With two meetings in Ireland on Sunday, Fran Berry has found a couple of selections to go to war with at Dundalk and Cork.
Recommended Bets: Sunday July 12
1pt win Siamese in 5.30 at Dundalk at 9/2
1pt e.w Estepona Sun in 4.40 at Cork at 6/1
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It's strange to say but despite having 15 races to go at across two meetings, today has the look of a difficult day for all I'm hopeful I've found a little bit of value with a couple of horses.
Dundalk makes a welcome return to the fold this afternoon and I'm sure officials be delighted to be staging the rescheduled Woodford Reserve Ballysax Stakes, a race so often used by Aidan O'Brien as a stepping stone for the Epsom Derby.
O'Brien again has a strong hand with Monarch Of Egypt and Nobel Prize, the former arriving on the back of a fine runnner-up finish in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot. He ran a huge race that day having made up a massive amount of ground to just about hit the front before getting run out of it close home.
His previous comeback run in the 2000 Guineas was very promising, too, but while his strong form with Siskin from last season reads particularly well, I'm not convinced an extended 1m2f like he faces today is exactly what he wants. If anything, I thought he improved for the drop back to 7f at Ascot and at odds-on, he looks worth taking on.
The one who appeals most at the prices is SIAMESE who went down all guns blazing for this column when narrowly beaten at the Curragh last time, probably bumping into a well-handicapped horse of Joseph O'Brien's on that occasion.
Still, I thought she turned in a cracking effort on that occasion, running all the way to the line, and I'm confident this step up in distance could bring about even more improvement in this daughter of Kitten's Joy who represents a Johnny Murtagh stable that continues to go great guns.
The favourite clearly boasts the strongest form claims and is well clear on official figures but up against a filly I rate highly and whose best days should still be ahead of her, I think there is enough juice in the 9/2 about Siamese to make her worthy of chancing under these conditions.
Over at Cork, I thought Fame And Acclaim had the look of another vulnerable favourite in the Cork Rated Race and I'm keen to take him on with ESTEPONA SUN.
The pair actually met over this trip at Gowran Park last month but for all Fame And Acclaim (third) finished in front of Estepona Sun (fifth) on that occasion, I think there is good reason to expect a turnaround in that form today.
For starters, the fact Fame And Acclaim has run well in defeat since means he is actually 5lb worse off with Estepona Sun than when they last met, a race in which the latter shaped much better than the bare result having found himself shuffled back and three wide around the tight turns of Gowran Park.
He was always playing catch up after that but having watched him do remarkably well to win a Dundalk nursery from stall 14 last winter, I remain convinced he is a horse with plenty more to offer as a three-year-old.
With that comeback run under his belt, he looks a knocking each-way bet at 6/1.
Posted at 1145 BST on 12/07/20
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