Race of the Day
/
Timeform /
06 May 2011 /
Leave a Comment

Ascot Races

“Brae Hill has looked better than ever this year and can gain compensation for an unlucky run in the Spring Cup when he was done no favours by the draw.”

Timeform go through the runners for this historic seven-furlong handicap…

Himalya put up some cracking places efforts in some good races over six and seven furlongs last season, including in a Group 2 at Doncaster as well on all three of his starts here. He has looked awkward on occasions though and is proving hard to win with.

Lowther enjoyed a really productive all-weather campaign, winning three times in all, looking better than ever at Wolverhampton in March prior to a fine third in the Spring Cup at Newbury.

Castles In The Air‘s career highlight came when landing a hotly contested handicap over CD last July. He had excuses over a mile in the Lincoln on his reappearance, but was more like his old self over six furlongs at Thirsk last time and has probably been readied for this race.

Oasis Dancer progressed again last year to win a handicap and a minor event, the latter at Newbury. He has mainly struggled since, apart from one good effort at Meydan on his reappearance, and needs to raise his game here.

Corporal Maddox won three times for different yards as a two-year-old, but has been lightly raced since,. He offered little promise over five furlongs at Nottingham on his reappearance and looks to start life in handicaps on a stiff mark.

Shamandar won three times as a juvenile in 2009, including a six-furlong listed event at Newbury and a valuable sales race over six and a half furlongs here. This is a big ask returning from such a long absence.

Horseradish is a progressive performer who has won five of his last eight starts, travelling strongly to beat Waffle by three quarters of a length in a Doncaster handicap on his reappearance. He is just as good at seven furlongs and it’s doubtful we’ve seem the best of him yet.

Fathsta is a strong traveller with a potent turn of foot who improve to win a six-furlong handicap at York in October. He showed he’s in form with a win in a Warwick minor event last time and his style of racing is well suited to these events.

Golden Desert held his own without success in competitive six- and seven-furlong handicaps last year, including here. He isn’t badly handicapped on the pick of those efforts, but is coming here on the back of three modest efforts at Meydan.

Brae Hill has a couple of seven-furlong wins around Chester to his name. He was an excellent second in the Lincoln on his reappearance prior to running well from a poor draw in the Spring Mile. The drop back to seven furlongs is no worry and everything looks set for a bold bid.

Nasri was placed in listed races as a three-year-old when trained by Brian Meehan, but wasn’t at his best in 2010 for David Simcock. He bounced back to form for this yard when making all at Musselburgh last time but is unlikely to dominate here.

Bay Knight did well last year, narrowly winning a valuable five-furlong handicap at the Curragh and also a very good fifth in the Portland at Doncaster/ He stays this far and should be all the better for his reappearance.

Rulesn’regulations was well held in competitive handicaps after winning a seven-furlong minor event at Glorious Goodwood last summer and needed the run on his reappearance. Others looks better treated but conditions are fine.

Hawkeyethenoo is a hold-up sprinter who made great strides last year, the best of his three wins coming in a valuable six-furlong handicap a York. He ran an excellent race on his reappearance at Newmarket last week, but the trip could well stretch him here.

Gouray Girl ended last year on the up with a first handicap success tackling seven furlongs for the first time at Newbury in October. She will strip fitter for her recent reappearance, but could well find this too competitive.

Mon Cadeaux won twice over six furlongs as a two-year-old. He was a good third in a seven-furlong listed race at Epsom in June but was well held after and is hard to warm to unless a gelding operation has had a positive effect.

Parisian Pyramid nabbed competitive six-furlong heats at Goodwood and Windsor in 2010. He was a good second at Ripon after but looked some way off his best on his reappearance and has seldom impressed at this trip before.

Manassas‘s two handicaps success have both come at Doncaster and he again ran well there when third in the Spring Mile on his reappearance. He was mid-field in this last year, but is better handicapped now and could go well.

Noble Citizen is on a long losing run but mostly kept his head above water in competitive handicaps last season. He put in a pretty modest effort on his reappearance, though, and this is much tougher.

Lutine Bell has been a rare improver after leaving Sir Mark Prescott, winning on the all-weather in November. He got back to that sort of form when fourth to Horseradish at Doncaster on his reappearance and the return to this trip is likely to suit.

Excellent Guest mostly contested handicaps at the top tracks last season and gained due reward over CD in September. He was better than ever when making a winning reappearance at Yarmouth last month, but a 4 lb rise demands more.

Zero Money won twice over seven furlongs last summer and bounced backed from a blip when pushing Docofthebay close at Ayr in September. Further improvement is required for him to take this on his reappearance.

Layla’s Hero won five times at five and six furlongs for David Nicholls in 2009 and is now back with that trainer. There wasn’t much encouragement to be gleaned from his reappearance but it would be no surprise if he fared better with the run behind him.

Bravo Echo was progressive on polytrack early last season and got back on the up on that surface this winter, recording two stylish wins in January. He was well held in the Spring Cup back on turf last time though and this is just as tough.

Al Muheer enjoyed a productive campaign in 2009 for Clive Brittain, winning a valuable handicap over CD. He hasn’t yet had the chance to show what he can really do for his present stable and it’s too soon to be writing him off.

Dhaular Dhar is a hold-up performer who ended a long losing run at Musselburgh in September/ He has shaped well both starts this season without things falling right but he’ll need a career best to take this back at seven furlongs.

Douze Points won only a maiden from nine starts in 2009 and didn’t look straightforward in a winless campaign last year. He made a good reappearance for his new yard but there’s a concern that he’ll find this too tough.

Advanced is no stranger success in big-field handicaps, including over CD. He was fifth on his reappearance and is well handicapped nowadays, but he has become increasingly lazy and isn’t so reliable anymore.

Timeform 1-2-3:
1. Brae Hill
2. Horseradish
3. Castles In The Air

Timeform View: Brae Hill has looked better than ever this year and can gain compensation for an unlucky run in the Spring Cup when he was done no favours by the draw. The return to this trip won’t cause a problem and he is just preferred to the progressive Horseradish and stable-companion Castles In The Air, who looks like he has been laid out for this.

Timeform Daily: Dee Stakes, Friday, Chester 14:20

The Dee Stakes has proved the more informative of Chester’s Derby Trials in recent years, the 2003 winner Kris Kin the last horse to double up at Epsom. Timeform go through the field for this year’s renewal……

Timeform Daily: Huxley Stakes, Chester, Thursday 14:20

There are two Group 3s at Chester on Thursday, but this one gets the nod over the Vase as the Timeform Race of the Day…….

Timeform Daily: Chester Cup, Wednesday 14:55

It’s the first day of the Chester May meeting and the highlight is the Chester Cup, a handicap over two miles and two furlongs. Timeform take you through the field runner by runner…….