DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
SATURDAY JUNE 14
1.30 SANDOWN
RIVER KING (best price 12-1) has bumped into some above-average three-year-olds of late and although today’s test could hardly be described as a walk in the park, Richard Hannon’s inmate should easily be capable of holding his own based on the data he has been producing prior to his handicap debut.
On the receiving end of a series of body blows dished out from the aggressively ridden Excellent Believe at Nottingham two starts ago, the speed figure achieved by the winner suggested he had bumped into a possible pattern race performer in the making and the same can be said for his most recent encounter at Chelmsford.
Well backed in search of his elusive first success at the Essex venue, the son of King Of Change once again met his match in the shape of another front running masterclass by Arabian Story and with the winner handed a mark of 97 post-race, connections were well withing their rights to curse their misfortune for the second time in succession.
Although he lacks a touch of class, he comes across as an honest type who should more than hold his own in races of this nature and he deserves to be played accordingly at the morning odds.
RIVER KING – ½ point each-way@12-1
2.25 YORK
BORN RULER (best price 4-1) could never land a blow in the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar last time out but he makes plenty of appeal now stepping up to a trip more in keeping with his profile and the positive jockey only further enhances his claims.
Towards the rear as the field turn for home at the Yorkshire circuit, Sir Mark Prescott’s inmate was put even more firmly behind the eightball when the pace cranked up further at the three-furlong pole but he was noted doing some sterling late work to hold out plenty of encouragement for future endeavours and today’s test falls neatly into his lap.
Despite being beaten five lengths, he still came out of the contest with a career high figure and with the runner-up, See That Storm, going a long way to pay the form a handsome complement here yesterday, the five-year-old receives a confident vote to follow suit.
BORN RULER – 1-point win@4-1
2.40 SANDOWN
TOWN AND COUNTRY (best price 7-2) left the impression she was a shade unlucky not to land a listed prize at Cork last time out and with the form of the race a month ago working out a treat in the interim, Henry De Bromhead’s filly can reward the trip over the Irish Sea.
Towards the rear at halfway at the Mayo venue, the four-year-old gathered a head of steam to work herself into a challenging position at the furlong pole but as it turned out, she just ran out of real estate and had to settle for an honourable second to the improving First Instinct.
Since then, the winner has gone on to run a blinder in a better race at Haydock, while the third and fourth have also graduated well next time and with today’s stiff five-furlongs likely to see her to best advantage, another bold show looks on the cards.
TOWN AND COUNTRY – 1-point win@7-2
3.35 YORK
HUCKLESBROOK (best price 20-1) took his game to another level with victory in an ultra-competitive handicap at Leicester last time out and having seemingly slipped under the radar despite the data suggesting he deserves more love; Roger Teal’s gelding can kick-start what should turn out to be a big few days for the Newmarket handler (Dancing Gemini a strong choice for many in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot).
Always to the fore at the Midland track, he set decent fractions from the outset and even though converged by a posse of horses either side of him, he fended allcomers off one by one to score in tidy fashion.
Posting a smart speed figure for the grade, he looks ready for a stiffer assignment and being drawn handily right down the middle of the track, the son of Aclaim rates one of the more interesting outsiders.
HUCKLESBROOK – ½ point each-way@20-1 (six places)
7.50 LEICESTER
TROJAN TRUTH (best price 7-2) responded well to the re-fitting of blinkers at Windsor last time out and Ed De Giles’ inmate looks the solid option in his bid to follow up.
Shaping nicely on his first two starts of the season over trips shy of his best, a return to his optimum distance of 1m4f was always likely to see him in a better light at the Berkshire venue and so it proved, as he stayed on stoutly in the latter stages to record career win number five.
Following a similar path to last year and arriving here on the back of a victory at Windsor, the time figure he posted 12 days ago suggested lightening may strike twice for the field’s only previous C&D winner.
TROJAN TRUTH – 1-point win@7-2