Andrew Asquith provides an overview of the key things to note on Saturday.
Three points of interest
Cobden an eye-catching jockey booking
Harry Cobden isn’t a regular rider for Anthony Honeyball, acquired by the trainer only a handful of times last season, so the fact he’s been booked to ride DANCE AND GLANCE in the Pertempts Network Swinton Handicap Hurdle (13:35) at Haydock on Saturday looks noteworthy.
He looked a nice prospect when winning his bumper, and had no trouble making a winning start in this sphere in a very weak race at Southwell in November.
Dance And Glance didn’t quite progress as expected in two starts afterwards, but he showed the benefit of a breathing operation when resuming winning ways at Taunton in March.
He and the runner-up – who started 5/1-on favourite – pulled well clear of the remainder and Dance And Glance very much caught the eye on his handicap debut when runner-up to Bareback Jack at Bangor last time.
That result might have been different had he been ridden more prominently like the winner, though, having plenty still to do on the home turn and also meeting some trouble in the straight.
Dance And Glance was given the Horse In Focus Flag after that run, highlighting him as a horse to look out for next time, and though this is a much deeper race, he looks well treated from just 1lb higher. Cobden has a 27% strike rate when riding for this yard and he must be high on the shortlist.
More dominance from O’Brien and Moore?
Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore won all of the Derby and Oaks trials at Chester this week and they also hold leading claims at Lingfield on Saturday with Giselle and PUPPET MASTER.
The former is very short, but Puppet Master is available at odds against, and must have an excellent chance in the William Hill Lingfield Derby Trial (15:00).
It isn’t a race O’Brien usually targets with one of his better three-year-old colts, but he has won it four times since 2013, including with Anthony Van Dyck in 2019, who went on to win the Derby.
Puppet Master sets the standard on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and he didn’t shape badly on his reappearance when fourth to stablemate Delacroix in the Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown at the end of March.
His other stablemate, Lambourn, finished second on that occasion, and he boosted the form by winning the Chester Vase on Wednesday, and Puppet Master seems sure to come forward for that effort.
He didn’t really get the chance to fully unwind on that occasion, either, short of room a furlong out and not at all knocked about. This step up in trip will suit him well and he’s capable of much better.
Turquino looks potentially smart
Oisin Murphy is riding very well at present, among the winners at Chester this week, and he looks to have another excellent chance aboard the Andrew Balding-trained TURQUINO in the Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% Handicap (15:15) at Ascot.
He was a 100,000 guineas purchase as a yearling and he made an impressive start to his career at Southwell in March, beating some fair rivals handsomely, overcoming clear signs of inexperience to be readily on top at the line.
Turquino built on that initial experience as expected when improving a chunk to follow up under a penalty at Newcastle later in March, greenness still very much apparent but he saw out the longer trip well to get the better of a more experienced rival for whom things went ideally.
Given how strong he was at the line suggests he is a horse who has plenty more to offer and he's likely been saved since with a turf campaign in mind. He has an excellent pedigree, is a nice type physically, and he is very much one to follow now entering handicaps from a mark of 86, which may well underestimate him quite a bit.
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