3 minute read
There’s plenty of action to get stuck into today with five meetings on offer across the UK and Ireland and Sam King’s back with three selections.
Musselburgh stages six races starting at 2.30 this afternoon in what looks sure to be a competitive day of racing, and it's the Musselburgh Windsor FC Celebrating 70 Years Handicap (3.40) where our first wager comes from.
Previous course and distance winner Yaaser needs respect, but it's tough to look past Ascot Adventure in my opinion.
David O'Meara's charge has run well on his last four starts, and all have come in Class 4 company. The form of his fourth-place finish over six furlongs at York last-time-out looks a bit of a standout to me in this contest and the step back up to seven with some cut in the ground should prove ideal.
He's versatile regarding tactics and it wouldn't be at all surprising were jockey Danny Tudhope to go forward on the five-year-old should the pace prove slack.
The gelded son of Mayson was last seen getting his head in front when scoring off 85 at Haydock in May last year, so a current mark of 77 is more than workable this afternoon. David O'Meara has his team in good form with eleven winners in the last 14 days and I'll be disappointed if Ascot Adventure cannot make his first start at Class 5 handicap level a winning one.
Selection: Ascot Adventure – General 15/8
Wolverhampton and Chelmsford both hold evening all-weather cards and we turn to the former for our second selection.
It's easy to see why Hezahunk heads the market in the Follow AtTheRaces On Twitter Handicap at 6.30 (Wolverhampton) and I'm hopeful he can get off the mark at the seventh attempt this evening.
Trainer Mick Appleby does ever so well with his Irish recruits, especially for these shrewd connections. The four-year-old produced his best effort to date under the care of the Langham Racing Stables-handler when fourth at Chelmsford a week ago, despite things not going to plan from an early stage.
It paid to be prominent when racing at Chelmsford that evening, as so often can be the case, and it's easy to upgrade Hezahunk's fast-finishing fourth given he came from further back than ideal. His last three furlongs were good on the clock for this kind of grade and today's contest at Wolverhampton should play more into his hands.
There's plenty of pace on up front with the likes of Magic Gem, Bluebells Boy, and Coast all likely to be vying for the lead. With that in mind, Hezahunk should slot into a nice position from stall five behind the strong early fractions and it's tough not to see this unexposed sort going close under Ray Dawson.
Selection: Hezahunk – General 9/4
Our final selection comes from Chelmsford. Inverinate dominates the market in the concluding Chelmsfordcityracecourse.Com Handicap (8.50) but it could be worth taking a chance on Hurricane Kiko, who seemingly has plenty in his favour from an each-way angle.
Julia Feilden's charge shaped better than the bare result when sixth over a mile at Yarmouth in first-time cheekpieces last month and the return to this venue looks a massive plus.
The grey gelding won a course and distance maiden in August last year when making all the running and it's interesting connections have opted to return to the Essex track. It can be tough to peg back front-runners around here and although there are eleven going to post, there doesn't appear to be too much pace on paper. Dylan Hogan may well be able to get across from stall nine and dictate matters out in front, and a 2lb drop in the weights for his last effort at Yarmouth will do no harm.
There could also easily be more to come from him on an artificial surface, given this will be just his third outing on the all-weather and at a general price of 16/1 he looks well worthy of a decent each-way wager.
Selection: Hurricane Kiko – General 16/1
