Dave Massey is back with his Thursday Best Bets.
13:50 Doncaster – Weatherbys £300,000 2-y-o Stakes
Night In Vegas looks the one to beat here.
After two very good efforts in Group 2 company, he made the most of an easier opportunity to win a valuable sales race at Newmarket last time out, always in the firing line and staying on strongly to win by a length and a half from Zigazig Ah. Night In Vegas is actually better in at the weights today, and should have the measure of that one again, and the only question he really has to answer is whether he can handle potentially slower ground. On that score, half-brother Shepherds Way handled soft ground fine, which would give you some hope he’ll be okay on it too, but he has plenty in hand at the weights today, and is the one to beat.
God Given Talent might be one to consider at a bigger price. It’s been a tale of steady improvement this season and he caught the eye when fourth in York’s valuable sales race last time out, not getting the best of runs but sticking on well to be beaten a length. An extra half-furlong here will certainly help his cause, and he could be well drawn in stall 17.
14:25 Doncaster – Pertemps Network Handicap 1m2f
Bourbon Blues deserves to win a handicap of this stature this season and this does look a little easier than the York handicap he contested last time out.
He’s barely run a poor one all season, a close sixth in the Golden Gates at Royal Ascot, a length second in the Kincsem Handicap at Glorious Goodwood and the York second last time out merely confirmed what today,. good form he is in. He’s nothing in hand of the handicapper, it would appear, so is susceptible to anything with a bit of improvement to come, but he’ll enjoy the ground, the trip and track and both ideal and he looks nailed on to run his race under Ryan Moore, a jockey that’s been good for this stable over the years with a 22% strike rate.
15:00 Doncaster – Betfred Park Hill Fillies Stakes 1m6½f
Three of these met in the Lillie Langtry at Goodwood last time out, Wardaah doing better than both Consent (who wears cheekpieces today) and a disappointing Danielle, who was far too keen on the day and basically ran her race before halfway. On her best form, Danielle would be the one to beat, but whether you’d want to trust her at a short price is another thing entirely.
Prizeland can do better again and cause a minor surprise. The form of her York win in the Listed Galtres Stakes needs improving on, but she really looked the finished article in the paddock beforehand, a real galloping type, and the slightly slower ground at York saw her turn in her best effort of the season to date, running out an easy three and a quarter length winner and looking like further still would suit. That’s borne out by her pedigree too, a sister to Hoo Ya Mal, who stayed 1m6f well. I’m hoping she can take another step forward today.
16:10 Doncaster – Meadowhall X Flannels Beauty Bar Nursery Handicap 1m
I’m happy to give Primal another go now he goes up to a trip a bit more in keeping with his physique; he’s a giant of a horse that has looked like he needs more of a trip and just as pertinently, a galloping track. I loved him in the paddock at Goodwood and was amazed he was able to cope with the undulations there, flying home once in the clear for fourth, and he lost little in defeat at Newbury last time, finding one that was as well handicapped as he was too good.
Doncaster’s long straight really ought to be to his benefit, and whilst slower ground does ask a new question, half-brother Bacchanalian revelled in it over hurdles last year, and that would give you some hope he’ll be fine today.
By Dave Massey
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