2:15 Ascot
Martator is 3-3 here but is 13lb higher than when beating Kotmask in November. His yard isn’t in anywhere near the same form either, so up 5f in trip it’s tempting to take him on at the prices.
Flegmatik hinted at signs of a revival here last month and is now 5lb lower than the mark he beat Chianti Classico off at Kempton this time last year. However, he’s halved in price since the final declarations were confirmed and any value has surely long gone now.
With that in mind, the one I landed on is the mare TERRESITA, who faced an impossible task conceding 7lb to the now 144-rated Gemirande here last time. That looks a solid effort in hindsight and the runner-up also gave the form a nice boost at Market Rasen on Friday.
However, it’s her effort at Sandown at the back end of last season that catches my eye the most. She had just hit the front and was travelling all over Martator before falling 2 out and gets an extra 10lb from the winner here. Sadly, the 20/1 available earlier today has been snapped up, but I still think she represents good value at the 12s on offer with bet365.
Tips
Terresita
1pt EW @ 12/1 | bet365 (3 Places, 1/5 Odds)
2:30 Haydock
Royal Pagaille is 5-6 at Haydock and won this race 2 years ago from a 3lb lower mark. However, he met with a setback following his most recent Betfair Chase success and looks opposable at the prices with his yard struggling for winners lately.
RICHMOND LAKE went off the boil after bolting up in an Aintree handicap off this mark 13 months ago, but it’s possible connections were simply on a mission to get his handicap mark down.
Indeed, his two most recent efforts back at that venue were his best in a long time—despite the fact that he probably found things happening too quickly for him—and the step back up in trip looks an interesting move for him at this stage of his career.
He was disappointing on his only previous try at 3m, but made a bad mistake early on ground much quicker than ideal and could never get on terms thereafter. He has plenty of stamina in his pedigree and has always looked the type to make a nice staying chaser, so looks worthy of another try at the trip with conditions to suit.
Tips
Richmond Lake
1pt EW @ 16/1 | bet365 (3 Places, 1/5 Odds)
2:50 Ascot
Nicky Henderson has a good record in this race and looks to have another live contender this year in Bo Zenith, who caught the eye on his return from injury at Cheltenham last month. He was given plenty to do that day before flying home at the finish and the extra couple of furlongs here should be right up his street.
However, he’s now as short as 3/1 having been available at 8s earlier in the week, so instead it could be worth taking a chance on former stablemate GOSHEN.
Gary Moore’s charge is as enigmatic as they come, but he’s also as versatile as they come—which makes him tricky for the handicapper to assess—and switching back to the smaller obstacles might just prove to be a genius move.
Interestingly, the headgear which saw him finally get off the mark over fences last season isn’t retained here, but he was rated 157 at the peak of his powers and this three-time Grade 2 winner gets in here off a mark of just 141.
This will be his first start in a handicap over the smaller obstacles in more than three years and there’s every chance he will find conceding weight to inferior rivals easier than the graded races he was contesting last season. In fact, top weights have a very good record in this race and his last win over hurdles came in the Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle over course and distance two years ago.
He has a 316-day absence to overcome, but has won following a layoff in the past and it’s encouraging to see that his yard has been back among the winners this week. He definitely falls into the “too big” category at 28/1 and looks worthy of a small each-way play.
Tips
Goshen
0.5pt EW @ 28/1 | William Hill (4 Places, 1/5 Odds)