BEVERLEY
Race 1 – VITARLI 4/1
VITARLI can get the day off to a winning start at Beverley.
Craig Lidster’s filly attempted to go toe-to-toe with a well-drilled Amo Racing homebred when second at Redcar on her introduction and although having to settle for the runner-up spot, the front two pulled the best part of five lengths clear.
Front-running sprinters can often come to the fore here and there is a good chance this daughter of Adaay can put her speed to good use in the this fillies’ restricted novice stakes.
Race 3 – SEA FLAWLESS 13/10
Racecourse experience could also come to the fore in this novice stakes, with SEA FLAWLESS fancied to get back on the winning trail. A winner over 10 furlongs on debut, William Haggas’ daughter of Sea The Stars was slowly into stride and showed greenness when upped to a mile and a half for her second start. Nevertheless that Lingfield contest has a strong look to it, with the winner bolting up next time, and Sea Flawless is intriguingly returned to a mile and a quarter for her first run on grass.
Race 5 – HORTZADAR 4/1
David O’Meara can land the Paul Norris Memorial Handicap for the second year running with HORTZADAR.
The eight-year-old has dropped to a dangerous-looking figure and looked poised to strike at Ripon at the weekend before his rider dropped his reins in the closing stages. He was beaten less than a length on that occasion and can gain compensation off the same rating.
PERTH
Race 4 – SNAKE ROLL 83/100
There could be a victory for Grand National-winning trainer Lucinda Russell, who saddles SNAKE ROLL in the fourth at Perth today.
The six-year-old has already scored twice this term and has been highly tried on the other occasions, finishing third in Listed company at Haydock and placing in a Grade Two at Kelso last time. That form has to be respected and he could be tough to stop in ideal conditions switching to the handicap ranks off a mark of 126.
Race 5 – WHISTLEINTHEDARK 72/100
The most valuable race of the day at Perth is the Phil Nelson River Tay Handicap Chase where Laura Morgan will be hoping WHISTLEINTHEDARK can make the trip up from Leicestershire worthwhile. The eight-year-old shoulders top-weight off a career-high mark of 138, but it is easy to argue he has earnt that lofty rating with his performances this term – yet to finish outside of the first two in four starts and arriving in Scotland having won three on the spin.
CHELMSFORD
Race 4 – BELIEVING 4/1
It may pay to keep the faith with BELIEVING in this fillies’ stakes at Chelmsford. George Boughey’s three-year-old was an ultra-consistent performer last term, bumping into top-class rivals from her very first start when finishing second to Saeed bin Suroor’s Mawj.
She went on to hold her own in a plethora of Pattern races – finishing second in the Sirenia Stakes to Charlie Appleby’s Breeders’ Cup scorer Mischief Magic and also picking up a silver medal in the Firth Of Clyde, beaten a neck. The daughter of Mehmas finished the 2022 campaign with a good third at Newmarket in the Bosra Sham and was upped to seven furlongs for her Rowley Mile return in the Nell Gwyn.
Having shaped with real encouragement in that Qipco 1000 Guineas trial the petrol tank ran empty inside the final furlong, but nevertheless she ran a fine race to finish fifth. That will have blown away the cobwebs and the drop back to six furlongs in her favour here.
Race 5 – SURREY NOIR 28/10
Charlie Fellowes’ SURREY NOIR ran better than his finishing position of fifth may suggest at Kempton on debut and could be an improver in the the fifth today.
He managed to get out and compete from a less-than-ideal draw on that occasion and although tiring late on, should be suited by a drop in trip on this occasion.
