Thursday's racing preview, tips and suggestions
Pacharana can knock off an uncompromising hat-trick on a fine day of sport at Salisbury, says Chris Wilson. He has a suggestion for every race.
Pacharana can knock off an uncompromising hat-trick on a fine day of sport at Salisbury.
Luca Cumani's four-year-old has been in inspirational form this summer and should continue her ascent in the EBF Breeders' Series Fillies' Handicap.
Cumani might well have considered stepping Pacharana into Listed class, at the very least, after she demolished a strong field at Bath in July.
But Pacharana remains in handicap company and, even in spite of a wallop from the assessor, she should take all of the beating.
This £30,000 prize is well worth winning and it is reassuring that Cumani has gone out of his way to recruit Ryan Moore.
As one might expect, the good money on offer has brought to the party a clutch of up-and-coming other fillies.
But Pacharana is going places in a hurry and is a confident shout to pick up this race before going on to bigger things.
The Group Three Sovereign Stakes looks bang up to scratch, but that does not mean it is easy to solve.
With that in mind, it could be worth throwing a cautious few bob the way of Hathal, who is a proven operator at this level and has been in grand form this summer.
He should find this a shade easier than when he finished third in both the York Stakes and the Summer Mile at Ascot.
Buckland Beau's long quest for a win on the turf can come to an end at Yarmouth.
Charlie Fellowes' six-year-old is more established on the all-weather, a surface on which he has won four times, but all hope should not be lost ahead of the seven-furlong handicap by the seaside.
The gelded son of Rock Of Gibraltar was not beaten that far on his last start at this track, when Casina Di Notte forged a length and a quarter ahead.
Buckland Beau seemed to grow a little weary towards the business end of that one-mile handicap, so the decision to revert to seven furlongs looks wise.
He is rated 5lb lower on turf than on an artificial surface and it is pleasing Stevie Donohoe, who has won three times on him in the past, is back at the helm.
Zavikon is respected when he goes to post for a five-furlong handicap at Chepstow's evening meeting.
The Compton Place colt was a nice winner at Windsor in June but then had no luck whatsoever in a six-furlong handicap on the Lingfield all-weather.
It was a similar story on the Lingfield turf two weeks ago when he turned in a stout performance but simply bumped into a well-handicapped rival who is on the march.
With similarly sharp rivals thin on the ground in Monmouthshire, Zavikon can win from the summit of the weights.
Gold Stone must surely take some stopping in division two of the novice auction stakes at Beverley.
Kevin Ryan's youngster has a lot of pace in her pedigree and caught the eye over this course and distance three weeks ago.
Though she never had a chance against the well-above-average Special Purpose, she kept on earnestly inside the final furlong to finish second on her racecourse debut.
That will have done Gold Stone the power of good, and even a modicum of progress from that spin should be all that is required.
Sporting Life suggestions:
BEVERLEY: 2.10 Zip Along, 2.40 Gold Stone, 3.10 Northern Law, 3.40 Lean On Pete, 4.10 Bond Bombshell, 4.40 Maghfoor, 5.10 Portledge, 5.40 Relight My Fire.
CHEPSTOW: 5.15 Neverbeen To Paris, 5.45 Fools And Kings, 6.15 Tobouggaloo, 6.45 Project Bluebook, 7.15 Zavikon, 7.45 Glacier Point, 8.15 Del Parco.
FONTWELL: 1.30 Sky Of Stars, 2.00 Firmount Gent, 2.30 Little Windmill, 3.00 Gingili, 3.30 Psychedelic Rock, 4.00 Black Corton, 4.30 Solstalla.
LEOPARDSTOWN: 5.05 Daliyah, 5.35 Captain Power, 6.05 The Tulip, 6.35 Nelson, 7.10 Custom Cut, 7.40 Captain Cullen, 8.10 Althiba.
SALISBURY: 1.50 Autumn Leaves, 2.20 Pick A Little, 2.50 Fair Selene, 3.20 Raawy, 3.50 PACHARANA (NAP), 4.20 Hathal, 4.50 Grand Myla, 5.25 Sable Island.
TRAMORE: 5.20 Double Windsor, 5.50 Penny Jane, 6.20 Tree Of Knowledge, 6.50 Nicaragua, 7.20 Get Smart, 7.50 Lockeen Girl, 8.20 Airlie Beach.
YARMOUTH: 4.55 Jurz, 5.30 Hope Is High, 6.00 War At Sea, 6.30 Buckland Beau, 7.00 Chetan, 7.30 Big Lachie, 8.00 Ebitda.