Another nice winner on the board thanks to Fresh at Ascot, plus he drifted to 9/1! It took a photo to show that he just about got up in a head-bobbing finish and if he lost out, he would've been very unlucky not to come up trumps. The way he moved in the race and quickened up would suggest that he can win again off a revised mark, and this C&D on deeper ground suits him ideally. Hopefully he'll continue to progress.
Of the other two, Glencadam Glory got into the lead and that was encouraging, but coming into the straight the cavalry were building up behind and he couldn't keep them off. He finished sixth, which some firms paid out on, and showed that he's back in good order. Trais Fluors weakened away after almost halving in price and is presumably showing something at home. It might come out on the track sometime soon!
+7.00pts on the day.
16/1, 14/1 and 9/1 drifting winners in the last five betting days - God is good!!! Hopefully many more to come.
Andrew Balding only managed to get Alounak to peak on one occasion last season but that was a huge run in the Group 2 Hardwicke over C&D and given how course form can repeat itself here, he's interesting. Granted, his runs since haven't been near that level but the yard didn't have him long before that run at the Royal meeting and maybe couldn't get him back in form for whatever reason. He has been gelded over the winter, should be fresh and well after a break, and if he returns to his true level then he's a threat to all.
River Nymph looks like he was a major underperformer in the Lincoln if you concentrate solely on the form figure but in reality, he didn't get the mile and actually ran a race of promise for some time. He travelled along nicely, seemed to be a major player and then blew up before being tenderly handled. Dropping back in trip will be a help and an even bigger help could be the return to a testing surface. It's what suits him best and based on how he hammered Tranchee and Danyah at Newbury on his last 7f spin, he can defy 100.
Presidential hasn't fired in a few runs this year but he is dangerously handicapped off 76 - 8lbs below last June's Doncaster win - and two of his last three runs have come on the All-Weather, which he seems next to useless on. The sole turf run came over good-to-firm and that mightn't be his bag these days either, so he's very interesting granted testing ground again. I like the booking of Joe Fanning, who will hopefully ride him on the colder side for a late flourish, and anything around 12/1 or bigger is a play. He should be 7-8/1ish
I almost put up Skontonovski last time and thankfully didn't as he finished out with the washing! It's not impossible that he'll do the same again but I still think there's more ability in the locker than has been shown on the track and dropping back to a sprint trip could help. He's getting plenty of respite from the handicapper as well and Hollie Doyle is booked, whilst first-time cheekpieces may also help. The market will probably tell us more as to whether he's fancied but at the moment, I'm happy to risk a point on 18/1+.
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