All three of the racecourses with cards in Britain this afternoon had rain overnight, and all three have reported a going change this morning as a result.
Leicester, which had 9mm and expects more this morning before a brighter afternoon, is now good, and good-to-firm in places, while Hamilton (a very precise 4.2mm) is good from good-to-firm and Chepstow, which was good and good-to-firm in places overnight, is now good and good-to-soft in places.
None of this makes life any easier for punters, and there are 27 non-runners scattered over the five cards already. Doncaster, though, is still good-to-firm as it was on Wednesday evening, and its decent card this evening is probably the best place to start.
Song Of Summer (6.40) is the one that catches my eye here, in the six-furlong nursery handicap. While some punters prefer to steer clear of early nurseries and wait until there is a little more form to go on, there is also an argument that this is the time when horses are more likely to sneak into a race on a lenient opening mark. It’s one I tend to favour, and Song Of Summer, who has been backed from 8-1 to 13-2 so far this morning, could well be a case in point.
Archie Watson’s filly has made steady progress in her three starts to date, most recently when sixth, just under four lengths behind the winner, in a decent novice stakes event over today’s course and distance. Others in the field have achieved a little more on paper, but they are weighted accordingly whereas Song Of Summer gets in on a mark of 65, 23lb below the top weight, Miss Bar Beach. She will not need to find much more improvement – if any – to go very close with just 8st on her back this evening.
Firefright (7.50) won his maiden over seven furlongs at Doncaster and was not suited by the way the race developed when third at Sandown last time out. He should return to winning ways back over tonight’s track and trip, while Zaria (6.00), who has decent course form including in the corresponding race last season, should go well on the other evening card at Epsom.
On the afternoon cards, Harbour Patrol (3.25) ran well with some cut in the ground at Ayr 10 days ago and could finally snap a long losing streak off a 1lb lower mark at Chepstow. Lucky Clover (4.30) will take some stopping under a penalty in the five-furlong sprint on the same card, while Tor (3.35) could offer some value against the odds-on chance Hochfeld up at Hamilton and Parlance (3.50) makes most appeal at Leicester.
Tips for Thursday’s races
Chepstow
1.50 Demon Rocks 2.20 Kimifive 2.55 Believe It 3.25 Harbour Patrol 4.00 Farleigh Mac 4.30 Lucky Clover 5.05 Bayston Hill 5.35 Tobouggaloo
Doncaster
5.40 Eternalist 6.10 Tig Tog 6.40 Song Of Summer (nap) 7.15 Divine Intuition 7.50 Firefright (nb) 8.20 Vernatti 8.50 Ingleby Mackenzie
Epsom Downs
6.00 Zaria 6.30 Dichato 7.00 Honiara 7.35 Really Super 8.10 Thundering Blue 8.40 Lesanti
Hamilton
2.00 Jive Lady 2.30 Camanche Grey 3.05 Metisian 3.35 Tor 4.10 Fivehundredmiles 4.40 Pioneering 5.15 Catastrophe
Leicester
2.10 Calibration 2.45 Supreme Power 3.15 Mr Tyrrell 3.50 Parlance 4.20 Ventura Knight 4.55 Surround Sound 5.30 Elusivity
