The pick of the Saturday prices....

Friday, 14th June 2024

The pick of the Saturday prices….

Ahead of Royal Ascot….

…. which starts on Tuesday….

…. we’ve got a decent portion of Saturday action to enjoy….

…. with three proper big-field handicaps to target at Sandown and York….

Let’s get on with it….

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In the 2.05 – Sandown….

Farasi Lane is interesting at the general 14s….

…. but he’s a 6yo now and I wonder how much improvement he can have left in him on a mark of 91 after his win at Kempton in April….

He has improved since joining Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole and I could be all wrong about him….

…. but he gives me the impression he’s running for place money….

Preference is for MASCAPONE at the 9s….

He’d been off for 582 days (and gelded) ahead of his return at Newcastle last month….

He finished 5/11 beaten 3.75 lengths….

…. but he finished the 7f contest off really well – coming from furthest back….

…. and the step up to a mile tomorrow is sure to suit….

He’s got some fancy handicap entries stretching out across the summer and I reckon he’s very nicely handicapped on 89….

…. a mark he’ll almost certainly need to move on from – and rapidly – if he’s going to make any of the big engagements mapped out for him….

He’s drawn in stall 15 tomorrow – not ideal….

…. but it might not be too much of a hinderance to him as his running style suggests he likes to be dropped-in and to come late….

With Jamie Spencer up top he’s got the perfect partner to make the best of that scenario….

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In the 2.25 – York….

YANIFER ran too free at Chester on his return last month – the first time he’d been seen since running down the field in the 2023 Lincoln….

They went a fair clip early doors that afternoon on the Roodee….

He was always on the pace but he kept to his task well as the other front-end runners dropped away….

… finishing 3rd – beaten by two horses that had produced their respective efforts from much further back….

That will have taken the fizz out of him and he can progress for it tomorrow – assuming he avoids the dreaded (and possibly fabled) ‘bounce’….

I think it’s a little unfair – but he’s gone up 2lbs for that Chester effort to a mark of 90….

That puts him 4lb in advance of his last win – which came over course and distance in a big field back in October 2022….

He’ll have to improve a little but he clearly handles the track, I think he’s better over the 7f trip than he is over the mile….

…. and – with one or two heavy showers forecast ahead of racing – the ground could be just right for him (he’s pretty versatile anyway)….

The 9s is fair enough about him….

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In the 3.35 – York….

The handicaps restricted to 3yos are not my favourite races….

…. but I do like Ralph Beckett’s SERRIED RANKS for this one at the general 14s & 12s….

His win at Goodwood last August looks pretty decent with the benefit of hindsight….

The second horse that day – stablemate Starlust – is now rated 114….

…. after producing a series of smart performances in between times at home and overseas….

…. including a G3 win on the AW, a big 2yo handicap performance at York, two big performances in Meydan over the winter, and a decent handicap win at York last month….

Serried Ranks runs off 93 tomorrow and has simply got to be in with a shout off that mark….

He didn’t back up his Goodwood win next time out on his one appearance to date at York – but I can discount that given he was gelded shortly afterwards….

Nor did he set the world alight on seasonal return at Sandown….

…. but he ran well enough considering he was running over a fast 5f that wouldn’t have been ideal….

Back up at 6f tomorrow – and with that run under his belt – he’s a player….

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• Finally….

That’s all for today….

I’ll be back on Monday with my picks for Day 1 at Royal Ascot….

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

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

Stay tuned….

Against the Crowd