Today’s best bets, by John O’Hara
It is a typical Monday offering today with four meetings that have been put together to keep the betting shops open and the bookies happy. But having just put the brilliant July Meeting to bed I suppose it is asking a lot to keep up the standard.
That said there are winners to be backed and I believe Lewinsky (7.40) is the stand out bet of the day, but you will have to wait until the maiden at Wolverhampton to watch her go in. She has had just the one race to date when a neck second over 1m2f at Chelmsford last month. The daughter of Famous Name was not particularly fancied that day and pleased connections with her effort.
She is sure to have come on a great deal for that and assuming she has then she will be very tough to beat. The excellent Josephine Gordon will be aboard this time and this pairing rate the nap of the day.
Earlier in the day it could pay to look north of the border and have an interest in Duncan Of Scotland (3.00) who runs at Ayr. Trainer Lee Smith has done well with this four year old, who has won at Dundalk this season.
He was stepped up to 7f at Down Royal in June and found the the trip too far, but back over 6f at Fairyhouse last time he ran a corker to be beaten a diminishing neck in an 18-runner handicap. He runs off a 2lb higher mark than his last win but he looks set to run a huge race back at Ayr and is clearly in very good heart.
A horse I am interested in that hasn’t shown a great deal of form yet is Mishari (2.45), who goes all the way to Ffos Las for the 6f maiden. Last time out he was having his first run for trainer David Lanigan and, considering he pulled hard in the early part of the race he ran better than his finishing position signified.
The form horse in the race is Waqt but he hasn’t run for 409 days, suggesting things have not been straightforward and, with that recent run under his belt, Mishari is sure to strip much fitter and hopefully not run so gassy. If he can settle, he has a big shout.
Finally, Desert Rain (6.40) is a very interesting contender for the 6f handicap at Wolverhampton. Saaed bin Suroor has his team in very good form and this race looks a nice introduction for him to handicapping. He has been given a rating of 76 which looks fair enough, but it is the application of a visor for the first time that takes my eye. Godolphin ended last week on a high with Harry Angel and, on a much lesser scale, I can see Desert Rain getting the new one off to a flying start.
Tips for all Monday races
Ayr
2.00 French Flyer, 2.30 Lomu, 3.00 Duncan Of Scotland, 3.30 Gerry The Glover, 4.00 Thornton, 4.30 Zwayyan 5.00 Easy Wind.
Ffos Las
2.15 Boreagh Lass, 2.45 Mishari, 3.15 Major Valentine, 3.45 African Beat, 4.15 Filament Of Gold, 4.45 Mordoree, 5.15 Spare Parts, 5.45 Hungarian Rhapsody.
Wolverhampton
5.40 Amazing Alice, 6.10 Sheriff Garrett, 6.40 Desert Rain, 7.10 Monologue, 7.40 Lewinsky (nap), 8.10 Anna Medici, 8.40 Bruny Island.
Windsor
5.50 Secret Soul, 6.20 Awesometank, 6.50 Running Cloud, 7.20 Stepper Point, 7.50 Blushing Rose, 8.20 Alcatraz.
