It’s been half term and I’ve been away for a week with the wife and kids, with very little time to look at the form. First day back and it looks a great day for a bit of action.
In the first a Leics the form of American Art, owned by art dealer Matthew Green, looks extremely solid, and most of the boxes are ticked. I’d have him as a 4/5 shot rather than a 7/4 shot and I think he’s worth an interest. In the 8:30 at Windsor Pete runs Mia’s Boy against a highly fancied Godolphin runner. Mia’s is a top horse and I’ll readily back him against an unraced 3yo, particularly at second favourite.
Thirsk has some decent prize money up tonight, and I see a few raiders are heading up the M6. In the 7:45 both Hazzard County and Shake on it go – the former is preferred. Michael Stoute runs Florimund for Khaled Abdullah in the 8:15, a classy horse who disappointed badly last time. I’ll give him another chance.
I’m principally a longshot backer though, and there are a couple today that tickle my fancy. In the 3:00 at Leics Tom Tate runs Greek Envoy. GE became difficult last year after winning first time up and was gelded in the winter. Tate has waited to bring him back – he should handle this ground just fine. Tate is an underrated trainer who is well capable of sending his horses in first time up and who’s horses often go off totally unbacked. GE is currently available at 42 on Betfair – a very big price in my reckoning.
In the 7:30 at Windsor Bryan Smart runs Crimson Silk, a dual course/distance/ground winner who hasn’t won for five years. CS missed 2005, presumably with an injury, and was no good in 2006 – he’s on the lowest mark of his lifetime. Often a horse that misses a year through injury is poor in his first year back, but returns to form the year after that – an example would be Bustan, who I had a decent bet on first time up this year. Crimson Silk is my punchy nap for the day, currently available on BF at 17.