Two of Paddy Power TV’s broadcasters have teamed up to put together a tasty Lucky 15 on the Thursday racing action. Carl Monaghan fished out a couple at Ludlow while Graham Temple gave the card at sunny Meydan the once over.
Carl 14:10 Ludlow – Enzo D’Airy
I like the look of Enzo D’Airy, who is the top weight in this handicap chase trained by the in-form Venetia Williams. This horse ran well very respectable in 2020 with results that read 2nd, 1st, 3rd and 1st. Last time out the seven-year-old was impressive winning a 2m 1f Handicap chase at Ascot by six lengths. Charlie Deutsch, who has won on the horse twice before pilots and he’s in a decent bit of form with five winners in the past fortnight. This horse looks a progressive sort and should be right in the mix jumping the last.
Carl 14:40 Ludlow – Sandymount Rose
Sandymount Rose gets my vote. This mare finally opened her account last time out at Exeter having finished a runner-up in the five races before-hand. The Neil Mulholland trained seven-year-old should go well again off of the same mark (due to go up 7Ib). Connections will also welcome the forecasted rain as this horse probably likes it best when there is plenty of juice in the ground.
Sam Twiston-Davies knows the horse having finished second on her on two occasions recently and he seems to be coming into a bit of form in the saddle, with four winners in the last couple of weeks.
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Graham 16.15 Meydan – Zakouski
Military March has his first race since finishing a solid fourth behind Kameko in the 2,000 Guineas last May and is sure to be popular in the market with Frankie Dettori taking the ride. There could be plenty of value in Zakouski for the in form Charlie Appleby though. William Buick plumps for this son of Shamardal over some other useful Godolphin entries & we feel the step up to 9f should suit.
The five-year-old gelding seemed well suited to the uphill finish at Newmarket when staying on on heavy ground to score over a mile in October. His sire won against top class company at Chantilly over 10f and the extra furlong could see Zakouski show improvement on the solid form he’s shown to date.
He hosed up in a valuable handicap here after an absence last January and then followed up again here at Meydan a few weeks later in G2 company. He gets a confident vote.
Graham 17.25 Meydan – Glorious Journey
Glorious Journey won cosily at Newbury over 7f last September and with William Buick choosing to take the ride he gets a confident vote in this warm Group 2 contest.
Glorious Journey holds Final Song & D’bai on that Newbury form & another positive is that he landed a similar Group 2 contest here last year when returning from a three-month absence. Charlie Appleby hasn’t changed the formula here as he returns from a similar break today.
If you scan his form it’s easy to see that Glorious Journey is a horse that loves to race on racing surfaces with little or no undulations. As we all know Meydan is like a snooker table and I expect him to lay handy throughout and swoop late for the spoils.
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