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Sam King failed to land a blow with three selections yesterday but is back with a trio of wagers on Thursday, including two from Chelmsford’s nine-race evening card.
The ground looks certain to be testing up at Ayr today and that should really suit Clansman, who bids for back-to-back course victories in the Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily Handicap (5.40).
Liam Bailey's five-year-old relishes heavy conditions and always looked to be coming home strongest on ground officially described as 'soft' over a mile seven here nine days ago. That success followed an excellent second-place finish behind an in-form horse over today's course and distance last month and he clearly arrives here at the very top of his game.
A 5lb penalty for that victory should prove manageable and it's likely this contest will have been the plan for some time, given he landed the race last year under very similar conditions.
The booking of Danny Tudhope can only be seen as a positive and with his proven stamina likely to be a valuable asset late on, he looks decent value to follow up at the current prices.
Selection: Clansman – General 7/2
Heads turn to the all-weather for our final two selections with Chelmsford playing host to the evening action.
Eleven go to post in the chelmsfordcityracecourse.com Handicap at 5.00 and Blue Flame may take some stopping following his near-miss over course and distance a week ago.
Previously trained by Ed Dunlop, the now Stuart Williams-trained gelding seemed to have lost his way a little at the beginning of the year and as a result, he continued to slip down the weights. He signified a return to winning ways was imminent when a good third over seven furlongs at Kempton in September and duly backed that up when going down by a head here just seven days ago.
He actually gets to race off 1lb lower this evening, making him 4lb well-in at the weights based on his future rating of 65. Marco Ghiani knows the six-year-old well having been onboard for two of his three career victories and I very much expect similar tactics to those that were deployed last week to be used once more.
Stall three looks absolutely ideal for a horse that tends to enjoy racing prominently and with plenty of previous solid form off marks in the high 70s, this grey gelding looks too well-handicapped to ignore in his bid to get back in the winners' enclosure.
Selection: Blue Flame – General 5/2
Jack Jones has enjoyed a fine season, one that's been exemplified by the recent performances of The Waiting Game.
The daughter of Due Diligence has proved a revelation since switching to sprinting and retained her unbeaten record over six furlongs with an emphatic course and distance success just twelve days ago.
The victory also saw her make it three from three over track and trip and it's tough to predict just how much more she may have to offer on this surface. Likely dangers Alpha Zulu and Kit Gabriel are berthed relatively wide, whilst, on the contrary, The Waiting Game looks to have been handed the plumb draw in stall two.
Jack Jones' thriving filly was prominently positioned before quickening clear in the manner of a horse with bundles in hand here last-time-out, and although an 8lb rise in the weights combined with a step up in grade clearly demands more, it would hardly be surprising if she proved equal to the task, having also produced a solid figure on the clock despite being eased heavily in the closing stages.
Selection: The Waiting Game – General 5/2