Our form expert had a 14/1 winner in last week's column and he has five bets for Ascot, Haydock and Kempton this Saturday.
The Verdict: Saturday, September 7
1pt win Prague in 1.15 Haydock at 9/1 (Coral, William Hill)
1pt win Across Earth in 1.50 Haydock at 11/1 (William Hill, 10/1 General)
1pt win Poniros in 2.10 Ascot at 16/1 (bet365, 14/1 General)
1pt e.w. Helm Rock in 3.15 Kempton at 12/1 (bet365 1/5 1,2,3,4)
1pt e.w. Shouldvebeenaring in 3.35 Haydock at 12/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4)
Hannon can be Ring master at Haydock
There is no established superstar in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday but there are a handful of wannabees who could land Group 1 glory in an open renewal.
Inisherin heads the betting after his Commonwealth Cup win, but it is a concern he was beaten in all-age company in the July Cup and he has something to prove now, while owner-mate Elite Status, who could be the class act in the race, is a risky proposition considering the niggling injuries he has had.
I get why those two three-year-olds dominate the betting, but I would rather cast the net wider for a bet and it’s Richard Hannon’s SHOULDVEBEENARING who looks underestimated.
He has superb form at the track having finished second to Little Big Bear in the Sandy Lane Stakes last year – where he had subsequent G1 winners Bradsell and Mill Stream in behind – and his runner-up finish in this contest 12 months ago.
Beaten a neck by Regional, that Sprint Cup worked out really well and it was evidence that Shouldvebeenaring is at home over a strongly-run six in a big field on a track like this and at the end of a busy season, too.
He’s clearly a horse that takes his racing well, last year’s Sprint Cup the 11th race of his year, and this season he’s had the seven runs including very good efforts when a nose second to Mill Stream in the Duke Of York and his win at Deauville two starts ago.
Last time he tried seven furlongs at York in Group 2 company, but it was a messy race and things didn’t quite work out for him, but I see him as a six-furlong horse who stays the trip strongly and that’s often what you want in this race.
The Verdict: Back SHOULDVEBEENARING in the 3.35 Haydock
Czech mate in Superior Mile
Earlier on at Haydock I like the look of Dylan Cunha’s PRAGUE dropping in trip in the Group 3 Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Superior Mile Stakes.
A £10,000 Aidan O’Brien cast-off, the son of Galileo never ran for the Ballydoyle master and was sold at the end of his three-year-old career, but he’s looking a bargain buy for his shrewd new handler.
A four-length winner at 40/1 on his debut at Sandown in June, Prague has subsequently proven that was no fluke with very good runs in defeat in Listed and conditions company and he fared particularly well at Goodwood last time considering he raced keenly in the early stages.
In the context of that being just his third career start it was a very promising performance and dropping in trip to a mile might just help him race more efficiently. Certainly, he doesn’t shape like a horse lacking in gears.
On top of that, there’s a good chance Daniel Tudhope gets a freebie out in front on him here and he’d be dangerous let loose against a field of hold-up merchants, while a first-time tongue-tie is another potential source of improvement as his half-brother, Knight Of Honour, won in the t1 for Richard Fahey.
The Verdict: Back PRAGUE in the 1.15 Haydock
Hollie on another planet
There are some promising stayers on show in the Betfair Plays Different Handicap for three-year-olds but I thought ACROSS EARTH might just get the perfect set-up under Hollie Doyle.
Drawn in stall one, Doyle can make use of the inside stall by getting a prominent sit, perhaps getting a tow into the race from Spaceport, and if she races one or two off the lead she could get the ideal run through.
She’s on a horse with good course form over a shorter distance, the son of Golden Horn running well here two starts ago over the extended 1m3f when he was short of room, and 1m6f at this track looks ideal on that evidence.
Indeed, he improved significantly for moving up to 1m6f at Yarmouth last time, reversing Haydock form with Aulis as he won by over two lengths with some comfort, and was well worth the 6lb hike in the weights.
That makes life tougher in a better race, but he’s unexposed over the trip and he could well improve again given how things might play out. At double-figure odds I want him on side.
The Verdict: Back ACROSS EARTH in the 1.50 Haydock
Back Beckett to find key to the Chapel
Over at Ascot the ground is soft after plenty of rain in the week and it looks a vital factor in the Chapel Down Handicap over 1m4f at 2.10.
Conditions aren’t going to suit every horse in the field but I do think Ralph Beckett’s PONIROS will relish them and he looks a big price to bounce back to form at around 14/1.
The son of Golden Horn won his maiden on debut on heavy ground at Nottingham, beating the now 95-rated Salamanca, and he ran with plenty of promise on his first two starts of his three-year-old campaign.
I loved the way he scythed through the field to challenge in the always-hot London Gold Cup at Newbury, and while King’s Gambit pulled away from him to win by four lengths it was Poniros that beat some good horses to the silver medal position.
He went off the boil after that after pulling way too hard at Royal Ascot and Newmarket’s July Festival, but on both occasions he was well-fancied and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Beckett finds the key to him this autumn.
After two months off, a gelding operation and the application of a hood, we could see the real Poniros, especially now he faces softer ground again, and he looks underestimated in this company.
The Verdict: Back PONIROS in the 2.10 Ascot
Helm a Rock ‘n’ roll star at Kempton
Finally, I like the look of last year’s winner HELM ROCK in the Unibet London Mile Series Final Handicap at Kempton (3.15).
Daniel & Claire Kubler’s horse won this race 12 months ago off an 8lb higher mark and he’s had a very similar preparation this time around.
He’s a horse that needs his racing to reach peak fitness and the last two seasons he has broken his duck for the year on his sixth and eighth starts of the campaign, at this time of the season.
This year he is winless after seven runs, but there has been encouragement amongst his last few outings, particularly in the Racing League at Southwell last time where he was sent off a gambled-on 9/2.
That money suggests he is ready to strike again soon and his run can be marked up quite considerably, as he was taken back on his heels approaching the turn, was shuffled to the rear and then made his challenge on the far rail which was not the place to be on the night.
The good news is his new mark of 86 is his lowest for two years – when he won at this time of year at Haydock - and with a likely strong pace also playing to his strengths he can pounce late down the middle held up from his wide draw.
The Verdict: Back HELM ROCK in the 3.15 Kempton
Preview posted at 1530 BST on 06/09/24
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