A fiendishly competitive three-year-old sprint handicap is the main betting race on this pre-Ascot Saturday and any punter who comes up with the correct answer to the Pavers Foundation Catherine Memorial at York can count themselves thoroughly in form for the big week ahead. Cosmic Law (3.35) is the suggestion at an each-way price of 16-1.
From the Richard Fahey yard that took this three years ago with Mr Lupton, Cosmic Law ran what looked like a career best on his reappearance at Chester last month, giving a stone to the winner and being beaten half a length. His form tailed off a bit last year but he was deeply impressive on soft ground in the Woodcote Stakes and is evidently on a very fair mark. Any improvement for that first run back will make him a force here.
1.50 York With two 1’s next to her name and Joanna Mason aboard, Makawee is a perfectly natural choice of favourite for this amateur riders’ race and she is probably still on a beatable rating. But this ground is very different to the fast surfaces on which she has been winning, so the percentage call is to look elsewhere. French Mix is a steadily progressive mare who will be sharper for her recent Goodwood third and is very familiar with her rider.
2.05 Sandown Having been second twice in Group races last season, Well Done Fox is of obvious interest back at Listed level. He failed to beat a rival on his first run back but he was understandably stretched by six furlongs at Ascot in a race won by Calyx. This looks a more suitable target.
2.25 York He has been hard to win with but it’s a surprise to see 14-1 about Great Prospector given the quality of his third place to Safe Voyage at Haydock in April. He has been consistently better on a soft surface.
2.40 Chester Gravistas was quite a taking winner at Newmarket when Ryan Moore was aboard for the first time. But Moore is elsewhere and both ground and track layout are very different, so he looks an opposable favourite. Prefontaine, narrowly beaten on his reappearance, appeals as one that is going the right way for an in-form yard.
3.00 York The name Gold Mount may mean little to you but this is the same horse who won at Royal Ascot three years ago when called Primitivo. He was renamed for a career in Hong Kong, where he won a nice chunk of prize money before his form tailed off this spring. It would be no surprise to see him competitive for the in-form Ian Williams at this realistic level and on a softer surface than he has met for years.
3.15 Sandown A full brother to a Vermeille winner, Baltic Baron is an interesting addition to David O’Meara’s team of handicappers and he went close at the first attempt when runner-up at Nottingham 10 days ago. Oisin Murphy is an encouraging booking for the colt, who coped well with soft ground in France.
Bath 1.45 Das Kapital 2.20 Jungle Boogaloo 2.55 George Thomas 3.30 Rogue 4.10 Handytalk 4.45 Deptford Mick 5.20 Lieutenant Conde
York 1.50 French Mix 2.25 Great Prospector 3.00 Gold Mount 3.35 Cosmic Law 4.05 Historic 4.40 Najashee 5.15 Zumurud
Sandown 2.05 Well Done Fox 2.35 Fantasy Keeper 3.15 Baltic Baron 3.50 Karnavaal 4.25 Mubariz 5.00 Two Bids 5.35 Oi The Clubb Oi’s
Chester 2.10 Mrs Bouquet 2.40 Prefontaine 3.10 Bell Heather 3.45 She Can Boogie (nap) 4.20 Humble Gratitude 4.55 Gabrial The Devil (nb) 5.30 Al Kout
Hexham 2.15 Sleep In First 2.45 Some Day Soon 3.20 Nowhatiam 3.55 Lord Wishes 4.30 Tickenwolf 5.05 Prince Dundee 5.40 Wazowski
