Catching Pigeons: Gossip and tips from the gallops
Our Catching Pigeons insider returns with all the gossip and tips ahead of another weekend of quality racing.
Catching Pigeons: Best chances
3.35 York, Saturday
4.40 York, Saturday
7.10 Leicester, Saturday
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Marmelo is in good form and is fancied to see off Weekender and Algometer in the Listed Sky Bet Grand Cup over a mile and three quarters at York on Saturday.
This looks very good fit for a Hughie Morrison’s high-class stayer, who ran some great races at a much higher level than this in France last season.
The race conditions mean he is not penalised for his two pattern race wins at Chantilly and Deauville, and he looks the type to progress from his promising reappearance when a neck second to hot favourite Vazirabad in a Group Two at Longchamp last month.
Queen's Sargent is working very nicely and looks well weighted on his best form in the Pavers Foundation Catherine Memorial Sprint.
With a strong chance of rain during the afternoon, any easing of the ground will not inconvenience the son of Kendargent and he showed enough when sixth in another tough handicap on a faster surface at the May meeting here to suggest he could reward an each-way interest if conditions remain more resilient.
He had to come from quite a long way back that day, and is likely to be ridden a little closer to the pace this time around.
Kevin Ryan, Queen Sargent's trainer, is always keen to run a good two-year-old on the Knavesmire, and Rathbone will take plenty of beating in the Reg Griffin Appreciation Maiden Stakes.
The son of Foxwedge contested one of the juvenile races at the May meeting here for his first racecourse appearance, and he did well to go down by only a length to Charming Kid after being hampered at the start.
Connections were sure he was in need of the race despite some useful preliminary work, and he gives the impression he would improve over this more demanding trip.
Istanbul Sultan should make it third time lucky this season in the City Of London Handicap at Chester. Placed on both his outings so far this term, William Haggas' charge succumbed by only a short head at Wetherby last time and he is expected to improve again from that outing.
His subsequent work has been very good, and he should be suited by the step up to a mile and a half.
Andrew Balding likes to have winners at Chester and Highland Pass should go well at a big price in the Whitley Neill Handcraft Gin Fillies Handicap.
Although his recent form is not much to write about, Highland Pass has shown a real liking for this course in the past, and is on the return from a break, which may just spark a revival.
He is very well handicapped on his best form and Franny Norton, who also knows his way around the twists and turns at least as well as any other rider, takes the mount.
Manston has not really excelled since landing an impressive win here just over two years ago, but he is fitted with blinkers for the first time for this comeback effort and may reward an each-way interest in the Randox Health Handicap at Sandown. The prevailing fast ground will suit him well and he does look the type nowadays to produce his very best form fresh.
Sergio Leone can come out best in what looks an interesting Racing UK Handicap at Leicester. He improved nicely towards the end of last season to win a novice at Kempton, and would surely have finished closer than fourth on his comeback at Lingfield had he not run wide into the straight.
The form of the race looks very solid with both the winner, Crack On Crack On, landing a valuable handicap at Haydock since, and the second, Insurgence, also going on to win easily at Kempton.
Clive Cox will be looking for a weekend winner with Royal Ascot just around the corner and he can strike with Swift And Sure in the totescoop6 Play Today Novice Stakes at Bath.
There was plenty to like about her debut effort at Goodwood three weeks ago even though she was soundly beaten by the winner Natalie's Joy. She is unlikely to meet anything of that calibre here and has come on plenty for the run.
Mokarris was not far off the very best juvenile sprinters two years ago, but had his problems since finishing a well-beaten eighth behind Blue Point at Ascot 13 months ago.
However, he is back in great nick now and the Simon Crisford team believe they can give Sheikh Hamdan's apparent number one Shabaaby plenty to think about in the Listed Cathedral Stakes at Salisbury on Sunday.
The same stable's Cape Liberty should also go close on her move up in trip to an extended mile and three quarters in the Pepsi Max Fillies Handicap at Doncaster.
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