Yesterday’s Review
0.75pt e/way Sandscreendeliverd (97) – Jockey Tom Queally restrained the selection from racing prominently and he pulled too hard in behind before weakening into fifth place beaten 3 lengths. The horse usually races prominently and I would have been happier if he was allowed to get on with it. The other front runner was beaten a neck…
0.75pt e/way Cuckaloo Hill (88) – Persistent rain throughout the card changed the going from Good to Yielding (Good in places) to Yielding to Soft by the time the final race came around. I was hoping the selection’s trainer would declare her a non runner, as she would not have liked conditions, but that never happened. She raced in touch of the leaders but weakened from over two furlongs out coming home in 11th place beaten 19.5 lengths. The winner finished behind her last time out at Ballinrobe. Better ground will see a different horse.
Today’s Advice
VOLENDAM (8f 75y Hcap) – This four-year-old showed much improved form on the clock when comfortably taking an all-aged handicap at Bath last month by over 4 lengths. She raced in behind the leaders on that occasion and took up the running over a furlong from home. Despite the advertised Good (Good to Firm in places) going the winning times were slower than standard on the day and she does have a round action which would indicate that she should handle any forecast rain on today’s Good ground.
The key to her is to have something to aim at off a decent pace as she had when racing in behind Happy Chandler at Bath. Unfortunately, she saw too much daylight from a wide draw off a slowish pace at Wolverhampton last time out and raced too keenly. With plenty of prominent racers inside of her today like Ziata, Pretty Ambitious, Katalyst and Stella Lucente her jockey Joanna Mason should be able to find cover in behind the leaders and if she can conserve her energy for the finish a reproduction of her latest win should see her go close. I awarded her a (104) timefigure for her Bath victory and that would put her at the top of the chart for today’s (4.20) Nottingham.
BAY OF SUPREMACY (5f Hcap) – With the ground for today’s (5.12) Cork advertised as Good to Yielding with forecast rain on the way it may prove wise to side with a contestant who has already shown they can handle a bit of cut in the ground. The selection fits that bill perfectly having put up his two career best performances most recently on a soft surface at Naas and Bellewstown over the minimum trip. His third place finish at Naas behind Oh Cecelia back in March has been franked again by the winner at Cork and the fourth placed Chirac and fifth placed Cisterna have won since. Indeed, he came out and won at Bellewstown next time out himself while racing prominently and recording a (104) timefigure which is the best of today’s contestants. The form has been boosted with wins for the fifth placed Amiata and sixth place Sporting Hero since.
The handicapper has raised him 7lb for his latest victory and rising apprentice Patrick McGettigan is on board once again having done the steering last time out. Everything looks in place for another solid performance and the more rain that falls today the better for his chances.
0.75pt e/way Volendam (12/1 Paddy Power, William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral 4 places) 4.20 Nottingham
0.75pt e/way Bay Of Supremacy (6/1 Paddy Power, Skybet 4 places, 3 places others) 5.12 Cork
0.5pt e/way double