Saturday’s ITV4 races
The biggest success in the training career of David Dennis has been a decent handicap chase at last year’s Hennessy meeting. That could be about to change as the Worcestershire man pitches Deauville Dancer (1.55) into Cheltenham’s Caspian Caviar Gold Cup, in which the horse looks overpriced at 33-1.
There is a risk for punters in assuming this race is just a rerun of last month’s BetVictor Gold Cup. This race is run on the more stamina-stretching New Course but on a drier surface and it cannot be assumed Splash Of Ginge and Le Prezien will come to the fore once more, especially after the hard races they had four weeks ago.
Deauville Dancer has had plenty of chasing experience since May but something seems to have clicked in his last three starts, which show him to be on a steep upward curve. He has travelled strongly, finished well and defied an ever increasing rating.
Perhaps this step up in class will find him out but it looks rash of the betting market to take that for granted, especially in a race short on star quality. Here’s hoping this six-year-old can get into the argument at an each-way price.
2.10 Doncaster Braqueur D’Or looks the best horse but whether this stamina-laden sort wants a small field, level-weights contest on a dry surface is open to doubt and his game Hennessy fourth may have left a mark. Rocklander could have the legs of these rivals up the home straight, having won over a shorter trip at Ludlow last time.
2.30 Cheltenham The transformation of Count Meribel continued last month at Ascot, where he made all and scored by eight lengths. He is preferred to Equus Secretus, who hung rather offputtingly last time and is untried on this ground.
2.45 Doncaster Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls field a couple of useful juveniles and it may be the older man who comes out on top with the former French We Have A Dream. He won as he pleased at Warwick last month and the distant third and fourth that day have since won three races between them.
3.05 Cheltenham The New One has made this race his own but, at the age of nine, he now comes up against Melon. Beaten only by the freakish Labaik in the Supreme back in March, Melon ran to a similar level with a reappearance win at Down Royal and looks the standout talent here. He can maintain Willie Mullins’s perfect (2/2) record in Britain this season.
3.20 Doncaster From a stable that may be emerging from a slump, Killala Quay gets in 1lb below the mark from which he won here in February. First-time blinkers may help him hold his position for the first circuit.
3.40 Cheltenham Progressive last winter, Graceful Legend took another step forward in first-time cheekpieces when scoring at Ascot last time, with the extra distance proving helpful. This is hotter but she has more to give and odds of 14-1 understate her chance.
Tips for all Saturday races
Doncaster 12.00 One For Billy 12.30 Countister 1.05 Markov 1.40 Amour De Nuit 2.10 Rocklander 2.45 We Have A Dream 3.20 Killala Quay
Cheltenham 12.10 Apple’s Shakira 12.45 Movewiththetimes 1.20 Bentelimar 1.55 Deauville Dancer (nb) 2.30 Count Meribel 3.05 Melon 3.40 Graceful Legend (nap)
Hereford 12.20 Sonoftheking 12.55 Vision Des Flos 1.30 Farm The Rock 2.05 Ozzie The Oscar 2.40 Rayvin Black 3.15 Rock And Roll King 3.45 Topofthecotswolds
Newcastle 12.40 Shan Dun na nGall 1.15 Watersmeet 1.50 Star Story 2.25 Mitcd 3.00 King Kevin 3.35 Trevithick 4.05 Reckless Endeavour 4.35 Fintry Flyer
Wolverhampton 5.45 Los Camachos 6.15 Miss Uppity 6.45 Pulsating 7.15 Tropics 7.45 Daily Trader 8.15 Espresso Freddo 8.45 Sword Exceed 9.15 Beyond Recall
