John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Monday.
Say What You See can go one better
Middleham trainer Liam Bailey makes an eight-horse raid on Pontefract’s evening card where Say What You See looks his best chance of a winner in the mile and a quarter handicap (19:30). Bailey also runs Something in this five-runner contest who won on his first start for the yard at Ripon last time when able to dictate in a small field. He might face competition for the lead this time, however, as Sir Mark Prescott’s Analogical also made all the running last time when successful at Catterick.
But it’s Billy Garrity’s mount Say What You See who looks the most interesting of these after shaping well on his latest start. A consistent type, Say What You See won at Ayr and Southwell last summer and was gambled on to get off the mark for the year at Newcastle last month.
Dropped in grade, Say What You See moved through the race as if on a good mark but bumped into Star Cast, a filly who has been thriving at Newcastle of late. Having made smooth headway, Say What You See ran on to be beaten three quarters of a length by the winner who runs at Carlisle earlier this evening. That earned Say What You See the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag and, heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, he is fancied to go one better.
Trefor the form pick if getting the gaps
The qualifiers for the track’s Fitzdares Sprint Series often provide the highlight of Windsor’s Monday night fixtures and there are some useful sprinters in this evening’s contest over five furlongs (19:39).
This nine-runner event is competitive enough, but Trefor has contested some hotter handicaps still in the last twelve months, winning a twenty-runner heritage handicap at York’s Ebor meeting last year before taking his chance in the Portland at Doncaster. Charlie Hills has aimed him at the Final of this series for the last two years – he won one of the qualifiers as a three-year-old – and he went close in last year’s Final when beaten a neck by Chief Mankato.
That’s no doubt a target for him again later this summer as Trefor ran in another qualifier a fortnight ago but didn’t get much luck in running, looking unlucky not to finish closer than fourth behind Justcallmepete after getting snatched up over a furlong out. While Trefor has done most of his winning over six furlongs, his York win came over an extended five so he should have the pace for this test. He earned the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag for his latest start, and he heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, being only 1 lb higher than when narrowly beaten here last August.
Zimmerman can take advantage of career low mark
Back at Pontefract, their meeting features a stamina test over more than a lap of what is the country’s longest complete circuit, though the Tony Bethell Memorial (20:00) is only a class 6 handicap where the top weights race from a BHA mark of 65. However, Tim Easterby’s runner Zimmerman is used to contesting better-grade contests events than this – his last win came from almost a stone higher mark at York two years ago- and he therefore looks interesting off his current official rating.
All the more so, given that Zimmerman has hit form in his last couple of starts. He found only Laravie too good at Ripon two starts ago but meets that mare again on better terms here, while in an amateur riders’ race at Musselburgh last time he might have finished second again had he not suffered interference at a crucial stage before keeping on for third behind Gallus Norman.
Eased another 1 lb in the weights since then, Zimmerman heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings here. He’s had cheekpieces on for his last couple of starts, but blinkers go back on now and he should make another bold bid.
Betfred Derby reaction
- Frank Keogh: Revamped Derby Day denied a fair start
- Graham Cunningham: What are the implications of Derby Gate-gate?
- David Ord: Christmas in June and even stranger things
- Timeform Takeaway: Pedigrees to the fore again
- Betfred Derby full result and Ben Linfoot analysis
- Benvenuto Cellini declared a non-runner after the Derby
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