DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
THURSDAY MAY 28
3.40 RIPON
SPIRADALTA must put behind him a below par effort at Chester last time out but with form figures at today’s track that read 2434111, there is every chance Mark Walford’s gelding will rebound back in the right direction.
A poor draw was half the problem on the Roodee, but the main issue was when he hooked up in a dash for the early lead with Seagolozo and by the time he had run the first half a mile, his energy levels which he needed for the backend of the contest were run low.
Prior to that disappointment, he had displayed his typical zest for getting the job done at his beloved garden racecourse and providing he can get to the front without hooking up in any unnecessary duals, the son of Rajasinghe can add to his fine record on the clubhouse honours board.
SPIRADALTA – 1-point each-way@11-2
6.42 SANDOWN
Talk Of New York spearheads a strong-looking team for Godolphin but if there is to be a party pooper, ANDAB could be the one who refuses to give the ball back when it goes over the garden fence.
A creditable fourth in last season’s Coventry, Joseph O’Brien’s gelding went on to fall just short of top class thereafter and while that same limit of his ability might well turn out to be case again this term, there was enough in his latest effort to suggest he can add to his sole win at pattern level at the very least.
Sporting the first-time cheekpieces at The Curragh, the son of Saxon Warrior was forced down a blind alley at the most crucial part of the race and while eventual winner, Causeway, enjoyed a trouble-free passage down the outside, he failed to get out in time.
Once the bird had flown, he impressed with the way he fought back to finish an honourable second and with Oisin Murphy installed with the job of ensuring he receives a better rub of the green this evening, he can prove to be the surprise package.
Regards the staking plan, the advice is to play at the win only price rather than go each-way and have the other point in the top three finish market just in case one runner drops out and we are left with the dreaded seven runner race.
ANDAB – 1-point win@13-2
ANDAB – 1-point win@6-5 (top three finish)
6.50 LIMERICK
KING OF THE GREYS left the impression there was a big chunk of light at the end of the tunnel with the way he operated in the final half mile of his latest encounter at Down Royal and even though the handicapper hasn’t exactly missed him with an opening mark of 102, Peter Fahey’s grey still might prove equal to the task.
The five-year-old grey hadn’t showed a huge amount on his first three starts but racing on genuine good ground for the first time, he sparked a certain degree of interest with the way he made up a huge amount of ground from the rear of the field up the north and the fact he wasn’t knocked about to do so bodes well for future events.
Whether today proves to be when he comes of age only time will tell, but at least there is now something work with and he is worth a small interest to find out in a race that won’t take a great deal of winning
KING OF THE GREYS – ½ point each-way@12-1