Today’s ITV4 races, by Chris Cook
If Sir Michael Stoute were in better form, I’d be tempted to accuse him of attempted robbery, running a proper Group horse like Thikriyaat (2.55) in a mere Listed contest at York today. But in fairness to the Newmarket trainer, winners have not exactly been tumbling out of his yard in recent weeks; let’s hope this proves a timely fillip for him ahead of Royal Ascot.
Ribchester was the only horse to beat Thikriyaat in his first five races, which also included a Group Three success at Glorious Goodwood. He had a fibrillating heart when well beaten on his final run last season and surely needed his return to action in a handicap.
There is more to come from him at the age of four and this return to a sound surface will help.
1.50 York Hurdling did not work out for the ex-Italian Azari but a return to Flat racing showed him in a pretty good light in a Wolverhampton claimer the other day. Having since moved from Paul Nicholls to Tom Dascombe, he looks like he belongs at this level and has one of the better riders involved.
2.05 Musselburgh The handicapper is probably right to rate Zac Brown a better horse on sand than on turf but he still has possibilities on grass, as he showed when winning at Goodwood last time. Charlie Wallis’s gelding faces a stiffer task here but could be up to beating the penalty.
2.20 York Shady McCoy is of interest, now that he’s back in a big field, but a wide draw is no help. Heaven’s Guest also loves a big-field handicap and has dropped to an enticing mark. His most recent effort hinted he might be on the way back and he went close from 9lb higher over this course and distance in May last year.
2.40 Sandown Tim Easterby’s team seem to be running their way into form and this doesn’t feel like the time to desert his Copper Knight, the winner of his last two starts. He made all to defy a mark of 95 in a York handicap last time and it seems a gelding operation has made quite a difference to this one, a flop in last year’s Windsor Castle when with Hugo Palmer.
3.10 Musselburgh Another Easterby runner, Orion’s Bow, might be worth a second look. The winner of five in a row for Dandy Nicholls last summer, he could be helped by this drop to five furlongs with a strong pace assured. Duke Of Firenze is respected but I don’t fancy his chance of picking a way through from his draw close to the stands’ rail, where runners will congregate in front of him through the early stages.
3.30 York Easterby has another fair chance with Golden Apollo, carrying a penalty for a jaw-dropping performance at Pontefract on Monday that left his previous form far behind. His trainer has won this race twice in the past four years.
Saturday racing tips
Musselburgh 1.35 Donny Belle 2.05 Zac Brown 2.35 Khamaary 3.10 Orion’s Bow 3.45 Great Fighter 4.20 Magic Journey 4.55 Secret City 5.30 Sea Of Green
York 1.50 Azari 2.20 Heaven’s Guest 2.55 Thikriyaat (nb) 3.30 Golden Apollo 4.05 Visitant 4.40 Knockout Blow 5.15 Harbour Grey
Bath 1.55 Golden Muscade 2.25 Subjective 3.00 Short Call 3.35 Mister Musicmaster 4.10 Mamnoon 4.45 Zambezi Queen 5.20 Compton Prince
Sandown 2.10 The Big Lad 2.40 Copper Knight 3.15 Battered 3.50 Laidback Romeo 4.25 The Statesman 5.00 Musaahim 5.35 Vuela
Hexham 2.15 Bestwork 2.45 Enzani 3.20 Midnight Shot 3.55 Zarib 4.30 Petiville 5.05 Dica 5.40 Fred Le Macon 6.15 Fred The Foot (nap)
Lingfield 5.50 King Kevin 6.20 Ya Jammeel 6.50 Take Shelter 7.20 Cartographer 7.50 Captain Sedgwick 8.20 Margherita 8.50 Buxted Dream
Leicester 6.10 Pearl Noir 6.40 Sir Jack 7.10 Goodwood Crusader 7.40 Supersymmetry 8.10 Maximullius 8.40 Desert Cross 9.10 Majestic Stone
