a strong travelling fourth at Chepstow, just backing out in the closing stages giving the distinct impression that the run was just needed.
The selection should be absolutely spot on here and down to a mark of 130 he can see off the rising star from Ireland along with the likes of Mr Freedom and Gin Coco.
The Merseyside track offers punters the best of both worlds with plenty of flat action to boot and POGO should relish the drying ground in the Spring Trophy Stakes at 3.50. Winner of the Group Three John O’Gaunt Stakes over the course and distance in 2022, he found both the stiff mile and give in the ground too much to handle behind the classy Charyn in the Group Two Mile at Sandown Park and this looks much more his cup of tea.
The others plays I am looking forward to at the track include CAMBRIA LEGEND (5.00) and ZOZIMUS (2.45). The latter is not the easiest horse to win with as everything has to go his way from the back of the pack, but he is undeniably well treated off a rating of 78 and showed that his turn was around the corner with a fine third behind Crack Shot at Newmarket last week.
The latest classic trials take place at Lingfield Park this afternoon and I will be hugely disappointed if Ralph Beckett-trained TREASURE cannot make her mark in the Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes at 2.25. Winner of her only start over an extended mile at Nottingham as a juvenile, the daughter of Mastercraftsman is made for this test and has any amount of improvement in her. I fancy her strongly to see off the likely favourite Danielle. The last named hosed up by some 12 lengths in a novice event at Wetherby two weeks ago, but this looks a much more difficult task.
The Derby Trial Stakes at 3.00 should go to the Roger Varian-trained DEFIANCE who looked a shade unlucky not to finish closer to Bellum Justum in the Blue Riband at Epsom 18 days ago. The son of Camelot didn’t handle the famous downhill stretch that day and the camber at the Surrey track to boot, but once back on an even keel he really found his stride inside the final furlong and a half to get to within a closing three-quarters of a length of the winner.
The best handicap bet on the card could well be SONMARG in the seven furlong event at 4.10. The return to a drying surface should be right up his street and off a very fair rating of just 73 he make the most of the weight concession given up to him by the hat-trick-seeking Inner Temple.
The £100,000 Victoria Cup Handicap at 2.40 is the feature event at Ascot this afternoon and this year’s renewal looks particularly tough with some 23 runners set to make their way to post. The very lightly raced Arabian Storm from the in form yard of Andrew Balding should run a very big race, but he needs to learn to settle better at the top end of his races, and he is just passed over in favour of MOSTABSHIR.
John and Thady Gosden’s charge just looked in need of the run when a fading second behind Mount Athos in a competitive class two at Kempton Park at the back end of March. With that run behind him I expect the son of Dark Angel to land a third career success, having traded blows in the St James’s Palace and Hungerford Stakes last season.
There are plenty of tough looking races on the card at the Berkshire track and away from the big betting race of the day, I am really keen on the claims of top weight THINK FIRST in the opening mile and a half handicap at 1.30. Neil Mulholland reaches for a first time visor for the top weight after he raced way too freely in the Great Met Handicap at Epsom first time up. If that manages to help him settle then he could readily give the weight away to Kotari, who steps up in grade following wins at Windsor and Salisbury.
Finally, have a second look at CRAZY LUCK in the 2.55 at Nottingham. The six-year-old was sent off joint favourite to win at Windsor last time out, but just did a little bit too much too soon. That run should have taken the fizz out of him and he can see off Gemini Star here who should relish this step up in trip.
