DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
TUESDAY MAY 20
4.32 NOTTINGHAM
SERENITY BLUE (best price 3-1) might not turn out to be the best of these long term but at the same time he showed he is not totally void of ability on his opening gambit at Leicester and with even a just a modicum of improvement, he is likely to prove good enough to get in the mix in this similar heat.
The first thing to say is the race at the Midland venue was very strongly run, resulting in a useful speed figure, and James Horton’s inmate, having been outpaced in the hottest part of the contest, stayed on in taking fashion inside the final two furlongs.
Leaving the impression he would be a different proposition next time, the Lope De Vega colt might do better over further in time, but for now, today’s test should prove to be perfectly adequate and this 360k purchase as a yearling, who never made it to the track as a juvenile, can start making up for lost time.
SERENITY BLUE – 1-point win@3-1
7.20 CORK
BUCCANEER’S SPIRIT (NAP) (best price 7-2) has had valid excuses on his last three starts and now returning to the scene of one of his most impressive displays when on-song last season, Jack Davidson’s gelding might just be capable of out-performing his recent form figures.
On his latest encounter at Roscommon, he got no run inside the final three furlongs and finished hard on the bridle, while soft ground was completely against his chances at Limerick the time before.
At Leopardstown previously, he had very little chance of being competitive from his wide draw (stall 22 of 22), but he was noted making some belated late headway that suggested he is likely to remain competitive at the same level with better luck in the future.
Looking at tonight’s opposition, he is fancied to turn around the tables on Eddie G based on what occurred to him at Lenabane venue last time, Dark Viper comes from a yard struggling for winners (1-40 in last 14 days), while Hightimeyouwon is better known for his exploits on the all-weather in recent times.
BUCCANEER’S SPIRIT – 1-point win@7-2
7.28 HEXHAM
DONNY’S FORTUNE’s (best price 10-1) recent form figures don’t make for attractive viewing, but he did show reasonable signs of life at Uttoxeter last time out and a chance is taken on Micky Hammond’s gelding building on that effort.
Given a four-month break after seemingly being unsuited by soft underfoot conditions during the winter, the eight-year-old kept on well to finish on the coat tails of the main players at the Midland venue and when you take into account the overall speed figure and final lap sectionals of the race in question, his performance becomes even more praiseworthy.
Even allowing for the fact they field bypassed the last four fences in the home straight, the Class 5 contest he was involved in still managed to complete the final circuit in a time two seconds quicker than the one taken by Class 2 winner Coco Mademoiselle over the same C&D and with conditions at tonight’s Borders track set to stay favourable for this former dual point win on firm ground, a better effort than his morning odds are expected.
DONNY’S FORTUNE – ½ point each-way@10-1
7.40 HUNTINGDON
LIHYAN (best price 4-1) was in the process of running a big race when a bad mistake at the last completely cooked his goose, but that contest was poles apart from the level of opponent he takes on tonight and Rebecca Menzies’ inmate is fancied to take advantage of a drop down in class.
Having his first run since minor wind surgery, the seven-year-old worked himself into a position where he might have made the frame until disaster struck and when you consider the first four home were rated 140, 132 and 134 respectively, his effort in defeat reads well in the context of tonight’s assignment.
Prior to that decent display, he had chased home subsequent winner Fingal’s Hill over an inadequate trip at Newcastle and with today’s extra half a mile very much the key to all his previous successes, Lihyan can be delivered from his usual spot in the rear late on.
LIHYAN – 1-point win@4-1