The Student Punter

14:25 Newmarket Form figures of 775 probably don’t inspire much confidence at first glance for Caspian Queen  but those numbers don’t tell the full story and she looks to have a solid each-way chance under Ryan Moore today. She was sent off 4/1 favourite for a decent handicap at Goodwood on her penultimate start under today’s pilot, who I’m sure wouldn’t enjoy watching the race back. Held up out the back that day she found trouble on numerous occasions in the final furlong, Moore had to take a pull in the closing stages to avoid running up the back of rivals and she looked to finish with plenty in tank. Since then Richard Hughes’ filly again ran better than her finishing position suggests when fifth at Pontefract in a listed race on her latest start. Stormy Girl , who she faces again in this race, stole the race from the front that day and despite never really being close enough to make any real challenge, Caspian Queen probably did well to pick up fifth position with some lat...

  15:50 Redcar This may be a fairly speculative selection but I think El Picador  could be worth chancing to small stakes in this handicap as he’s opened up a slightly bigger price than I was expecting. Keith Dalgleish’s runner didn’t manage to get involved in a race at Ripon last time where he was held up in a race where it very much paid to be up with the pace, but he had caught the eye at Beverley the time before. He finished fifth beaten just over two lengths behind Regal Mirage  who lines up here again today, but that finishing position doesn’t give the full picture as El Picador was denied a clear run on multiple occasions and looked to finish full of running. The selection has a nice pull in the weights with that winner and certainly shouldn’t be over double the price of that rival. The son of Dansili hasn’t been the most consistent sort so I’ll be keeping stakes small but he looks worth chancing to hit the frame with 4 places available. El Picador 22/1  - 0.5...

  14:05 Beverley James Bethell has his string in excellent form at present and Idoapologise  looks to have sound claims of enhancing that recent form here. Still relatively unexposed in the context of this field, if he improves on his run over the extended mile here back in June there’s a good chance that will see him finish with his head in front today. He was fairly well fancied in the market that day, sent off the 7/2 second favourite, but couldn’t match the 11/1 winner La Trinidad in the closing stages. There is certainly no shame in finishing second to that winner now with the benefit of hindsight, he won by 5 lengths under a 6lb penalty on his next start and solid performances since mean he is now 22lb higher in the handicap than that Beverley win. The selection on the other hand, is only 3lb higher than that day. James Bethell’s charge had shown promise on his seasonal debut up at Newcastle when running much better than his finishing position suggests in a race which wa...

  14:15 Newbury The City's Phantom  was well backed when winning in style on his seasonal debut at Yarmouth back in July. Backed from 12/1 into an SP of 13/2 it was mostly hands and heels riding in the closing stages that day for Hollie Doyle, she retains the partnership and looks to have a good each-way chance here. Richard Spencer has made it clear he was look forward to seeing how this son of Free Eagle would develop as a three year old and sounded excited at the prospect of tackling handicaps this season after his maiden win. The majority of firms are paying 4 places so make sure you use on of them if you choose to follow. I also can’t let Breden  go unbacked here at a massive price. His ripe old age of 10 will probably be enough to put most people off but he has outstanding record at the track and is worth a small play each-way with those four places available. He has raced three times at Newbury, including one over this distance, and won all three of them. The most ...

  14:25 Doncaster I've had this race in mind for Arecibo  since he finished fifth here at Doncaster over five furlongs back at the start of July. Since then all he has done is run consistently well in top sprint handicaps without getting the rub of the green on numerous occasions, yet he finds himself 4lb lower than that July run. I didn't fancy him anyway last time so I'm willing to excuse that run owing to the smaller field and ultimately having no chance with a runaway winner. Back in a big field handicap and with six places available it would be very disappointing to see him fail to git the frame.  Arecibo 15/2  - 1.5 Points Each-Way 16:45 Leopardstown Followers of the blog will have been let down by Escobar  at Goodwood last time out and that was his second disappointing effort in a row but I think his price today more than compensates for that. My attention is still drawn to that previous run at Goodwood behind Space Blues when he finished ahead of Safe Vo...

  14:10 Doncaster Chiefofchiefs was still left with plenty to do At the furlong market last time out at Ascot but he flew home late on and looked to do best of those held up. He also didn’t look to have the best of the draw that day as all of the first three were drawn very high and he was not. This mark of 100 is obviously no gift but he is still unexposed at these sprint trips despite his age. This looks like it could be run to suit and although there are a couple of improving three year olds lurking, with a number of firms offering 4 places on an 11 runner race he certainly looks a bet each-way. Chiefofchiefs 17/2 - 1 Point Each-Way

  13:30 Haydock Can't believe I find myself here typing this same name again but Rasheeq  was left with far too much to do at Yarmouth last time out and, although he will be 2lb lower in the future, he proved this mark is starting to look like a winnable one. Cut in the ground is key to this horse so hopefully conditions don't dry up too much but with firms paying 4 places each-way hopefully he can reward my loyalty. Rasheeq 14/1 - 1 Point Each-Way

  15:45 Doncaster It was a case of the commentators curse at Goodwood last time out for Starcat , shortly after the words 'there's plenty of room for all of them' left Simon Holt's mouth the son of Lope De Vega had the door slammed in his face when making a promising late run. That was his first attempt at this 1m2f trip and only his fourth career start so there's a strong chance there's more to come from him off this unchanged mark of 94 with a handy weight for age allowance, with four places each-way widely available he's a bet for me. Starcat 8/1  - 1 Point Each-Way 16:40 Kempton This will be the lowest class race Gavlar  has contested in his career and while he hasn't exactly been in flying form this season he's shown enough ability to suggest a win off this mark of 63 is more than feasible. It has been a long time since William Knight's charge has been in the winner enclosure, 22nd August 2018 to be precise, so I will be backing him each-way...

  14:15 Haydock Favourite Moon  was very disappointing at York last time and looking at the prices the odds compilers have been very forgiving here and the first time tongue tie here looks like a bit of guesswork from connections.  Arthurian Fable  finished ahead in that Melrose Handicap and looks a progressive type with some very solid handicap form in the book already. His win at Sandown has worked out incredibly well, the third placed Postileo won at Sailsbury next time and the fourth placed Stag Horn won by ten lengths at Catterick on his next start, even the fifth was only narrowly touched off at Newmarket subsequently. Still on an upwards curve, I think he deserves to be favourite and looks worth having onside at 5/2. Arthurian Fable 5/2  - 1.5 Points Win 15:05 Ascot I feel like Kipps  has had a fair few chances already this season and hasn't managed to get his head in front so I will be looking past him in this. After making plenty of ground fro...