DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
THURSDAY JULY 30
1.50 GOODWOOD
SAVVY DISKO is a horse very much going in the right way and despite today’s race representing a steep step up in class, Sean Woods’ colt can continue his upward curve and complete a hat trick.
The son of Dark Angel first sprung to prominence when getting up close home to foil the heavily backed favourite, Always Happy (1-3), at Lingfield on his first outing this season and reverting back to turf at the same venue last time out, he was even more impressive, landing a handicap with any amount in hand.
Quite what he beat at the Surrey venue is open to debate but the speed figure he achieved in bounding clear by three lengths suggests he is worth all of his 9lb rise in the ratings and with Billy Loughnane booked, the improving three-year-old can land what appears a weaker than usual renewal of this 1m2f affair.
SAVVY DISKO – 1-point each-way@12-1 (four places)
3.00 GOODWOOD
GERYON got his due rewards for a sequence of fine placed efforts with a convincing success at Leopardstown last time out and in a Group 3 that contains several performers arriving here with iffy profiles, Ger Lyons’ inmate can make amends for the debacle that took place with stable mate, Diego El Queso, here on day one.
The son of Lope De Vega has always been highly regarded and, as a result, has been dining at the top table even since landing a maiden at the Curragh as a juvenile last year.
Frustratingly not quite getting the job done on several occasions when he looked like winning, everything finally fell into place at Leopardstown last time out and although it might not have been the deepest of group 3’s, his confidence will have no doubt improved ten-fold.
Even when defeated, all his speed figures suggested he has a huge amount of quality and the little tweak to his wind, which is one of the reasons for holding him back in the past, look to have moulded him into a proper horse based on his latest evidence.
GERYON – 1-point each-way@5-1 (three places)
4.30 GALWAY
El Cairos is a horse who has divided opinion like no other during last season’s jumps campaign, and he was always likely to be a warm order for something like today’s race based on his sexy profile.
Whether something has been holding him back – the tongue-tie here suggesting it might have been his wind – he is still a difficult one to trust implicitly at a short price and he is passed over in favour of RAGMANS CORNER, who at least we know does stay a strongly-run two miles well.
Although one of the more exposed members of the field, Gerard Keane’s gelding at least is proven he can handle himself in these big-field, well-run handicaps in the past and he also has a pretty good record around Ballybrit, form which reads 4132.
His third-place finish came last season when he stayed on well in the big amateur rider race on the Flat and he probably should have won on the final day of the meeting over hurdles but for meeting all sorts of bother in running.
His demise that day was partly down to the rider, who is on again today, and without trying to sugar coat the pill, his lack of prowess in the saddle when it comes to a race like this must be a concern.
However, the seven-year-old is a big enough price to justify a small interest and he is easily good enough to hit the frame at the very least, with some firms offering six places.
RAGMANS CORNER – ½ point each-way@16-1 (five places)
7.32 WOLVERHAMPTON
Si White is your classic Sir Mark Prescott three-year-old who made hay off a low mark the first time he was upped in trip, but the time figure was nothing flash and having made heavy weather of winning, he can easily be passed over at the prices.
Looking towards the value each-way alternative, there aren’t that many obvious standouts aside from GOLDFINDER and he makes plenty of appeal to provide the favourite with most to think about.
Prominently ridden at Kempton two starts ago when upped in trip, he didn’t quite see out the 1m4f at the first time of asking but given a more patient ride over today’s C&D last time out, he flew home to almost collar the well-backed Kakirri in the closing stages.
In mitigation, he may have just needed the run at the Sunbury venue off a 56-day break and now fully fit, a return to the Dunstall circuit should see him put up another bold bid to finally break his duck.
GOLDFINDER – 1-point each-way@17-2 (four places)