DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
FRIDAY JUNE 6
2.05 EPSOM
HAVANA HURRICANE (best price 3-1) may not have hit the ball out of the park on the figures when winning on debut, but the manner of the performance in beating solid guide Logi Bear was quite striking and with the strong possibility of more to come with an extra furlong to travel, Eve Johnson Houghton’s colt can follow in the footsteps of stable mate Bobsleigh, who took this race two years ago.
Caught on heels as the gates crashed back at the Sussex venue, the son of Havana Gold found himself in the cheap seats through halfway, but from that point onwards he really picked up the gauntlet and his sustained run overwhelmed his opposition late on.
Hitting the line hard, he left the impression his first knockings were only just touching the surface of his true worth and providing he can break better and take advantage of his potentially handy inside draw, this imposing colt has all the attributes to take this stiffer assignment in his stride.
HAVANA HURRICANE – 1-point win@3-1
4.00 EPSOM
After years of trying, Charlie Appleby has still yet to break the Oaks code, but the Newmarket handler will surely never get a better chance of doing so with Guineas winner Desert Flower.
However, her pedigree suggests she is not guaranteed to stay today’s trip and at the prices, she is passed over in favour of WHIRL (best price 11-2), who should have no stamina issues over the stiff 1m4f.
Like many of her stable companions this season, she was expected to take a big step forward from her seasonal bow and despite the market not wholeheartedly following that theory in the Muisidora at York, she duly obliged.
Happy to sit in behind the decent early pace set by Tattycoram, once eased out to deliver her challenge three out she soon assumed command and the further she went, the better she looked.
That impression was also backed up by the clock and even though Ryan Moore has picked (or been told) to ride Minnie Hawk, time may tell the best hope for Aidan O’Brien’s quest for Oaks win number 11 (just let that stat sink in for a minute) stems from this daughter of sire-of-the-moment, Wootton Bassett.
WHIRL – 1-point each-way@11-2
4.45 FAIRYHOUSE
POWERACCLAIM (best price 7-2) probably deserved more than what he got at The Curragh last time out and he is afforded another chance to back up the view he remains an interesting project going forward.
Johnny Murtagh’s colt was seemingly in a good position heading past the intersection at the Kildare venue but from that point the door kept getting repeatedly slammed in his face and, as result, he couldn’t gather full momentum when he needed it most.
Having to settle for a minor berth, he did, however, leave the impression that brighter days were ahead and from a nice draw here this evening, an attacking ride (from stall 2) to obtain a good position early should see him turn for home holding all the aces over several of his main market rivals who are posted out wider. Nice prospect.
POWERACCLAIM – 1-point win@7-2
4.40 BANGOR
HEATHER HONEY (best price 9-2) posted a good set of figures for the grade when scoring in tidy fashion over today’s C&D last time out and there appears no obvious reason why the six-year-old mare won’t continue her merry way on her return to the Welsh venue.
Aazza ensured the field were towed along a fair gallop for the final mile and a half of the journey 20 days ago and the daughter of Getaway proved for successive outings that stamina is very much her number one asset, staying on strongest of all to register a game victory.
2-2 since stepped up in trip, Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith’s inmate is still eligible for a grade where she can cause some damage, and she deserves to be played accordingly.
HEATHER HONEY – 1-point each-way@9-2
5.15 BATH
A trappy little contest to open the card but RUSSIAN RUMOUR (best price 3-1) appears to be running herself into peak form and she could well turn out to be the answer to the puzzle.
Looking as though the run would do her good on her seasonal bow at Ascot, Jonathan Portman’s mare duly made the expected strides forward at Nottingham last time out and with a clearer run over on the far rail, she may well have caught the eventual winner. Molten Sea, who obtained first run.
A three-time winner at today’s track, latterly on heavy ground, any further rain will suit her more than most and she rates the percentage call at the morning odds.
RUSSIAN RUMOUR – 1-point win@