DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
SUNDAY JUNE 21
3.05 PONTEFRACT
Given the week Joseph O’Brien has enjoyed, the sight of Lemsairbat is enough to send shivers down the spine of her rivals but she does face some stern opposition on the home front and the pick could turn out to be COEDANA, who comes across as a filly who hasn’t stopped improving.
Ed Bethell’s filly has risen through the ranks from the humble beginnings of a class 5 0-80 handicap last season and her elevation has seen her tackle two listed races so far this term.
Only rated 88 prior to stepping into the breach at Goodwood a month ago, she came from a long way back to finish a creditable second to the useful Tattycoram and she took her game to another level at Carlisle last time out when keeping on strongly from the rear again to fill out third behind the top-class, Estrange.
Now up to 103, the daughter of King Of Change doesn’t look out of place in today’s line up and given the way she often finishes off her races, the stiff nature of the track should play right into her strengths.
COEDANA – 1-point each-way@5-1
4.43 HEXHAM
This concluding handicap revolves around how much improvement Miss Kassiopi finds for the switch to Dan Skelton and if she goes the way of many previous similar types, it could be a case of goodnight and god bless to the rest.
However, her price permits there is the solace of an each-way safety net available just in case she does prove a cut above and STYLISH RECRUIT should fill one of those places (four with most firms) at the very least.
Admittedly, he isn’t the most consistent but he does arrives here off one of his more reliable spells of form and his latest effort when runner-up to Abbey Scope was highlighted by his career best speed figure.
In a race well run for the grade, the eight-year-old was the only one to offer any resistance to the winner in the final half a mile and with the pair pulling well clear of the rest, including one of today’s market rival, Jeteye, the form comes across as being fairly reliable.
A winner over 2m4f at the Borders venue back in April, he was unfortunate to suffer from a tack malfunction on his next start over today’s C&D, but these last three performances all add up to the belief he is very likely to go well again at his favourite venue.
STYLISH RECRUIT – 1—point each-way@5-1 (four places)