Good Morning, Friend,

I hope you've had a great weekend. One of you good folk, Chris K, who also has the odd hoof in the RTP Syndicate squadron, is off to Beverley today and asked for some musings. I've posted them on the blog and repeated down below. With any luck something runs well!

Last week was busy enough on the horses front with two runners in our RTP colours, Shan running a big race and just missing out, and our new horse Endlesspossibility running a cracker in 3rd, which was good news for those of us who snaffled 40/1 EW 3p. I know a few of you got 20s and were more than happy enough. That was a bonus though, it was great to see him hit the line hard. He's been given a mark of 96 which looks workable as he's stepped up in trip and as he learns to drop his head even more - although a stronger pace would help. He shouldn't have any problem winning handicap hurdles. We still have two shares left if you're interested! :)

Indeed he was the main highlight on the card, my 'through the card' notes there not doing so well, and I really shouldn't post when rushing them. Still, the odd one ran well, and the Greatrex chase debutant drifted from 5/2 to 5/1, which was too big when track-side. Those efforts were not as good as Fontwell, but that's how it goes. Maybe better luck at Beverley today, where I have spent a bit more time but will have no doubt missed something.

Hopefully some of you took note of Sam Darby's latest free preview, landing on Pride of America at Chester, making all as expected, 15/2 > 4/1. A welcome UK flat winner for Amy Murphy also, who'd won another race in France 15 minutes before. Some Friday afternoon for them. That was Sam's third winner in a row for that weekly column. Top work.

Elsewhere, The Scoop6 is proving difficult to win, most tickets out after leg 3 on Saturday and another roll-over in store. It could be £200k+. The Scoop6 Squad found 4/6 again I think, but did land yet another winning Nap race, 12s or so, to soften the blow.

To Beverley...

The first thing to say… I wouldn’t necessarily put you off a trixie on the first three favourites, who on paper look strong. That’s what i’d do if trackside for interest. No doubt only one of them will now win, or none at all, but Rowayeh, Bombay Bazaar and Montelusa have all been well supported and for good reason to my eyes. Not my sort of prices to wade in with singles and evidently not a bet to go mad on, the final leg is a seller after all! And the first two are novice/maidens. A bit of fun, we shall see…

1.50 – Rowayeh – any horse that runs with credit in a Newmarket maiden his worth noting when travelling north and I suspect this one will take another step forward after LTO, running well despite possibly being on the wrong side of the track. Stat: Dane O’Neill is 6/17,10p +7 all rides here in the last 5 years, i suspect mostly for Shadwell.

James Fanshawe's filly is being backed, we’ll see if that money is correct, but the sort who could take a stride forward now. I thought Rajindri could take a step forward here after a break, up in trip. The yard form a bit so so and I’ve no idea if she’s fit, maybe one to keep an eye on in a fillies handicap after today, if getting a mark. But she could run a big race here.

2.25 – Bombay Bazaar – another shorty but I don’t really know where else to look here and he could take a big step forward from LTO, esp returned to better ground. Still, that was a solid effort in 3rd, clear of the rest. Natural progression should put him bang there. A few unraced ones so plenty of unknowns.

3.00 – Bedazzling – 20/1 EW – a selling stakes and the fav could be hard to beat here, some solid 2YO form and he may appreciate the drop in trip and return to drying ground. He ran ok to a point when last seen and this race won’t take much winning. On ratings he’s he one to beat but he hasn’t been running up to his mark of 70, but he may not need to here.

Bedazzling could be worth some very small EW change but who knows what she’ll so here – all hopes rest on 1st time Cheekpieces. She is the only previous winner in the field, her early 2YO form ok, but the wheels appear to have come off. It is also her first run on quicker turf for some time and who knows, maybe that will make a difference. Well drawn, she could nick a place if on a going day. She could also tail off though, it’s that sort of contest. Silks Graphite and Mystical Dreams are the other s in first time headgear, blinkers for them. Maybe they’ll have a transformative effect, they need to.

3.35 – Majeski Man – 7/1 – drawn wide here which may not be ideal but on paper he could be one of the only pace angles here -if he’s here to try his best, Graham Lee may try and be aggressive. Hopefully not many go forward drawn lower, otherwise he could be trapped too wide and that will be tough. The horse is dropping in trip here from LTO and returning to faster turf for the first time since a close second at Yarmouth last September off 2lb higher. Plenty of his races have worked out well enough. Maybe this stiff 5f will do the trick. Stat trainer/jockey are 4/16,7p +28 together around here in the last year. Here’s hoping they add to it.

The Dunkirk Lads may follow up but he can be slowly away and patiently ridden, he could need gaps to open, which they may do.

4.10 – Jazz Samba – 4/1 – not necessarily overpriced, but she’s the only real progressive horse in the race and won fairly well LTO, a shade cosily. While its hard to know what the form is worth, she could appreciate this further step up in trip and clearly comes here in fine fettle. She is drawn wide, as is the fav on her outside, not ideal for either, her race could be won or lost in the first 1f, depending on what position she takes up. Stat: Trainer/Jockey are 11/39, 17p, +40 around Beverley in the last year, Jo Mason riding for her legendary grandfather Mick. Since David Easterby was added to the licence, their Beverley runners… 18/81, 36p, +40. Solid.

I thought a chance Simulation Theory and Alibaba may both go forward and take each other on from low, which would be useful. Maybe one of them will get away, I did look at the former, but his jockey is 0/24 around here, but will notch a win at some point. Were he the only pace angle I may have been more tempted, will he have to go too fast, or will he save a bit. 

Under Fox could be one to note moving forward, could have been freshened up by the break, some solid form when with Tim Easterby and he’s now below his last winning mark. I had no idea if he’d be fit here, he could run well if he is, but he appears to like a stiff finish, plenty of Hamilton form, maybe they’ll take him back there one day.

4.45 – Orchestra – 9/2 – two 3YO Only handicaps to finish the card which are usually impossible enough, especially at C5/6 level. Plenty of these could take big steps forward here, some now moving up in distance and so on. Stat: Ed Dunlop does well with his Beverley raiders, a long enough trek from Newmarket and he tends to make it count. 9/34, 15p, +5 all runners. Plenty go off short enough but it’s a solid record. This horse is generally consistent and took another step forward here LTO where he may have been poorly positioned, could have done with a stronger pace possibly and could have settled better. He has a 2lb swing with Roll It In Glitter, and is drawn on the inside of that one, we shall see if that’s enough, and if indeed that formline is the one to be on. He was a solid enough 2YO with some ok form to his name, esp his Pontefract nursery win. If building on LTO, he shouldn’t be too far away here.

I did look at Blueflagflyinghigh, up in distance, first start in 111 days. I suspect the trip will suit, no idea if fit, but I suppose he is 7s. Still a maiden though also.

Eagle Prince – he has to be worth £2 at 20s ‘just in case’ – he is a LTO winner and the trip will pose no problem. I thought that looked big but it could be he’s just an AW horse of course, and of course he’s in the carpark, so may never be sighted. Still, that felt big enough for a LTO winner in a race like this.

5.20 – Edwina Sheeran 7/1 | Ski Jump 17/2 – a headache of a race and one of the top two may take this but they looked short enough to my eyes. No doubt Philos will win for Ed Dunlop here but he was behind Edwina Sheeran LTO and I thought may uphold the form. Roger Fell’s horse looks solid but clearly needs more here, but I suspect will be boxing on and not too far off them if building on LTO.

Ski Jump is a poke having done nothing LTO returned to turf, but that was on heavy, maybe this better ground and longer trip will inspire a better run – ‘doing something different’ at least, as a reason for improvement. His AW 2nd before that reads well enough and he does have some ability. The CP remain off, maybe a case of waiting for them to come on but only worn once. He could play a hand here but if not, keep an eye for when returned to the sand. He bumped into a horse on a hat-trick on his last start at Wolves. He shapes as if needing 10f+ and gets a crack at 12f here.

Fingers crossed for some decent runs above, but the odd ‘stat’ of note moving forward.

All the best,

Josh