South Africa

Vaal: Flag Of France a big price

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2.20 Vaal: MR 90 Handicap, 1000m

Intriguing contest, though it lost a bit of sparkle due to the non-runners. That’s why Bad Boy Buddy Boy is now clear favourite. Back at this track and on turf he should be a force but has to bounce back from a poor last outing on the All-Weather and has to prove he is up to his current mark.

I feel the value in this race is clearly Flag Of France. Readily available at 6/1, he is a huge price against the favourite given he loves this track and trip and is 2 wins from 4 starts over CD. He has decent form and will love the return to the minimum trip, which will give him every chance to overcome a career highest mark.

Flag Of France @ 6/1 Betfred – 5pts Win

United Kingdom

Leicester: Mezzotint hard to beat

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Leicester Racecourse

7.55 Leicester: Class 4 Handicap, 7f

You have to be wary of the three year olds in this race, one of them might be able to step up his or her game, but it’s practically impossible to look beyond top weight Mezzotint.

He didn’t have things going right on a couple of occasions lately, but judged on his Newmarket performance last month when only 3l behind Athletic in a hot Handicap, despite having been badly hampered that day, proved he is still up to his mark.

He’s been dropped to a career lowest mark off 78 now while still capable of running up to something in the mid 80’s – he’s also dropped into a much easier race here today. With conditions very much to suit and a CD success to his name, he’s a handful for anyone in this race.

Mezzotint @ 4/1 Betfred – 5pts Win

United Kingdom

Monday Selections – Brighton

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4.30 Brighton: Class 6 Handicap, 1m

Improvized deserves one more chance – down to a career lowest mark off 48 with potentially soft conditions very much to suit at her preferred Brighton where he has course and distance form from last year off higher marks – she is clearly one, who judged on her best, will appreciate the rain, and if she could somehow find something of her three year old form, she rates a huge chance in this field.

Improvized @ 12/1 William Hill – 5pts Win

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5.00 Brighton: Class 6 Handicap, 1m

Multiple CD scorer is back at Brighton and will be one of a few who is sure to relish softish conditions. He won a similar race back in October here off 57 in heavy conditions. While not at his best the last two starts, with conditions to suit and down to a handy mark off 53 plus the useful 5lb claim of a good apprentice in the saddle, he must have a prime chance to go close here, even more so as there seems not much competition for the lead either.

Byrd In Hand @ 8/1 Paddy Power – 5pts Win

United Kingdom

Sunday Selections – Brighton

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3.50 Brighton: Class 4 Handicap, 1m 2f

Likely softish ground is an unknown for most in this field and could be a big issue for any of the three year olds. None of them makes much appeal from a handicapping point of view either, so I feel it’s worth to take a punt on bottom weight Trulee Scrumptious.

The six year old mare won with plenty in hand two starts ago at Newmarket. She has also form on soft ground and stays ten furlongs truly, which is at Brighton, particularly when there is some juice in the ground. She was poor in her last two starts and has to produced a career best – but may well do so with the possibility of getting a soft lead here.

Trulee Scrumptious @ 14/1 Coral – 5pts Win

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4.20 Brighton: Class 6 Handica , 1m 4f

The old boy Foxhaven is likely to encounter his preferred conditions tomorrow. 12f with a bit of cut in the ground will slow things down and ensure emphasis is on stamina in the finish. He didn’t have too much racing this season but wasn’t disgraced when last seen in June at Kempton.

He slipped another 2lb down the mark, though. With the 5lb claim of his rider, he could be seriously well handicapped if he can find back to something of his former best. Back in September 2014 he still managed to finish in the money of a mark off 68. So he’s a fair chance to go close in this race.

Foxhaven @ 14/1 Paddy Power – 5pts Win

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5.20 Brighton: Class 5 Apprentice Handicap, 1m

Double Czech should be clear favourite here given that Queen Aggie, who currently heads the market, has never got this trip before and will find it tough to change this in softish confitions. Double Czech, though, will very much appreciate the underfoot conditions, though the trip is borderline at a testing track like Brighton.

However he is down to an excellent mark, 1lb below when he won a mile race at Chepstow earlier this year, plus has the handy 5lb allowance of a good apprentice in the saddle. He should go close.

Double Czech @ 9/2 William Hill – 5pts Win

United Kingdom

Saturday Night Selections

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Newmarket Rowley Mile Winning post

6.00 Bath: Class 4 Handicap, 10f

Baylay is a progressive 3yo who enjoys fast ground and has won here at Bath over course and distance last month. He’s only 3lb higher, which could be lenient as he won a shade cosily in the end, after appearing to be outpaced earlier on. He might well have been green, though. There is more to come and he has a good chance to follow-up in this field.

Baylay @ 5/1 William Hill – 5pts Win

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7.45 Chelmsford: Class 4 Handicap, 5f

Arctic Lynx is a multiple CD scorer which I feel is important at Chelmsford. He won off 73 and 69 in here, and is currently down to 69 again. He should be competitive from a good draw today, albeit he has to bring his A-game in this class. However with a low weight, he has a better chance than his price suggest in my mind.

Arctic Lynx @ 20/1 PP – 5pts Win

Ireland

Minding a lively outsider in Debutante Stakes

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4.10 Curragh: Debutante Stakes (Fillies’ Group 2), 7f

Minding appears to be the 3rd string for Ballydoyle judged by jockey bookings but she looks massively overpriced her nonetheless. She is extremely well bred and should enjoy this trip big time. She tried 7f on her debut but was there very green and bumped into a smart winner when finishing fine runner-up.

She stepped up her game when dropped to 6f subsequently and won a Leopardstown maiden with ease. She still looked green and awkward, very head strong and keen. However she kicked clear easily and should have learned plenty. There is much more to come from her and she could be a proper Guineas candidate if she does well today.

Minding @ 10/1 Coral – 5pts Win

United Kingdom

King Of Rooks can thrive over 6 furlongs

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3.10 York: Gimcrack Stakes (Group 2), 6f

I’m prepared to give King Of Rooks another chance prove his class. He looked special when winning at Newbury and subsequently the National Stakes at Sandown, though things didn’t go quite his way the last two times. But a step up to 6f may well suit, and so should be York’s flat sprint course. He looks overpriced in this field.

King Of Rooks @ 11/2 William Hill – 5pts Win

United Kingdom

Fields Of Athenry can prove his class in Ebor

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Aiden O'brien

3.45 York: Ebor Handicap, 1m 6f

The competitiveness of this race is obvious, so is the almighty task which Fields Of Athenry faces. The 3 year old colt has to defy a handicap mark as high as none before has won from in a British Handicap from. In addition he has been allocated the widest possible draw. A big negative for a front-runner.

For all those reasons Fields Of Athenry has drifted from 6/1 out to 11/1 over the last couple of days. This price is too big in my book, though, and I become quite interested in this smart Leger contender. Why? It’s easy to see why. He is lightly raced, has potentially more improvement left in him, and despite a high mark, profits from the weight for age allowance as well as enjoys a handy 5lb claim from talented Donnacha O’Brien in the saddle.

One could have only have been impressed with his last two wins in Listed and Group 3 company. This lad has no problem to stay the distance and is one of the rare talent who can actually quicken from the front. He did this most impressively in the Listed Challenge Stakes at Leopardstown last month. More is required here today, it’s a much stronger field, but rated at 119, he is the class act.

He will have to be a genuine Leger contender if he wants to overcome his big mark today – I feel he has a good chance to do that. The wide draw is a problem, but he can be able to get across soon and track the pace. At 11/1 I’m rather with him than against him.

Fields Of Athenry @ 11/1 Stan James – 5pts Win

United Kingdom

Max can rock on at Wolverhampton

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Warren Hill

7.20 Wolverhampton: Class 5 Handicap, 9f

Rock Of Max is a bit on the drift but is now a price where I’m happy to lump on. It’s race where most of the older horses are quite exposed and not overly well handicapped. So from the bottom of the weights this three year old colt may be the answer. He didn’t show too much, although is latest Kempton effort wasn’t quite as bad as he stayed on from an unfavourable position.

Whether he is up to his opening mark or not remains to be seen, but the dam produced two foals who developed into mid 90 rated individuals, so there is a fair chance for some improvement as the step up in trip should work in favour too.

Rock Of Max @ 7/1 Stan James – 5pts Win

United Kingdom

Friday Selections – Sandown

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4.40 Sandown: Class 3 Handicap, 1m

Bartholomew Fair has been pretty disappointing this season as he has never fulfilled the promise he showed as a juvenile. You could make excuses for Derby Trial performance where he was potentially found out for class and stamina, which was also his seasonal reappearance. But his subsequent Haydock performance left many scratching their head.

This is an extremely well bred colt, who won a Yarmouth maiden in very taking fashion last year. Subsequently he was far from disgraced in the G3 Autumn Stakes at Newmarket where he ran much better than the bare result suggests as he was always wide without cover and it didn’t help that he was unable to handle Newmarket’s undulations either.

He’s had a bit of a break now and has been gelded in the meantime. Shame because of his pedigree, but something wasn’t right with him as physically he looks top notch, very athletic and scopey. Hopefully this will help him to find his true form. Down to a mark off 87 in this class 3 Handicap, he must rate a big chance if the gelding op has an impact. It usually works well for Dansili’s and trainer Cumani has a good track record with geldings first time out.

Bartholomew Fair @ 8/1 Stan James – 5pts Win

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5.15 Sandown: Class 5 Handicap, 1m

I loved Paco Boy – my all time favourite. He’s done well so far with his offspring. Pacolita might not be the best daughter he has produced, but she is reasonably talented and has a massive chance to give her prominent daddy a good winner today.

Pacolita was seriously unlucky in her last run at Wolverhampton. Travelling super strongly, she never got a run until late, her jockey had to take hard pulls several times but she stayed on strongly to the line, suggesting she can cope with another furlong. She gave this indication as well when winning in a dramatic finish at Epsom before over 7f.

Pacolita @ 10/3 Paddy Power – 10pts Win

Horse Racing Around The Globe