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Timeform Daily View | Saturday preview and tips
Andrew Asquith provides an overview of the key things to note on Saturday.
Three points of interest
Doom out to emulate her mother in Atalanta Stakes
The William Haggas-trained Doom has an excellent pedigree, the fourth foal out of very smart mare Dank, who progressed very well in her four-year-old season, winning the Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket, the Grade 1 Beverley D Stakes at Arlington and the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita.
Dank also won this race as a three-year-old and Doom strikes as the type who could follow in her footsteps and progress further still over the rest of this year.
It is encouraging that Doom’s last two efforts have both been career bests, and the form of her second-place finish to Friendly Soul in the Valiant Stakes at Ascot has been boosted on a couple of occasions since with the winner going on to win a Group 2 at Deauville, while Soprano, who finished fourth, also won a Group 3 at the same track next time.
Tamfana is clearly the one to beat on form, but Doom has the right sort of profile to take another step forward and her owner will certainly be hoping she can emulate her dam.
Loughnane hoping to further improve excellent strike rate
Billy Loughnane continues to impress as a jockey, well on course to smash his 2023 total of winners (130), currently sitting on 113 with another three months of the year remaining.
Sandown isn’t a course he’s visited much so far this season, having had just nine rides at the track, but three of those have won, earning him a 33.3% strike rate this season, while he can also boast a £1 level-stakes of £6, too.
Loughnane has five rides at Sandown on Saturday and the pick of them may be Pappa Louis who goes in the seven-furlong nursery (16:45). He was much shorter in the betting making his handicap debut at Newmarket earlier this month and duly showed some improvement to open his account, beating the reopposing Jet Packer by a short head.
Pappa Louis did enjoy a clearer passage than the runner-up on that occasion, but he meets that rival on similar terms now, and the addition of first-time cheekpieces may eke out more.
Note rare Chester runner for Mullins
Willie Mullins has only ever had four runners at Chester, and all of those came in the Chester Cup between 2013 and 2019.
It is therefore very interesting that he sends over his Ebor and County Hurdle winner Absurde for the listed event over a mile and three quarters (15:15).
He was given a nice break after winning the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival earlier this month and shaped as though he was very much in need of the run in the Irish St Leger Trial at the Curragh a fortnight ago, racing well off the pace before making good headway (in second three furlongs out) but he had nothing left to give in the final furlong.
His jockey looked after him and you’d expect him to come on a fair bit for that effort. Absurde is reportedly being prepared for another tilt at the Melbourne Cup, so you have to respect his chance for his master trainer who does especially well on the Flat also.
Tip of the Day
Frank The Spark – 14:35 Beverley
Flags: Horse In Focus, Hot Trainer
Frank The Spark started life in handicaps from a lowly mark, though it still took him a few attempts to open his account, and he showed much improved form when doing so over five furlongs at Bath in June.
He was impressive that day, but he sweated up and was easy to back on his next start at Doncaster, and he quickly shown that poor effort to be a blip the last twice, resuming winning ways with any amount in hand at Nottingham 18 days ago.
That may not have been the strongest race, but it was hard not to be impressed by the manner in which he did, always travelling well and easily moving clear of to beat a talented but quirky mare who was chasing a hat-trick. A 6 lb rise for that success seems fair and Frank The Spark looks like a progressive sprinter to keep on the right side.
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