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There will be no bets on Sunday or Monday. We will return on Tuesday.
Today’s bets:
1.55 - Haydock:
Arganil - 1 pt e/w. Available at 10/1 (General) 2nd 15/2 ;D
Cheveton - 0.5 pts e/w. Available at 16/1 (General) 1st 16/1
The progressive Blue Jack and Mattamia are respected along with the consistent Hamish McGonaghall and Northern Dare. However Arganil may have a bit more to offer now he reverts back to handicap company. He has run reasonably well, although not at his best, in Group races on the last two occasions but showed he was a horse of potential when taking a Listed race on the A/W in March. He has the profile of a horse who could still find further improvement and he is not weighted out of this, being six pounds higher than when last seen in handicap company. He won on his reappearance this year, so an absence since June is not a concern, and he should get a good tow into the race with Captain Dunne drawn alongside. Cheveton has been out of form recently, and his draw is not ideal either, but an easy five furlongs on ground with a bit of cut could see him perform better. He has fallen to a tempting mark and, although Jim Crowley deserts him, he went close the only other time today's jockey has been on board.
2.55 - Haydock:
Magicalmysterytour - 1 pt e/w. Available at 9/1 (General)
Macorville - 0.5 pts e/w. Available at 33/1 (Stan James and William Hill)
A very competitive staying handicap which promises to be run at a decent gallop. That will suit Magicalmysterytour who wasn't seen to best effect when trying to come from a very long way back in the Ebor last time out. His best form prior to that had been in good ground or softer so his form recently under quicker conditions augurs well for his chances this afternoon. He is weighted to turn the tables on Hit's Only Vic who narrowly beat him at York in July and is actually two pounds below the mark from which he started the season, even though he looks to have improved. Macorville was absent for 21 months prior to returning to the track in July and it's guesswork how much of his former ability remains. However, although he only beat one home at Ascot last time out, there was some promise in that run. He was progressive through 2007 without winning and all four career victories have come in softer conditions. He is still above his last winning mark, which makes life very difficult, but he is a relatively unexposed stayer and a second over two miles in heavy ground in the Northumberland Plate means that both stamina and a large competitive field are not an issue. He probably needs some respite from the assessor but he is worth watching for future reference whatever his fate today.
3.05 - Thirsk - Splinter Cell – 2 pt win. Available at 7/1 (General)
It could be foolhardy to go against Invisible Man and Tiger Reigns. Both are progressive horses with the former bred to handle these conditions and the latter already proven in that respect. However Splinter Cell has won both his races over a mile, one of them in soft ground. That win, as a Juvenile, marked him down as a horse who will probably stay further in time and it was a stiff mile over which he won last time out. On an easier track like this that would normally be a concern but this promises to be run at a decent gallop and, in this ground, stamina could play a part in the outcome. Splinter Cell takes a step up in class but he is improving and that progression could be steeper under the conditions of this race. The yard send just the one to the track and book a jockey who not only has a profitable 23% strike rate at the track but also has a profitable 29% strike rate on their turf horses in recent seasons.
3.10 - Kempton - Set The Trend - 2 pts win. Available at 6/1 (General)
The progressive Musleh, who's unbeaten in two races here this season, will be popular but he isn't ideally drawn and faces a potentially tough opponent in the shape of Set The Trend. The selection probably found ten furlongs a bit too far in a very hot handicap at Goodwood last time out but, in the circumstances, still ran a highly creditable race. His two runs over this C/D have also produced very good efforts. His defeat of Antinori, the pair well clear, in April has seen been upheld by the progressive runner up since and he returned here to run second to Cloudy Start in June. He has risen to a stiff looking mark of 100 but there was plenty in the Goodwood performance from four pound lower to suggest he can cope with it back at this trip. He is well berthed in stall 15 to gain a good early pitch and that could be important with one of the pace horses now withdrawn and no natural trailblazers in the line up.
4.40 - Thirsk:
Focail Eile - 2 pts win. Available at 11/2 (General)
Desert Vision - 0.5 pts e/w. Available at 16/1 (General)
Focail Eile failed in his bid to notch a hat-trick at Nottingham last time out but he looked to be feeling the effects of his two wins in heavy ground (one just two days earlier). It was still an admirable effort, going down by just over two lengths in a slightly better race than this. He races from a two pound lower mark today and the return of the jockey who has ridden him to all three of his victories further enhances his chances. After eleven races further improvement cannot be ruled out and he comes from a yard who have had eleven winners from 37 runners since June. Desert Vision runs over his shortest trip to date having been seen initially in Bumpers and most recently over middle distances. However he handles soft ground and, if they go hard enough up front, his stamina could be an asset. His form in a nine furlong Claimer and a 12 furlong Maiden on the A/W is not too shabby and he should come on for his recent return from an eight month break.
5.25 - Kempton - Tinaar - 2 pts win. Available at 6/1 (General) 1st 4/1 :boss: