Newbury
1.15 1m2f Class 4 Handicap – Hazm 11/1
Won a bumper on debut this season in good style before highly tried in a Grade 2 at Aintree, from here he was tried on the flat while not making an instant impact he took a big upswing on form on his latest run when a big 50/1 2nd behind St Leger listed Global Hunter, the 3rd who was a further 3 lengths behind won NTO and now rated 80, also the 4th and 5th won NTO whom are rated between 76-79 giving the form a huge boost, Hazm is given a mark of 81 which is very lenient and on that form is 6lbs well in, plus he’s very unexposed with just the 3 runs on the flat to his name. His latest form was on fast ground but on breeding there’s plenty of hope he’ll relish the soft ground, his sire Shamardal a 4 time group 1 winner won 2 of them on soft ground, the dams sire Galileo won on soft, plus the dam won with yielding in the description. Tom Marquand is booked who is having a fantastic season and has a incredible +£88.73 level stake profit with his 4+ year olds this season in turf.
Newmarket
2.45 6f Class 4 Handicap – Zumurud 9/1
Been running consistently well this season and was really well backed when winning his last race at Catterick last month, it was a workmanlike performance off top weight giving away 17lbs to the runner up which in the end looked very easy considering and with the rest of the field well strung out, he goes up 5lbs for the win and since has been saved and aimed for this unique race. The ground will be much softer than his latest win but his won on good to soft in the past and one of his best performances to date was on soft, so no concerns on ground as he’s versatile. David Probert is booked in the saddle, he’s in great recent form with 7 winners in the last week which included a hat-trick last Sunday, he has a great record when teaming up with Rebecca Bastiman the last 5 seasons with a 21% strike rate and positive LSP, he also rides the July course very well.
Ripon
3.15 6f Great St Wilfrid Stakes Class 2 Handicap – Citron Major 22/1
A great competitive race with a lot cases to be made about most, main choice would be Great Prospector who on pick of best form in some hotter races last season leaves him looking very well treated and finally getting his chance over this trip on soft ground which his looked to crying out for, for some time now excites me, but if I had to choose another especially at this point, then a stand out at the odds would be Citron Major, he isn’t blessed with the best draw in 1 on stats but I don’t think it’s a bad place to be when the grounds soft plus he’s a hold up horse, so a positive he can drop in wide rather than drawn in the centre and having the whole field in front of you which needs you needing a lot more luck, all form is on fast ground, but has only raced once with soft in the description where he ran with plenty of credit when 3rd in a strong class 2 at Doncaster last season when at the time a 3yo against his elders in a race that historically bad for younger horses, plus his sire went well on soft ground and plenty of positives on the dams side too to say testing ground won’t be a big issue. He’s latest run was very impressive when entering the final furlong in last he picked up to take his rivals one by one to get up close home looking to have more to give, he only goes up a lb for the victory and has the aid of first time cheek pieces which could bring more improvement and is already a C&D winner, so well over priced IMO.
Russell Blair
