Thursday 23rd July 2020





15:20 Pontefract

Mark Johnston won this last year with Marie's Diamond and many will fancy him to repeat the feat with Dark Vision here. He has been in terrific form this season, narrowly denied by subsequent Silver Cup winner Sir Busker on seasonal debut, before winning the Royal Hunt Cup himself on his next start. Last time out he looked very unlucky not to follow up when rattling home to finish 2nd in a handicap at Sandown off a mark of 106 and the son of Dream Ahead comes out on top on official ratings here, but he has relied on strongly run races in larger fields to be seen to best effect so I'm willing to take him on here.

Wadilsafa looks the one to be on for me. He looked disappointing towards the end of last season but it has since emerged he had a breathing problem. Owen Burrows set about correcting the issue with a wind operation in October and it looked to have paid off on his seasonal reappearance. Although he didn't win that Newmarket handicap first time out, he ran a blinder off 107 and shaped as though he would improve for the run. He came off the bridle fairly early in comparison to his rivals but stayed on strongly in the closing stages despite meeting trouble in running. Jim Crowley's mount is fairly versatile in terms of running style which should help in what looks a tactical affair, having made the running in the past a soft lead up front is certainly a possibility. On official ratings he only has 2lb to find with the favourite and this will be only his second run since the wind operation, I think he could improve again so 7/2 looks a decent bet against the short priced favourite.

Wadilsafa 7/2 - 1 Point Win


19:30 Sandown

Songkran comes into this looking to make it four wins on the trot but, although he is clearly thriving at present, he is up 7lb for his most recent win and up a notch in class too so he looks short enough at the top of the market. 

I think Knowing looks worth a small bet at a decent price with a number of firms offering 5 places each-way. He's had excuses for both runs this season and looked to be progressing nicely towards the end of the last campaign, there's a chance he might be able to bounce back here now just 2lb higher than his last win. James Fanshawe's charge would have needed his reappearance run and then had a troubled passage at Beverley last month, denied a clear run and then bumped in the closing stages. I think you can put a line through that run and although his wins to date have come in smaller fields, I think there's a good chance this race will be run to suit and he will appreciate having a decent pace to aim at. 

Knowing 14/1 - 0.5 Points Each-Way (Firms paying 5 places)

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