The pick of the prices at Haydock, Ascot & Kempton....

Friday, 8th September 2023

The pick of the prices at Haydock, Ascot & Kempton….

I’m swinging the bat with GET SHIRTY at the general 16s & 14s in the Old Borough Cup at Haydock (3.00) tomorrow afternoon….

David O’Meara’s charge hasn’t managed to hit the heights of last term – drawing a blank from his five racecourse appearances since May….

But he’s had his excuses….

…. he was up against it at the weights in a G2 on seasonal reappearance….

…. the trip was on the short side at Haydock in June….

…. he ran wide in the Copper Horse at Royal Ascot….

…. he missed the start in a G3 at York….

…. and in the Ebor last month he raced right out the back and was given a lot to do from a wide draw….

That said I reckon the York performance last time was more promising than it looks on paper….

…. he moved smoothly through the pack up the straight – without quite managing to impose himself on the front rank – before fading in the final furlong….

He’s down to a mark of 100 – 10lb shy of where he was this time last year and 5lb shy of the mark from which he won the Old Newton Cup (at Haydock) last July….

…. so he’s handicapped to be a big player if he turns up and puts his best foot forward….

His record tells you that he’s a particularly potent force on soft ground – but he has very solid form in the book on quicker ground too….

…. and I can see him outrunning his odds tomorrow in a field which – as you’d expect in a £100k handicap – is competitive but not quite as hot as some of this term’s previous assignments….

• In the big one at Ascot – 2.35….

First time cheekpieces – with William Buick taking the ride – worked the magic for SPANGLED MAC at Newbury last time….

…. albeit in a lesser race than those he’d been contesting earlier this term….

He’s up just 3lb to a mark of 96 for that winning performance….

…. the cheekpieces are retained (predictably)….

… and William Buick retains the ride….

The upshot of these combined factors is this….

…. the stopper isn’t in the bottle yet and the 4yo has a big chance tomorrow at the 8s….

He loves Ascot – he ran a cracker over the 7f trip in the Buckingham Palace at the Royal meeting….

…. and he backed up just a few days later with a creditable effort in the Wokingham over the 6f trip….

The impression given is that the longer of the two trips suits best….

….. at flat-track Newbury he looked like he’d stay the mile….

…. and the rising 7f strip at Ascot looks just about the perfect set-up for this lad….

He turned out in July for the International over track and trip – but found himself drawn on the wrong side in a 25-runner field….

The draw won’t be quite the same issue in tomorrow’s smaller field – and I expect a big run….

• Down at Kempton – 2.10….

The London Mile Series Final has been the plan for BEAR FORCE ONE since he won his qualifier at the track back in May….

…. and he’s worth backing at the general 16s & 14s in a field where few are proven at this level….

He clearly demonstrated that he isn’t out of place in the C2 division when landing a £41k handicap at Newbury on Lockinge day in May….

…. and he turns out at Kempton tomorrow off a mark of 95 – just 2lb higher in the rankings….

…. and he’s certainly not weighted out of it….

He’s had a midsummer break and is fresher than pretty much everything in the field….

… but he did have a run out at Newmarket last month – which would have been a prep race for tomorrow’s assignment….

…. one I would hope has put him spot on for a big performance at a nice price….

That’s all for today….

Back next time….

Meantime – contact me direct at – nick.pullen@oxonpress.co.uk  

And remember – win, lose, or draw – enjoy the racing….

Stay tuned.

Against the Crowd