Selections for Friday 23rd of August 2024
1.50 York
1 point each way Insanity (8/1 Bet365/ William Hill/ Boylesports/ Coral, 4 places)
Insanity is progressive and I like the fact that trainer Alan King was going to give the horse a break after Ascot but feels the horse is so well in himself he’ll run here. Insanity is obviously in a good place and he has proven form over the trip and the ground. He has never raced on firmer than good but the forecasted rain may take the firmness out of the going. Three year olds have a poor record in this race in past years so I have taken them on with older horses. He started the year with a rating of 84, then 88, 91 and now 95. Winning on three occasions and second on the other. Stall 6 is fine.
1 point each way Derry Lad (12/1 William Hill, 4 places or else 11/1 Generally, 4 places)
I’ve made the case for Derry Lad on the last two occasions and I am putting a line through his run at Galway and willing to give him one more chance. I felt he was unlucky on his penultimate start where jockey Hayley Turner felt the horse’s challenge was over before it was and wasn’t as strong on him as could have been. He fairly flew home that day to finish a closing third off a mark just 1 lb lower. He is drawn in stall 3 and will be challenging late, hopefully he gets the breaks required with his running style.
3.00 York
1 point each way The Strikin Viking (4/1 Betfred, 4 places or else 4/1 Betvictor/ Ladbrokes/ Boylesports/ Coral, 3 places)
The Strikin Viking has laid down all the markers of being a top Juvenile Sprinter this season. He is drawn in stall 10 which isn’t a good thing going on the results so far this week but I like the fact that he won on debut over today’s course and distance impressively. He then finished second at the Curragh in the Group 2 Railway Stakes. Arizona Blaze was 3 lengths behind in third that day and has franked the form since, finishing second yesterday. His last run when finishing second to Black Forza in a Group 2 at Goodwood can be marked up as he sat too near a strong pace and did remarkably well to finish as close as he did. James Doyle will have learnt plenty from that last run and will be gunning to go one better.
3.35 York
1 point each way Live In The Dream (11/1 Skybet, 5 places or else 12/1 Generally, 4 places)
Non Runner..
1 point each way Bradsell (5/1 Skybet, 5 places or else 11/2 Generally, 4 places)
Live In The Dream and Regional are both now non runners which doesn’t help Bradsell as they were the pace angle for the lower drawn horses. He was drawn away from the pace last year and did well to finish third considering. He was very impressive on his comeback run over 5f at Deauville in a Listed race last month and that should have him spot on for today. He was a King’s Stand winner back in 2023 and has loads of talent however it is a negative that both Regional and Live In The Dream are now non runners.
4.10 York
1 point each way Battle Queen (10/1 Bet365, 5 places or else 9/1 Paddy power/ 888 Sports/ Unibet, 5 places)
Battle Queen looks well handicapped in here running off a lovely low weight of 8-3. She ran well on her penultimate start at Ascot when drawn on the wrong side and was a good second at Newbury on her latest run when racing too far back but finishing strongly for second over 1 mile. It left a strong impression that she would be suited by a step up in trip and the extra 2 furlongs here should see her improve. I also like the fact that connections finished second in this race last year to the re-opposing Reach. I’m sure they would love some compensation here.
4.45 York
2 points Win Angelo Buonarroti (11/4 Generally)
Angelo Buonarroti cost 1 million in the breeze up sales and was thought highly enough to be thrown into the Group 2 Coventry on debut at Royal Ascot. He finished ninth of twenty two on that occasion and moved to the Ralph Beckett stables. I can see him improving significantly for that debut run and whispers are that he has been working really well of late. Today will tell…
**Date & Time of next Selections Friday 23rd of August at 9pm..