GG tipster Andrew Mount reveals his list of eyecatchers from the past week’s racing. Find out which runners he wants to keep onside below, alongside bet365‘s new customer offer of £50 in Free Bets when you deposit £10.
ANCIENT TIMES, second, 5.5f handicap, Chester, Saturday, August 20th
The two most recent Chester meetings featured a ‘dead’ rail and a strong bias favouring wide runners but we were back to normal last Saturday when the winners were described by the Racing Post as ‘tracked leader, led over 4f out’, ‘tracked leaders on inner’, ‘made all’, ‘disputed lead, led overall after 1f’, ‘prominent on inner’, ‘made all’ and ‘in touch with leaders’. ANCIENT TIMES (stall 6 of 9 once adjusted for non-runner corruption) fared best of those to come from midfield or further back when second by three-quarters of a length to KING OF TONGA (stall 1) in the 5.5f Class 2 handicap. Pierre-Louis Jamin did switch him to the inside to challenge but it was still a solid effort. He was drawn out of it when only 14th of 22 in Bergerac’s race at York three days earlier and should find another race before the ground turns.
CHIPSTEAD, won, 5f handicap, Sandown, Saturday, August 20th
CHIPSTEAD powered away to score by more than three lengths from Isle Of Lismore and clearly appreciated the cut back to 5f. His record over trips shy of 6f now reads 1111 (4-4), with three of the wins coming at left-handed Bath. He still tends to hang left in his races and, though up 8lb for this win, might have more to offer when asked to race left-handed again.
CLASHANISKA, third, 7f classified stakes, Chepstow, Monday, August 22nd
CLASHANISKA appreciated the big field/strong pace scenario when overcoming a slow start to account for 14 rivals over 6f here on August 18th and was well backed to follow up over the extra furlong. He missed the break again but, on soft going, the frontrunners never came back, and he had to settle for third, just over two lengths behind the winner. He’s perhaps not the easiest to catch right given his slow-starting tendency but should find another race when he encounters a strong gallop.
FOOLS RUSH IN, ninth, 7.5f handicap, Chester, Saturday, August 20th
The first three home in this Class 2 contest came from stalls 3, 2 and 1 of 11 and those drawn high never had a prayer. It was surprising to see FOOLS RUSH IN sent off at just 5-1 form stall 10 (adjusted for non-runners) and Hugo Palmer’s four-year-old could never get anywhere near the favoured rail under a patient ride. He made some ground widest of all on turning in, but the effort petered out and he trailed home in ninth place. This run is easily forgiven, and the market could overreact next time. His six turf wins have come in June, July or August but he’s a heavy-ground winner and did finish a close second on soft going at Musselburgh last October, so he could have a successful autumn.
GABRIAL THE DEVIL, fifth, 5.5f handicap, Chester, Saturday, August 20th
GABRIAL THE DEVIL had struggled to stay the 7.5f trip when ninth of 13 to Fools Rush In here on his latest start and ran much better returned to sprinting, despite his poor wide draw in stall 9 of 9. He raced keenly and became unbalanced soon after the start but kept on well to finish a 20-1 fifth. The four that finished in front of him were drawn 1, 6, 4 and 3 and he did second best of those to come from off the pace. He’s won here twice in September previously and will hopefully have more luck with the draw next time.
MATILDA PICOTTE, third, 6f Group 2, York, Thursday, August 18th
The strong bias to low draws in sprints on day one of last week’s Ebor Festival at York started to disappear on day two and it certainly helped to be drawn high in the Group 2 Lowther Stakes, with the fist four berthed in stalls 14, 12, 6 and 11. The winner, runner-up and fourth all raced down the middle of the track, with third-placed MATILDA PICOTTE emerging best of the far-side bunch. She had also fared best of her group when runner-up at Naas the time before and deserves a change of luck.
NOMADIC EMPIRE, fourth, 5.5f handicap, York, Wednesday, August 17th
It paid to race up with the pace towards the far side in York’s opener last Wednesday in which fourth home NOMADIC EMPIRE, wearing a visor for the first time, did really well to grab fourth from stall 15 after a slow start. Jason Watson did switch him to the favoured far side rail, but it was still a cracking effort. He’s been dropped 1lb to a mark of 94 and is now 5lb below his last winning mark. His three wins have come in fields of ten or fewer runners.
ON A SESSION, fifth 7.5f handicap, Chester, Saturday, August 20th
ON A SESSION was forced to race wide from stall 7 of 11 and could never strike a blow. The first three home came from stall 3, 2 and 1 and, though not the easiest to win with, he can be supported next time, ideally at an each-way price.
OUZO, fifth, 1m handicap, York, Thursday, August 18th
OUZO hasn’t won since October 2020 yet ran off a handicap rating of 95 in the Clipper Logistics, 3lb above his last winning mark. Jamie Osborne’s 22-1 shot ran a blinder to finish fifth of the 18 runners, doing best of those to race up with the pace. His record for his current trainer, without headgear, reads 2nd of 8 (beaten by a neck), 3rd of 9 (beaten by 1L), 4th of 18 (20-1) and 5th of 18, suggesting that he can be supported each-way until the end of the season.
SHINING BLUE, sixth, 1m handicap, York, Thursday, August 18th
SHINING BLUE won his first three starts and though losing his 100% record when last of 18 in the Golden Mile at Glorious Goodwood last month, he had little chance from his high draw that day. Fitted with a first-time hood – a positive statistical angle for Saeed Bin Suroor-trained runners – he was well supported to bounce back under Frankie Dettori in the Clipper Logistics Handicap at York last Thursday. Ridden prominently but caught out wide from stall 13, he looked likely to be involved two furlongs out, but the cavalry arrived and, after getting squeezed out close home, he dropped back to sixth of the 18 runners. He did second best of those to race close to the front end and can be given another chance.
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