THE dry weather continues, with Ascot and Lingfield currently good to firm, while at Haydock they have, like last year, good ground for their mixed card of jumps and flat racing.
After the first two classics at Newmarket last weekend, we have had the Epsom trials at Chester this week, and Lingfield have their Oaks and Derby trials too.
Enjoy whether at a racecourse or watching #athome on ITV Racing.
Cheers
The Wine Tipster
1:35 Haydock – Pertemps Network Swinton Handicap Hurdle (1m 7½f)
Tapley is 4lb lower than his second to Pickanumber in this race last year and with good ground once again he looks to be right in the frame over what looks the best trip for him.
Tapley may not have won since last October, when winning on seasonal debut over this distance; however, he has been running in some very competitive races, like the Tolworth, when the ground was too soft and at Aintree, when sixth at 50/1.
On good ground at Hereford last month, he looked like he was on the way back to form when a 5¾ length fifth to Goblet of Fire over two miles, when only weakening before the last. The booking of the champion jockey certainly catches the eye, and with conditions in his favor, he can reward each-way backers at a minimum.
1:50 Lingfield – Handicap (1m 3½f)
Morcar for Unibet Ambassador Richard Hannon will certainly handle the very quick ground, and he won a handicap on the turf here last spring, so the track is fine too.
He was a close third at Windsor last month over pretty much this distance, and conditions are right for him to run a big race.
2:40 Ascot – Schwepps Victoria Cup Heritage Handicap (7f)
Qirat (nap) won on seasonal debut last year at Goodwood over this distance, and you can expect him to be ready for this competitive handicap.
He certainly built on his first time out success, winning again over this distance at Goodwood and then finishing runner-up here at Ascot ahead of then finishing the season off with a second in Listed company at Nottingham. Qirat is still a fairly lightly raced four-year-old for one of his age, having only had the nine starts, and providing the going is good to firm, this classy type has a strong chance.
Ten Pounds is the true 7f specialist having only raced over this distance in his six career starts, and he showed at Newmarket last time out at the Craven meeting when making all that how well he is suited by this trip. Admittedly, the second and third haven’t franked the form, though the fourth did at the Guineas Festival, and you sense there is plenty of improvement to come from this four-year-old.
He showed last season with a three-timer that is very versatile too, with two wins on the all-weather and a success on good to firm at Leicester.
This is his first appearance at Ascot, and with the yard in good form, you can see Ten Pounds running a big race with conditions to suit.
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