DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
THURSDAY JUNE 25
12.45 NEWMARKET
AALTO has rather uninspiring form figures so far this season but on closer inspection, he has run a good bit better than the bare results have suggested and now heading back in the direction of a track that has served him well in the past, Ian Williams’ gelding can bounce back to something approaching his best.
The six-year-old was noted doing all his best work at the finish in the Victoria Cup at Ascot on his seasonal bow and at York last time out, he encountered all the trouble he could find down the straight in a similarly competitive affair, leaving the impression he had way more to offer.
Winner of the Bunbury Cup over today’s C&D two years ago, he had his trophy swiped off his mantlepiece by none other than subsequent Queen Anne runner-up, More Thunder, in last year’s renewal and now off a mark significantly lower than those two exploits, the son of Zelzal can hopefully can advantage of a drop down in class.
AALTO – 2-points win@7-4
9.00 HAMILTON
The last race at the Scottish venue seems a long way off, especially when racing starts at the unusual time of 10.30 in the morning due to the current heat wave, but hopefully IRIS DANCER will be worth the wait as she bids to capture course win number 11 in the concluding six-furlong handicap.
Tristan Davidson’s mare often takes a few runs before finding her best form and this season has been no different, but now she seems to be in the groove, she is well worth keeping on side.
Successful over the C&D two starts ago, the eight-year-old was fancied to follow up in a similar 0-70 contest on her return visit a week later but she just found one to good in the shape of Emperor’s Son, who took well to the track at the first time of asking.
She did, however, stay on strongly after being outpaced to finish a lose-up second and now back down in grade into the 0-65 bracket, there is every chance her qualities against today’s opposition should come shining through.
IRIS DANCER – 1-point win@9-4