Yesterday’s Review
1pt win Moonstone Boy (101) – The going was changed to Soft after Race 1, although it may have walked like it was Soft the winning times were indicating the course was riding closer to Good to Soft (16 lengths per mile slow). The selection wouldn’t have been made on Good to Soft going, but never travelled or looked dangerous throughout the contest. Softer going and a more conventional track look badly needed.
0.5pt e/way Marchogion (96) – The selection was backed from 11/1 into 4/1 joint favourite, and if he head repeated his Newmarket effort he would have gone very close to winning. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find another gear inside the final furlong and perhaps he didn’t enjoy the majority of the field being to his right hand side on this occasion.
Today’s Advice
PATONTHEBACK (7f 6y Hcap) – This seven-year-old drops down to a winning handicap mark and steps up to his last winning distance. He has been running over shorter than preferred this season, and has the services of jockey Jack Mitchell for today’s (2.25) Doncaster. He raced prominently when successful this time last season, and with very little pace in today’s contest he will need to be in a similar position. He looks the right price for a sporting interest.
EPIDAVROS (9f 35y Hcap) – This lightly raced four year-old improved last season with a decent win over course and distance in a very strong time for a horse rated just 71 by the handicapper. She has gradually worked her way back into form this season, and last time out was unsuited by the steady pace over course and distance by the all-the-way winner Bubbles Wonky. She still stuck to her task well enough to finish in third place beaten just 2.75 lengths.
There sould be enough pace on for today’s (5.45) Hamilton for her to show her best with prominent racers Bassadanza and Surprised in the line-up, and with Jason Hart on board again, she looks the right price for an interest to put it up to the front two at the head of the market Zapphire (who has yet to show he stays this far) and Lunar Eclipse who is coming back from a 49 day absence, but does have some Listed class form from last season.
0.75pt e/way Patontheback (7/1 General) 2.25 Doncaster
1pt e/way Epidavros (4/1 General) 5.45 Hamilton