Swinging the bat on Super Saturday....

Friday, 11th July 2025

Swinging the bat on Super Saturday….

Selections for Friday here….

In ATC today….

…. I swing the bat in the big handicaps on Super Saturday….

I’m on BRIONI in the 3.10 at York – he’s up at 12s….

…. I’m on RUN BOY RUN in the 2.50 at Newmarket – he’s up at 11s….

…. I’m on ALZAHIR at 12s in the 4.50 at Ascot….

…. and I’m on BOUNTIFUL at 10s in the 2.12 at Newmarket….

That’s the summary….

…. you’ll find all my reasoning below – as per usual….

Oh…. and if you’re looking for the standout place terms on offer – you’ll find them in the Bet Box below….

Read on….

-----

Just a quick note before we get started on the Super Saturday races….

Next week is a quiet weekend on the racing front….

…. and, for the first time in a long time, I’m going to take a few days off – just to recharge the old batteries a bit….

…. and to attend to a couple of personal matters….

So, you won’t hear from me during the week….

…. but I will be back on Friday with a horse or two for Newbury on Saturday afternoon….

P.S. Prince of India did the business for us yesterday – advised at 12s (with a bit of 14s about) and sent off at 7s….

Of course, I didn’t shift the market that far on my own – one or two of the big mainstream tipsters had the same ideas as me about Marco Botti’s horse….

…. so, there was a big pile-on – hence the price contraction….

But – and this is the bottom line – I reckon we got the very best of it at the prices….

…. which underlines why I go out 24+ hours ahead of time with the picks….

Whatever price you got – I hope you were on….

-----

I’m backing Alan King’s BRIONI at the general 12s for the John Smith’s Cup at York (3.10)….

I’ll be the first one to concede that stall 18 doesn’t represent an ideal draw – in theory….

…. and that no horse has won this race from a draw that wide in the last decade….

…. but I’m a contrarian – and I’m backing what I believe to be a well-handicapped horse rather than a stall number….

In any case, Brioni doesn’t want to go forward, there’s not massive pace on, and I reckon Rossa Ryan will find it relatively easy to slot him into a midfield position early doors and let the horse do his thing from there….

The 4yo looked really progressive last term after being gelded – winning at Goodwood and again at Ascot before not getting home over 12f on easy ground at Newmarket….

You can forget his seasonal debut this term over a mile at Newmarket – a prep for his next go which was a blowout over tomorrow’s course and distance at the May meeting….

Alan King applied first-time cheekpieces at Sandown next time up – and Brioni bounced back to form with a convincing win….

I reckon there’s more to come yet – and the yard’s been going nicely over the last fortnight….

RUN BOY RUN at the 11s is my pick for the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket (2.50)….

He was beaten 7.25 lengths in the Buckingham Palace at Royal Ascot – but that bare figure really underestimates his performance….

He was pretty much beaten before the stalls opened given that he was drawn 2 in a race where the high numbers were hugely advantaged on the day….

…. but he gave it a proper go – running strong and solo deep into the race – but with no chance against such a strong counter-current on the other side of the track….

He’d been showing up well over 6f earlier in the season – but that was his first go at 7f for a while and he stays at that longer trip tomorrow….

…. at a track where he’s run four times – always over the 7f trip – and never finished outside the first two….

Those were lesser races and more is required tomorrow – but he’s in good heart and he might just take the catching….

…. there isn’t a load of pace on and George Wood – who knows his mount well – could dictate the early fractions and stick it out late on….

Top-weight ALZAHIR at the general 12s is the pick for the Heritage Handicap at Ascot (4.50)….

It’s a strange entry to weigh up – and that makes the horse interesting in my book….

He was with David O’Meara for a long time – running over 7f and a mile….

…. and when Jennie Candlish got him she too campaigned him over those trips….

After a wind operation in February, he started this campaign over those same trips again – winning at Doncaster and Thirsk before getting beaten in more valuable handicaps at Newmarket, York, and Epsom….

Then he was dropped to 6f and won at Chester and again at Epsom – producing the best two performances of his career on the RPR scale….

Now – just a couple of pounds off his career high mark – he shows up at Ascot to contest a valuable handicap over the minimum trip….

Perhaps it’s just a roll of the dice – a shot at the money – more in hope than expectation….

…. but the drop to 5f gets my antenna twitching….

…. because I reckon connections believe a stiff 5f might just see this horse to better effect still….

…. and you won’t get to race for this much money over a stiff 5f anywhere else in the country….

In short, I think this is a plan with some thought and intention behind it – and Candlish is in a hot streak of form right now….

It’s one of them read-between-the lines jobs – and I might be barking up the wrong tree – but there’s enough there at the price to tempt me in….

BOUNTIFUL at 10s (there’s still a bit of 12s about) is the bet for the Trustatrader 20th Anniversary Fillies' Handicap at Newmarket (2.12)….

George Boughey ran her over a mile in the Sandringham at the Royal meeting as an ‘experiment’….

…. it was not only her first go at the trip, but her first go this term, her first in a tongue-tie, and – for whatever reason – it didn’t work out….

Last term she was progressive – running with credit at Listed and G2 level….

…. and her best performance came at the July meeting – albeit over the 6f trip – behind horses that subsequently proved themselves at Group level….

With the benefit of that Ascot run under her belt she turns out here in a lesser handicap on a mark of 95 – 4lb off her career high….

…. and there’s every chance that her price underestimates her….

At least that’s how I see it….

-----

Now, just to recap….

-----

That’s all for today….

Just to remind you….

…. I’m taking a few days off next week….

…. and I’ll be back in your inbox on Friday with picks for the action at Newbury next Saturday….

See you then….

Meantime – contact me at – nick.pullen@spapublishinggroup.co.uk

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

Stay tuned….

Against the Crowd