Lucky 15: Four to score on a buzzing bank holiday

Let me guess. You’re hungover; using the bank holiday as your excuse, while your evidently better-half tells you how much of a waste of space you are, when all you want is the couch and a bacon sandwich.

I know, I know.

But here’s the trick, there’s seven cards across the UK and Ireland today, and the best way to your better-half’s heart is by giving them a gift you seemingly couldn’t afford.

We’re here to make those dreams come true, folks. Here’s four to follow on this bank holiday Monday.

The paddock
Windsor 8.4.19 Pic: Edward Whitaker

Windsor 16:15

There will always be eyes drawn towards Ryan Moore and Sir Michael Stoute teaming up at Windsor, but the early prices indicate that you’d have to be really taken with the favourite and I’m not so convinced.

Granted this son of Sea the Stars is bred to be considerably better than this, but you just can’t go throwing money at a young horse who has got to overcome a 4lb hike and isn’t guaranteed to improve that much just three weeks on from his previous run.

Waarif is off a dangerous mark back up in trip if he can get himself right, but that’s a big if, so the vote goes to a progressive type in He’s Amazing for Ed Walker and Oisin Murphy.

His purchase from Clive Cox has given him new life and he’ll likely progress under new training methods. That win over Allegiant over this course and distance is a better marker, for me and he’s the selection.

Chilean (Oisin Murphy) wins the 1m novice stakes
Chelmsford 31.8.17 Pic: Edward Whitaker

Chelmsford 15:45

There really isn’t a whole lot to suggest that Technological can win this carrying a lofty ten stone with David Probert on board, so he’s scratched from the reckoning.

Carnwennan is the likely SP favourite unless there’s a big market move for one of the others, but four pounds for his York win leaves him a bit more exposed than a few lower than him in the weights.

None moreso than Mark Prescott’s Alabaster whose two previous runs off 77 (beaten a combined three lengths) have seen him run into a couple, including being a beaten favourite at Wolves last month.

This trend should fix itself here and he’s more than good enough to get a head in front of these.

HURRY HOME POPPA and Joe Fanning (light Blue left) tracks the leaders to win at Redcar 4/11/14
Photograph by GROSSICK RACING 07710461723

Redcar 16:10

You don’t expect a 14-runner Redcar handicap to be the most competitive race on a bank holiday, but yet here we are for the Zetland Gold Cup handicap.

With £28,000 going to the winner of this class 2, it got attention from some big yards and First Sitting’s top mark of 103 should see him out of the running.

Al Muffrih is bred to put these to the sword early on, but it’s been tough going for him so far, finishing well behind Elwazir in a novices’ stakes at Sandown before finishing a deceptively close fifth a Newmarket last time out. He’s best watched.

My selection, though, is for Society Red who really impressed in his narrow defeat to UAE Price, when finishing full of running close home. Had the assessor been kinder and not hiked him for it, I would say he’d be approaching favouritism, but I still believe he can contend with the 2lb rise to pick up the pot for Richard Fahey.

Racegoers celebrate Indian Reel’s win in front of the blue and white wooden stands.
Leicester 31.1.18 Pic: Edward Whitaker

Leicester 16:40

This fillies contest has an awful lot of poorly-handicapped types in it and it’s almost about picking out the one who’s been hampered the least, rather than someone who’s ahead of their mark.

Solfeggio would need to be dropped a stone to get competitive here, while Any Smile and Amorously would need a lot going their way.

Further down the ratings, we can give chances to Beguiling Dream and Redemptive, but the one I’m keen to have onside, and looks the most likely of them, is Lethal Lover.

Now, this aptly-named daughter of Lethal Force unseated Josephine Gordon en route to post last time out and had an awful commute to the start, so it’s best forgiven. Her previous run over 7f just seemed too short, so going up to the mile is ideal and I’m happy to conclude that, if she behaves, she’s the best of these.