DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
THURSDAY MAY 22
4.25 YARMOUTH
Capital Guarantee has looked good on two of his three outings so far this season but it’s hard to escape from that fact those victories, along with his previous other three in his career, have come from racing around a bend and at the morning odds, he rates a risky proposition.
SHAW PARK (best price 6-1), on the other hand, is already proven over today’s C&D and with hopefully the dead eight runners going to post, he can justify the belief he represents a strong each-way alternative to the favourite.
Scott Dixon’s gelding had been knocking at the door prior to facing the starter at the seaside venue and his game victory was arguably nothing more than he deserved.
Although he probably didn’t beat anything of any great note, the speed figure he posted suggested he had gone a good gallop throughout and under a similar attacking ride, the six-year-old is likely put up another bold bid.
SHAW PARK – ½ point each-way@6-1
6.00 WOLVERHAMPTON
MISS JUSTICE (NAP) (best price 13-8) came back from a year off to run an absolute blinder over tonight’s C&D a month ago and she is likely to prove hard to beat if running to a similar standard on her return visit.
Setting off with a degree of intent at the Midland circuit, she raced keenly on the shoulder of the leader rounding the first bend and when kicking for home still travelling strongly at the two-furlong pole, it would have been a brave man at the time to suggest she would have been beaten.
Unfortunately for her supporters, she did get reeled in, but as the data highlighted afterwards, it was probably by a very smart filly in the shape of Pina Sonata.
Running 1.35.7 (hand timed) for the circuit and still coming out second best in a fillies’ maiden at the track is a bitter pill to swallow (that sort of time is usually expected of a top-quality handicap), the daughter of Justify still managed to pull 11 lengths clear of the rest and on that evidence, it will take something special from one of her rivals her tonight to prevent her from shedding her maiden tag before going on to much better things.
MISS JUSTICE – 2-points win@13-8
7.20 CHELMSFORD
RIVER KING (best price 3-1) may have disappointed his army of supporters at Nottingham last time out (sent off 5-6 favourite), but time may tell he bumped into an above-average type in the shape of Excellent Believe and Richard Hannon’s inmate is afforded another chance to get his head in front at the fourth time of asking.
The son of King Of Change had run promisingly on his seasonal bow at Doncaster and was expected build on that initial display on Town Moor but as things panned out, he couldn’t cope with the all-round pace showed by a horse who could easily develop into a useful performer in due course.
However, even allowing for his five-length defeat, he still came out of the contest with a smart set of data bolted on to his profile and having already experienced running on a deep all-weather surface at Kempton last season, the combination of all factors in his favour make him a confident choice to give an early boost to the Nottingham form.
RIVER KING – 1-point win@3-1