Wooden Hurt To Have a Bath Double

Small field are again the order of the day on Thursday, and opportunities to find an angle look thin on the ground. Sir Mark Prescott should farm a couple at Bath, but the last 2 races on that card are more interesting, and look to provide some betting ammunition.

The 1m handicap at 17:00 is competitive enough, with recent C&D winner Devon Diva looking to make all again, and sure to be popular. She's got every chance of getting to the front again, but didn't have to break the clock in scoring last time, and will struggle to follow up if others keep her honest in front. Michael Murphy will try to conserve energy on John Gallagher's mare, but she is likely to set this up for something else, and the one which fits the bill is topweight Squirrel Wood.

Mary Hambro's mare has only recently returned from the yard of George Baker, for whom she posted a career-best effort to finish a close second to Just Isla, with Do More Business third. If Squirrel Wood was still in Baker's care, I'd expect her to go off a 6/4 shot, but even if you don't rate the trainer, it's hard to imagine a few days will make any difference to how she runs here, and she should be considered to have been conditioned by her previous handler for this. That being the case, and with a step up in trip sure to suit (she stays 13f) she looks decidedly overpriced at 3/1. With the Brighton form looking solid, it may well be that Do More Business represents the biggest danger, and should be played accordingly.

The closing sprint handicap features some of the usual suspects, with a pair who find winning difficult, Catalinas Diamond and Ridgeway Sapphire, of interest in handicapping terms, but arguably best played as part of an exotics strategy. Preference is for the well-treated Wooden King, who is confidently expected to bounce back to winning ways. This dual C&D winner scored off an 8 lb higher mark at Salisbury last summer, and signalled a revival when second to Dreams of Glory over 5f here last time, with Volito (who reopposes on the same terms) just behind in third.

With several front runners in the line-up, Wooden King should be able to tuck in, before striking as the leaders flag, and if Matthew Lawson can get his timing right, he should be able to get a jump on the closers, with Volito, Catalinas Diamond and Ridgeway Sapphire all expected to finish off well, but hopefully too late to reel in the selection. As always, profits can be enhanced by judicious forecast betting, and the trio mentioned are worth playing in exactas (or even trifectas) underneath the main pick.  

Recommendations:

Both at Bath

Back Squirrel Wood @ [4.0] in the 17:00 (NAP)

Back Wooden King @ [3.6] in the 17:30 (NB)