Best bets for the horse racing Saturday 27th May
There is plenty to get involved with this weekend if you want, I am trying to be a bit selective and still have five bets for Saturday. I fancy a couple on Merseyside, one on the Downs and two more over in the Emerald Isle.
Best bets for the horse racing at Haydock
The big races at Haydock are all about speed on Saturday and I am involved with both. The 6f Group Two Betfred Nifty Fifty Sandy Lane Stakes is due off at 3.00. Al Dasim nicked me a couple of quid at the Dubai Carnival when he put together a run of victories before being beaten in the G.1 Al Quoz Sprint and has to be shortlisted. Little Big Bear never got into the 2,000 Guineas pulling too hard early and to my eye not staying the trip; it has been suggested he also returned lame. He put in perhaps the outstanding two-year-old performance last year when taking the G.1 6f Phoenix at the Curragh by seven lengths and a similar performance would surely take this. I am on overnight at the 6-4 the Power were going last night.
The 5f Group Two Betfred Temple Stakes at 3.30. Dirty Dozen member Dramatised makes her seasonal debut getting weight all round on her return to action. I said earlier this year on the Dirty Dozen page “I wouldn’t be surprised to see her aimed at something like the G.2 Temple Stakes at Haydock early in the campaign” and here she is. Having won the 5f G.2 Queen Mary at Ascot last year she disappointed a little in the 6f G.2 Lowther Stakes when fifth (Karl Burke put it down to the step-up to six). She finished her season just missing out in the G.1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint over 5½f, Mischief Magic grabbing her on the line. I have to be on, and see the booking of William Buick to ride as a big positive, and took the standout (at the time) 6-1 overnight again with Power. The other three-year-old The Platinum Queen is feared but the selection gets 5lb from her due to her G.1 win in France last back end.
Best bets for the horse racing at Goodwood
The race of interest to me on the Sussex Downs is the 1m4f British EBF 40th Anniversary Fillies' Handicap at 4.20. I tipped Sunset Point when she won on her handicap debut at Windsor in April looking to have bundles in hand over her opening mark of 76. She was promptly upped to 88 and was tried in the Listed Oaks Trial at Lingfield but having led she couldn’t quite live with them in the final furlong. She drops back to handicap company here off a mark of 90 and I wouldn’t be surprised if she takes this with James Doyle in the saddle. I am on at 9-2.
Best bets for the horse racing at the Curragh
2.30 6f Group Two Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes. Art Power appears to enjoy a trip across the Irish Sea and is two from two over track and trip. He went well for a long way in his return to action at York ten-days ago and though he faded out of contention there that would have blown away the cobwebs. I am on at 16-5 early. Ryan Moore and Garrus team up again following their victory in the G.3 Abernant Stakes at HQ last month and are feared.
The big race of the day is of course the Group One Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas over the mile. Hi Royal was second at Newmarket and Galeron fourth and they must be considered on that bare fact. Hi Royal (125-1) finishing second was certainly a surprise and I wonder if it was just one of those things and if he can produce that sort of effort again whilst the same has to be said about Galeron (150-1) in fourth - it was a bit of a messy race and they were all over the track. The progressive Paddington and G.1 winner Proud And Regal look the best of the home team though both have their best form on soft going. Third at HQ in the 2,000 Guineas Royal Scotsman heads the market having been too keen at Newmarket, found a bit of trouble and perhaps unsuited by the soft going so all in all it was a fair effort. That's twice he has chased home Chaldean now and that is certainly the best form in the book. As long as he settles better I think he can take this and I have a bit of the 9-4 this morning.
Be lucky