DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
SATURDAY OCTOBER 3
1.15 ASCOT
So Regal remains relatively unexposed despite her two recent defeats but whether she deserves to be quite so short in the betting is open to debate and JOSH’S JOY is one of several who could easily find the necessary improvement to cause a mini shock.
Donnacha O’Brien’s inmate didn’t get off to the best of starts in a Group 3 for fillies at Cork last time out and she also met traffic issues in running but despite events transpiring against her, she still managed to finish off her race in taking fashion.
Reverting to seven furlongs and fitted with the first-time tongue-tie at the Mallow venue, both of those two factors are in place again today and she comes across as being one of the stronger each-way options against the favourite.
JOSH’S JOY – ½ point each-way@14-1
3.20 REDCAR
Satellite Of Love and Revels, with ratings of 105 and 104 respectively, set a fair standard based on their body of work heading into this valuable sales contest but whether they can contain MYESME is another matter entirely and Ed Bethell’s filly could turn out to be the spanner in the works for the pair.
It is probably fair to say, the daughter of Havana Grey has plenty to find on the evidence at hand but there was something special about the way she disposed of Hidden Gift at Beverley last time out which suggests she could be a bit useful.
Posted out of the wing having been drawn 9 of 9 at the Yorkshire venue, she raced well in hand until down to the two pole and when the pacesetters finally hit the wall, she had the necessary reserves to withstand the challenge of the odd-on favourite, who enjoyed a much smoother trip throughout.
Nicely backed at all rates from 14-1 to her current odds this morning, you could argue that all the value has been hovered up, but she has been handed a potentially very favourable draw in stall one based on all known evidence from the track this season and with Hidden Gift promoting the form at Dundalk last night (ran well considering she missed the break and raced on the wrong part of the track in home straight), she still looks the one to be with at the prices.
MYESME – 1-point each-way@11-2 (four places)
3.35 ASCOT
There is every chance Thunder Call could still be ahead of his mark but he does face plenty of dyed-in-the-wool handicappers who know a thing or two about these kind of events at the track and of the 17 who take on the short-priced favourite, RIVER KING and AALTO make the most appeal at the prices.
The former comes out of a race that produced a big speed figure at Doncaster and was arguably the biggest eyecatcher in the field.
Failing to obtain a clear run at a crucial stage prevented him from being nearer than his final finishing position but he came home with plenty left in the tank and there isn’t a lot to choose between him and Moonfall, who also must come into today’s conversation.
Considering that was his first outing since finishing a creditable fifth of 28 when drawn on the wrong side of the track in the Buckingham Palace over today’s C&D, his performance deserves extra praise and providing stall 2 doesn’t end up bursting his tires, Richard Hannon’s inmate appeals as one of the more likely winners.
The latter is one of the older statesmen of the party, but he remains fully effective in these sorts of events based on recent evidence and another positive result should be forthcoming.
Placed on his two previous visits to the Berkshire venue, Ian Williams’ six-year-old was tragic not to land his most recent outing at Newbury when meeting every bit of trouble imaginable and he looks a big price based on his whole body of work.
RIVER KING – ½ point each-way@8-1 (five places)
AALTO – ½ point each-way@14-1 (five places)