Meth Can Prove Punters' Ally

No, I'm not advocating a slug of methylated spirits - it's only August after all, but today's best bet on surprisingly fast ground at Chepstow is Methaaly in the 6f handicap at 17:35. The key component once again is an ease in class for an apparently out-of-form runner, and hopefully the drop to a lowly 0-55 event will the 10-y-o's class shine through against some moderate rivals.

A winner of 3 of his last 7 races in Class 6 company, Mick Mullineaux's charge has been keeping much better company this summer, and it's hardly surprising that he's failed to set the world alight in much more competitive events, merely running past beaten horses when mid-field last time. That's very much Methaaly's style, and he'll be running past beaten horses again today, with the crucial difference that he'll be able to start picking the stragglers off earlier, and he looks set for a big run as long as the race isn't run at a crawl.

Pace is a worry here, with only Jackie Love looking sure to press on, but Gracie's Games tends to race prominently when in form, and I'm hoping that she'll apply pressure from an early stage, in order to keep the leader honest. She might have been the selection, in fact, but the failure of forecast rain to materialise is a negative for Richard Price's 'mudder', and plays to the strengths of Methaaly instead.

The second division of the sprint at 18:05 is uncompetitive, and few of the runners can even muster a win at the lower reaches of the handicap scale, with only a quartet having gained a turf win in the last two years. Of those, Deliberation is the obvious favourite, for all a sizeable gamble went astray on him at Brighton last week, and he's a backable price given the gamble developing on Euroquip Boy. The support for Michael Scudamore's performer is understandable, as he caught the eye over much further last time, and his sole win came over C&D a couple of years ago, but he's not hugely compelling at current odds.

It's not quite as easy to see the claims of Lady Mango, but her latest flop came on deep ground she's unproven on at Ffos Las, and that run (her first since January) will at least have brought her on in terms of fitness. A winner of a better contest over C&D last July, she's now 6 lb lower in the weights, and while she has lost her way in the intervening months, this is probably the best time to catch her. With better credentials in the book than most of her rivals, she looks a big price at around 18/1.

Recommendations:

Both at Chepstow

Back Methaaly @ [8.0] in the 17:35 (NAP)

Back Deliberation & Lady Mango @ [3.7] & [19.0] in the 18:05

Keep Your Head And Back Shahrazad

We can learn plenty from the mythical Queen Scheherezade, or Shahrazad, whose marriage to the formidable Shahryar didn't augur well, the King being in the habit of executing the virgins he married after just one night, such was his belief in the treachery of womankind. She managed to avoid her fate by beginning a story each evening which transfixed the King, but held off the denouement, meaning that she was allowed another chance to finish the tale. This she did for a thousand and one nights, giving us the title of that famous collection of folk tales which is also called the Arabian Nights. Quite how the queen managed to produce a trio of children during this spell is unclear, and probably none of my business.

Her equine namesake runs in the 16:40 at Windsor in search of her fourth win of the season, and it's somewhat ironic that she gained her latest win from a gelding named after another ancient ruler with uxoricidal tendencies (albeit these may have been allayed by timely castration, but I digress). With her stamina unproven, and having raced freely, it looked certain that Herod The Great would put her to the sword when looming up menacingly (you're on very thin ice with this metaphor - Ed), only for Shahrazad to hold on in most determined style.

There's no doubt that she saw the ten furlong trip out thoroughly, as one would expect given she's out of well-related Darshaan mare, and she looks capable of defying a penalty with the excellent Shelley Birkett taking over from trainer's son Jack Gilligan, for whom the Newbury effort was his first win at just the second attempt. That win for an inexperienced rider marks her out as both straightforward and thoroughly likeable, and those are traits (inherited, I'd like to imagine, from her great-great-granddam Al Bahathri, who remains my favourite Flat performer of all time) which will stand her in good stead.

An inveterate front runner, Shahrazad wasn't fazed when taken on at Newbury, and that scenario looks likely again here, with several of her rivals also tending to race on the sharp end. The selection's proven stamina gives her the edge over favourite Sinaadi, who is unraced beyond a mile, and not bred to appreciate the extra yardage of today's race. With the prospect of more to come at this trip, Shahrazad really ought to be heading the market.

The concluding handicap over an extended eleven furlongs can see a new face in the winners enclosure, as Imogen Pickard, known to all and sundry as Bundle, looks to land her first win since recently being granted a BHA licence to train under Rules. Better known for success between the flags, Miss Pickard can make it a day to remember courtesy of the improving Mister Fizz. The son of Sulamani caught a tartar in the shape of the well supported Bohemian Rhapsody at Ffos Las early this month, but the pair pulled 8 lengths clear of the third that day, and the form looks solid. Raised 2 lb for what was just his second run back from absence, he looks on a winning mark, and can prove the point by beating some better fancied opponents. Hopefully, it will be a case of "Thanks a bundle, Bundle" at a quarter past five.

Recommendations:

Both at Windsor

Back Shahrazad @ [4.0] in the 16:40 (NAP)

Back Mister Fizz @ [6.2] in the 17:10 (NB)

Makin Up For Lost Time

Peter Makin has been training at Bonita Racing Stables in Ogbourne Maizey since 1971, having acquired the property from theatre impresario George Edwardes' daughter Norah. Norah herself was married to 3 previous incumbents of the yard, the brothers Paddy and Martin Hartigan, and finally Rupert Laye, all of who trained with some success. Sir Gordon Richards was apprenticed to Martin Hartigan, and also rode regularly for Laye before taking his turn as master of Bonita Stables himself. The last occupier of the famous yard before Peter and Natalie Makin took up residence was Bill Marshall, who sent out the flying greys My Swanee and Raffingora to win 37 times between them.

Makin has carried on the tradition, with his Elbio emulating Raffingora by winning the Temple Stakes, and that feat was made more remarkable as he was carrying a tenner of my hard-earned cash on what was my first ever visit to Sandown. It's no surprise that I've had a soft spot for the operation since, and after a couple of rather wretched seasons, a scaled-down Makin team has been performing with credit this season, with a winner and 2 close seconds from the last 4 runners to represent the yard.

It's intriguing that Peter and Natalie are persevering with the 4-y-o maiden Saint Boniface (16:20 Lingfield), a son of Bahamian Bounty from a family replete with black type. With the yard in the doldrums last year, it's no surprise he failed to cut much ice, but he showed up much better when tried in eyeshields on his return to action over C&D in June, finishing fifth of 14 in a race which didn't get to the bottom of him. There is no shortage of pace in this 7f handicap, and that should suit this hold-up performer, who is well drawn one off the rail and should have no excuses from what appears a potentially lenient mark. Backing maidens in handicaps is often cited as a quick route to the poorhouse, but it would be surprising if Saint Boniface didn't at the very least trade short in running, and he looks a perfect back-to-lay vehicle. 

In the 17:20, it may be worth throwing a few shekels at Blue Deer, who looks set to get a soft lead should he want it, and went close at Epsom last time over 1¼m. He scored off a 5 lb higher mark at Kempton in October (7f), and while he's not proved the most consistent since, he would have an excellent chance here if putting his best foot forward. There isn't a guaranteed front runner in this field, and with Ashley Morgan having dictated on him last time, it seems sensible that he should attempt the same feat here, particularly with the innermost stall another incentive to go forward. Stamina is a concern, but he lasted the trip well enough off a slow pace at Epsom, and has every chance of seeing things out under a repeat of such tactics. Once again, he appeals as likely to trade short in the run.

Recommendations:

Both at Lingfield

Back Saint Boniface @ 14.0 in the 16:20 (NAP)

Back Blue Deer @ 23.0 in the 17:20 (NB)

Party Time At Catterick

If there's one other certainty in life other than death and taxes, it's that someone is sure to e-mail the Timeform Radio studio to debate the form of Mark Johnston's horses. Johnston has such strength in numbers in his yard that it's a rare occurrence when he has a blank week, but sometimes the winners mask a slew of disappointing performances from the yard, and even when enjoying one of his most profitable days of the summer when Galician won the International Handicap at Ascot, he also sent out a 5 horses who failed to beat a single rival.

That's the dichotomy of the Johnston yard, with many going overboard when the yard is "in form". Similarly, when the yard endures a couple of winless days, the number of losers soon mount up, and plenty will currently claim that the yard is now cold, having gone without a winner since Broughton landed the Gordon's Stakes at Goodwood. That may be a run of 40-odd defeats, but it's only 5 days, and notions that the yard's horses are somehow under a cloud is arrant nonsense.

As always, the best way to analyse a horse's chance of winning is by looking primarily at the characteristics of the horse, and not the trainer, unless there is insufficient evidence to go on. That's certainly not the case with Party Line in the 15:45 at Catterick, and the daughter of Montjeu looks to be coming to hand at just the right time, whatever else her stablemates happen to be doing.

Party Line, unlike many from the yard, is bred to appreciate plenty of give in the ground, and showed improved form when landing her third handicap win of last season on soft ground at Doncaster. She hasn't hit quite the same heights this year, but the handicapper has given her a chance, and she took a marked step in the right direction when third at Carlisle last time. That coincided with an ease in grade and ground, and she makes by far the most appeal in today's field with recent rain very much in her favour, but less so for a couple of her rivals.

Another horse for whom recent rain is no concern is Solar Spirit, and Tracy Waggott's well-treated 8-y-o is taken to bounce back from a poor run at Pontefract last time. He's at his best chasing a strong pace, goes well at Catterick, and his lifetime record in this class at short of a mile reads 212321. With his odds inflated as a result of his latest blip, he looks a decent bet, particularly as his wide draw isn't anything like the disadvantage it appears at first glance. This looks a pretty open affair, but I'd be surprised if Solar Spirit wasn't capable of a big run at double figure odds.

Recommendations:

Both at Catterick

Back Party Royal @ [4.3] in the 15:45 (NAP)

Back Solar Spirit @ [11.5] in the 16:45 (NB)

Cumani Can Turn Back The Clock

When I was a lad, the most intriguing contest at Glorious Goodwood wasn't the Sussex Stakes, or the Goodwood Cup, but a 3-y-o handicap called the Extel. It was a race which seemed to throw up its fair share of successful gambles, and no-one could plot one up for the Extel quite like Luca Cumani. The Newmarket handler landed the contest, and some tidy bets, in 3 consecutive years which happened to coincide with my impressionable teenage years, and names like Free Guest and his half-brother Fish 'N' Chips will forever be burned into my memory. I particularly remember a vintage ride from Pat Eddery on the latter, winning with any amount to spare to send the punters into raptures. Cumani won the contest, now carrying the sponsorship of Gordon's, for a fourth time in 2001, and while it's been a while between drinks, he looks to have sound claims of taking the latest renewal with the improving Ajmany. 

The Kheleyf gelding arrives on the back of a career-best effort at Nottingham, when he stormed clear of Stellar Express at Nottingham (1m) in a race which was well run despite a small field. Ajmany showed a tendency to hang left there, and also took time to hit full stride, but was very strong indeed at the finish, and looks sure to be better suited by the longer trip today, a notion backed up by his pedigree, with his dam having won over 1½m. Richard Hughes showed how to negotiate a wide draw when winning on Magic City yesterday, and the high numbers have fared surprisingly well on the round course so far this week, particularly in races at this trip, with the opening handicap of the meeting over C&D dominated by those drawn 13 or higher.

Code of Honour and Red Avenger look the main dangers on recent form, with the former impressive at Sandown last time, and the latter doing well given how the race developed when chasing home the impressive Maputo at Newmarket. 

The Goodwood Cup at 15:15 may not have the status it once enjoyed, but it looks a fascinating contest, and it's very possible that Cumani can celebrate a double with Mount Athos. Kieren Fallon misses out on Ajmany due to major differences with the horse's owner, but Cumani has been very loyal to the ex-champion, and that support ought to be rewarded, with the son of Montjeu looking the best horse in the contest. Mount Athos is a thorough stayer at 2m, finishing an excellent fourth under a welter weight in the 2011 Cesarewitch, and performing with great credit in the Melbourne Cup last year. He's done most of his racing at shorter, though, and found both the 1½m trip and the firm ground against him when running well in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. The easier ground and longer trip will suit him much better today, and he will be hard to beat against largely exposed rivals. He's another with a wide draw to overcome, but the first turn in the Goodwood Cup is a left-handed one soon after the start, and it's actually those in the wide boxes who are effectively closest to the running rail, and therefore advantaged.

Recommendations:

Both at Glorious Goodwood

Back Ajmany @ 9.8 in the 14:15 (NAP)

Back Mount Athos @ 4.7 in the 15:15 (NB)