Runners at six meetings for our columnist on Saturday. Check out his thoughts on the full team.
Newmarket
14:10 Awaafi
I think the handicapper has been kind with her with an opening mark of 77. It’s not very often I say that but I look at the ratings lesser horses are given and I think she has a real chance here. She’s a filly we like so we’ll see if I’m right and the handicapper is wrong.
Doncaster
14:20 Supreme Dancer
He’s a very disappointing horse. We tried him in the visor for the first-time at York on his most recent run and he over-raced and tried to do it all in one breath. Hopefully he’ll be more relaxed in it this time but he’s a horse who needs to be showing more. He is down in grade though.
14:55 Ziggy's Angel
A big, raw horse who needs racing and experience. He’ll be doing his best but I’d be pleasantly surprised if he was able to win a novice on his second start at this stage of his development.
15:30 Epicurian Lad
A frustrating horse but a likeable rogue nonetheless. You can ride him to run a race, hold him up and try and come late which we’ll do again. He looked to bump into one when second to Pink Azalea last time.
Goodwood
15:05 Strike Red
The rain on Thursday is definitely a big help to his chance. We’re being tough on him, backing up seven days after the Sky Bet Dash at York but he came out of that race well.
He ran well to finish sixth there, and I felt he might just have about won had he been drawn lower. He’s in great form and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him run well if he gets the luck you always need at Goodwood.
15:45 Columnist
He has to prove he 100% stays seven furlongs on Saturday, that’s the niggling doubt. He’s drawn well in eight, goes there off the back of his best run of the season at Newmarket last time and is in great form. If he stays it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him run a very big race.
Thirsk
13:38 Boston Dan
He’s been running OK and probably produced a career best effort when second at Ripon last time. He’s a very genuine horse, I’d love to see him get his head in front, but it looks a decent race so we’ll give it our best shot.
16:05 Our Havana
A strange horse. He was working well and running well earlier in the season but then began to work ordinarily and still is. However, he ran better in the Bunbury Cup last time and this represents a drop in class. He might be better bossing lesser horses - let’s see.
17:50 Groundsman
An extremely disappointing horse who has plenty of ability, more than enough to be winning races. We’re dropping him back to six furlongs to see if that opens the door and he’s the sort who might win two or three if he eventually gets his head in front.
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Galway
17:35 Reidh
I hope it’s a case of horses for courses. He won at the meeting last year and if he turns up there in the same form he ought to run very well. You always need plenty of luck at Galway, we got it last year and I hope things fall our way again.
Hamilton
17:55 Great Profit
He cost an awful lot of money at the breeze-up sales but his head was a little bit fried, he was trying to do it all too soon. We’re now at a stage where we have him where we want him at home. He wears a hood for the first time and if he’s as relaxed on the track as he has been on the gallops here, I’d be hopeful you’ll see improvement.
20:30 Mrbluesky
He did things the wrong way round upped to this trip at Doncaster last time, racing too freely and not getting home. We’re giving it another go and hope he switches off this time.
21:00 Hashtagnotions
It went wrong for him very early last time, he was slowly away, almost tailed off and was never going to make an impression from there. We’ll keep going and hope he jumps and gets a better early position this time.
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