Plenty of decent action to get stuck into throughout the week with Salisbury kicking us off with Listed and Group racing on Wednesday and Thursday respectively. Saturday is a big day in Ripon’s calendar with their famous sprint handicap the Great St Wilfrid taking centre stage. Newbury is also hosting an excellent card with the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes and the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer won last year by the three-year-old, Defoe.
Trainers
- Andrew Balding – Boasted an outstanding record last week with 15 of his 16 runners finishing in the placings and 8 of them winning at various prices. Stable is clearly thriving and has only 1 runner at Windsor on Monday.
- Tom Dascombe – 6 winners last week from just the 16 runners including 1 at a huge 100/1. Teams up well with Richard Kingscote and despite not having loads of entries this week, he takes 1 horse to Nottingham on Tuesday.
- John Gosden – Operated at a 33% strike rate last week and despite not always having vast quantity, he has plenty of quality. Sole runner at Chelmsford on Tuesday where he has a 23% strike rate this season.
Jockeys
- Jason Watson – Extremely promising young jockey who rode 8 winners last week. Down to just a 3lb claim now and is excellent value for it.
- Paul Hanagan – In good form at present with 7 winners last week which included a 4-timer at Musselburgh on Saturday. Teams up a lot with Richard Fahey and the pair usually have plenty of runners.
- Richard Kingscote – Predominantly rides for the also in-form Tom Dascombe (5 of his 6 winners last week were for that trainer). Also has a 20% strike rate for Ralph Beckett this year. Has a decent book of rides at Wolverhampton on Monday.
Horses
- Cowboy Soldier – Boasts good form and remains a lightly raced sprinter, 3rd in a handicap at Glorious Goodwood and races off the same mark in the 4.30pm at Chelmsford on Tuesday. Has previously won on the all-weather.
- Dirty Rascal – Has been unlucky to bump into 3 above average sorts in all 3 starts so far, clearly has the ability and holds a pair of entries this week.
- Mrs Sippy – Only had four starts and was runner-up to Irish Oaks winner Sea Of Class on penultimate outing, still has potential and is entered in the 3.40pm at Salisbury on Wednesday.
- Wadilsafa – Hacked up in a handicap off a mark of 100 last time, proving he deserves another crack at group company. Has significant potential and is entered in the 4.10pm at Salisbury on Thursday.
- Desirous – Kingman filly whose Dam was a Group 1 winner who won first time out, bred to be talented and is dual entered at Newbury on Friday.
