Daryl Carter was firing in the winners at the weekend and he is hoping for a great start to the new week with five selections on a jam-packed Bank Holiday Monday’s racing. Check out his thoughts below, which are all backable via
[CANOODLED] (2.15 Leicester, 1pt win 9/2)
Nothing has gone right for CANOODLED yet, but today looks like a good opportunity to show what she can do. She was campaigned over trips of 6 and 7f on the all weather but switched to the turf on her second handicap start. She caught the eye after being held up in a very slowly run race.
She was the horse to take out of the race after a powerful finishing effort, and it bodes well that the fifth has come out and won next time, and the victor and the second both ran with credit next time. She is off the same handicap mark here, and this race looks to hold plenty of pace, and a strongly run 1m looks her optimum at the moment, so a chance is taken.
[BACK CANOODLED HERE]
[DECLARED INTEREST] (2.50 Leicester, 2pt win 11/4)
A few open to improvement here, and although DECLARED INTEREST will be seen to best effect when going up in trip down the line, she is very well handicapped on last term’s form. Ralph Beckett can ready one first time up, and she won first time up at Chelmsford last season, so she is clearly capable when fresh.
This is far weaker than many of her races last season, including the win of her final start in Class 4 in which the runner-up is now 14lbs higher – she is 2lbs lower.
[BACK DECLARED INTEREST HERE]
[TWILIGHT CALLS] (3.25 Leicester, 2pt win 13/8)
TWILIGHT CALLS is a very progressive horse and now tries his hand in handicap company off what looks like a lenient opening mark of 87. He should strip fitter for his reappearance run at Doncaster in which he coasted away from his rivals under hand and heels riding.
He would have surely beaten Nelson Grey on debut at Newbury if fully fit and granted a clear run earlier in the race – he is now 10lbs better off with that horse. He looks one to keep on side, and he could easily make up into a Royal Ascot horse.
[BACK TWILIGHT CALLS HERE]
[ALFRED BOUCHER] (3.55 Windsor, 1pt win 13/2)
There is a good chance that Faisal could be above average, but stall nine on this sharp track off the back of a 271-day break could prove troublesome. ALFRED BOUCHER continues to improve and has shaped as though this trip is exactly what he wants after three good efforts in strong races.
This is now an ease in grade, and the cut in the ground should suit. He was giving away plenty of weight to progressive three-year-olds last term so his performances can be upgraded and now tackles a 4yo+ race for just the second time (away from Newmarket). There’s more to come, and he has few negatives to his chances.
[BACK ALFRED BOUCHER HERE]
[MAKRAM] (4.40 Redcar, 1pt win 11/2)
Hartswood is feared most, but MAKRAM is surely better than this handicap mark of 88 on the balance of his form, and he has credible excuses for his three defeats since winning at Ascot last July.
He was slowly away at Sandown but caught the eye finishing strongly, and it was the same story when entitled to improve for the run at Newmarket in April. He pulled well clear with two other unexposed sorts at York last time on his first attempt at this trip, and he is bred to relish the distance. He makes plenty of appeal here in a cracking race.
[BACK MAKRAM HERE]
Daryl Carter’s Best Bets (P/L update: Since Jan 2021 +152.10pts)
[CANOODLED] (2.15 Leicester, 1pt win 9/2)
[DECLARED INTEREST] (2.50 Leicester, 2pt win 11/4)
[TWILIGHT CALLS] (3.25 Leicester, 2pt win 13/8)
[ALFRED BOUCHER] (3.55 Windsor, 1pt win 13/2)
[MAKRAM] (4.40 Redcar, 1pt win 11/2)