As our social lockdown and horse racing suspension continues in the UK, we look for opportunities overseas with once again Australia and the United States bookending what will be a long Saturday.
Keep a sharp eye out for those very early off times in New South Wales, while the late action at Oaklawn is the highlight across the pond with two excellent graded handicaps taking place at the Arkansas track and we have a bet in each of them.
03:35 Randwick (Sprint Handicap) – TANIKO
This should be a very fast and furious six-furlong sprint handicap, and while its very nature makes it hugely competitive I feel that the way in which James Cummings’ Taniko shapes in her races could make her perfect for this task despite on paper there being a slight lack of pace for the distance.
She’s ideally placed in the 3 barrier to make her challenge as and when she wants to, something that should be professionally managed as always by Rachel King up top. The Randwick specialist then gets the vote to land this valuable race having been given a much-needed rest since her last assignment along with a trial to dust off the cobwebs.
Dangers are everywhere as is the nature of the beast, with Miss Invincible, Trumbull and Snitz arguably the best of them and all at decent each-way prices.
05:20 Randwick (Champagne Stakes – Group 1) – KING’S LEGACY
This is a very fine Group 1 race for the juveniles over the mile, one in which there could be some very strong money near the off for Peter and Paul Snowden’s King’s Legacy so it may pay to get on at fixed-odds prices for once instead of opting for the Aussie tote.
This is only the son of Redoute’s Choice’s third racecourse start and he improved hugely to win in impressive fashion last time, making me think very strongly that he has a ton more to give yet and should be too good for this opposition.
That opposition does include Ole Kirk and Holyfield in fairness who have fair reputations of their own, but should something around 7/4 be available that may well be worth taking for King’s Legacy who can go on to land a sequence at the top level.
06:40 Randwick (All Aged Stakes – Group 1) – PIERATA
A competitive seven-furlong Group 1 race, the All Aged Stakes has been won by some very good types over the years and was last season taken by Greg Hickman’s Pierata who is taken to double-up.
The six-year-old is heading off to stud after this but gets his ideal conditions for his big farewell, so bearing that in mind along with the fact that his handler will have him in the very peak of his condition for his final start means it’s easy to see him having a little too much for this lot.
The main dangers are in-form types and regular recent runners Bivouac and Santa Ana Lane, but this should go to the popular Tommy Berry on board the son of Pierro.
22:14 Oaklawn Park (Count Fleet Sprint Handicap – Grade 3) – HIDDEN SCROLL
The choice of yours truly for the 2019 Kentucky Derby after routing his maiden opposition by 14 lengths at Gulfstream last January on Pegasus weekend, Bill Mott’s beautiful Juddmonte homebred didn’t kick on from there and fell off the Triple Crown trail very quickly.
With the benefit of hindsight, his fourth in the Fountain of Youth Stakes and sixth behind superstar Maximum Security in the Florida Derby now don’t read too badly at all given that it seems he was never a middle-distance horse, so over sprint distances we can expect him to fulfil his promise this term.
He could be a Grade 1 animal at this six-furlong trip it is felt, something he went a long way to proving first time out in 2020 when going from gate to wire to score by 12 lengths. On basic figures and at these weights, even the bare performance gives him a chance in this event anyway but the fact that there is unlimited potential in him means he has to be backed should he be 2/1 or better.
Of the others Whitmore and Flagstaff are most likely the main dangers, but it would be no surprise at all to see Hidden Scroll go off a short price for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in November at Keeneland if we’re back to a full racing programme by then and so this race has to be within his capabilities.
23:16 Oaklawn Park (Apple Blossom Handicap – Grade 1) – CE CE
The highlight on Saturday is this $600,000 grade one over a mile and half-a-furlong and it represents a great chance for Michael McCarthy’s Ce Ce despite the wide draw in gate 14.
Ordinarily that wide gate might just be enough to put me off, but her form and potential are both outstanding in the context of this race which is over a trip long enough for her to recover should she get trapped wide early. Also, some of the form she achieved which gives her such a great chance here was also achieved from a wide gate position, somewhat negating the doubts.
Ce Ce took an allowance optional claimer across at Santa Anita by 4½ lengths before landing the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at the same venue by an impressive 3¼ last month, putting her spot-on for this task even at the weights.
The competition is fair but she is on target to be a good price, the main dangers in the end perhaps being the likes of Ollie’s Candy, Street Band, Queen Nekia and Serengeti Empress who all boast strong form in the book.
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