FOR punters, this time of year can be a conundrum. The back-end of the flat is marked by big fields, wet ground and plenty of big price winners. Allied to that is the start of the jumps with most horses from the bigger yards invariably needing their first run. So finding winners is a tough old business. It pays to shop around the bookies for betting deals and it’s also worth checking out what’s on offer before you enter one of the many sites for online video slots. Monday is a good example: there are 87 runners at Pontefract where the ground is soft and the racing looks trappy to say the least. So let’s try to find a few winners…
Jamie Spencer travels north for three interesting rides. The first is PARTY NIGHTS for Luca Cumani in the 2.10 who has winning form on soft ground (under Spencer) over today’s trip. The handicap is fairly compressed so although the daughter of Lawman has top weight, she isn’t giving too much away. The form of her Yarmouth win has been franked by the second and third running well since and she should be bang there today.
Spencer rides Foxcub in the Phil Bull Stayers’ Handicap (4.40) who has never raced on the flat. A market check will be worth it. But it would be a major surprise if the winner came from beyond the useful trio of BURMESE, ORIENTAL FOX and CAYIRLI. Burmese was only 10 lengths behind Order Of St George in the Ascot Gold Cup and should take this, albeit at a short price.
Spencer’s final ride is on the progressive SABRE SQUADRON (5.10) who is sent north by Peter Chapple-Hyam. The son of French Derby winner Lope De Vega won his maiden with real authority at Leicester and although that was back in May, he will arrive here a very fresh horse.
A low draw over 5f is usually an advantage at Ponty so ARCTIC FEELING looks to have it all to do in the 5.40 from box 12. But on closer inspection he looks to be a well handicapped horse and this is a drop in grade from recent runs. He is down to a mark of 81 and Adam McNamara takes off another 5lb. His racing style of coming off the pace means the wide draw may not be such a hindrance and he can challenge wide in the straight. He is also a course and distance winner and does not mind soft conditions.
After last week’s kerfuffle about lady jockeys and Muslim owners, it’s interesting that the excellent Josephine Gordon, who was crowned champion apprentice on Saturday, gets the leg-up on one for Godolphin on Monday. She rides TIMEKEEPING (4.10) for Saeed bin Suroor who looks the apparent first string ahead of the William Buick-ridden Bailarico.
Finally, at Windsor EXOTERIC (3.50) looks good to complete a hat-trick. He is progressive and fairly lightly raced and has only been raised 4lb for a solid victory at Newmarket.
Be lucky!
