DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
WEDNESDAY JULY 15
3.18 UTTOXETER
Sunray Shadow commands plenty of respect back over fences having run well in a competitive handicap hurdle here last time out but whether he deserves to be quite so short in the market up against SAMUEL SPADE is a moot point and Ben Pauling’s gelding rates the percentage call at the prices.
Beaten a long way behind his old rival at Worcester earlier this summer, the seven-year-old put that run to one side when returning to the same C&D next time out and although only fifth at Uttoxeter last time out, he ran a good deal better than the bare result suggests in a much better race than he faces today.
Positioned on the outside of the 13-strong field heading into the first, he almost got brought to a standstill when Queensbury Boy and Hang In There jumped right into his path and as a result, he got shuffled back into a place he was highly unlikely to feature in the finish.
To his great credit, therefore, to make up the amount of ground he did to finish just seven lengths off the winner was a minor miracle and it was a performance to suggest he remains to very good form.
Moreover, the form of the race has already begun to work out well with the fourth home, Grand Clermont, scoring with some ease at Perth over the weekend and a return to the scene of that unlucky episode can see the son of Myboycharlie make amends.
SAMUEL SPADE – 1-point win@5-2
7.00 KILLARNEY
Easily the best race of the four-day festival and it looks a straight match between CROMAC QUAY and Green Carrera based on recent form.
The former received the benefit of a favourable draw when scoring at Royal Ascot last time out but on this occasion, joseph O’Brien’s filly will have to overcome the outside berth if successful, whereas her main market rival has been handed a slightly more fortuitous stall position in box 6.
Although she has yet to hit the heights of her more illustrious rival, she does come across as being very progressive and her wide-margin victory at Leopardstown last time out was achieved in a very fast time.
Prior to that excellent effort on the clock, Jessica Harrington’s filly had the misfortune to bump into the massive improving Sparan Nua (won a Group 3 since) in an above-average affair at Naas and everything about the way she is built and moves in a race strongly points towards today’s sharp track suiting.
CROMAC QUAY – 1-point each-way@5-1 (four places)