Monday 11th April
No bet advised on Monday
Tuesday 12th April
The turf flat season really kicks into gear this week having stalled since Doncaster and the Craven meeting at HQ is considered by many to be the proper start of the flat season. However, I will be cautious about advising many bets on the flat this month, April 2019 was a loss of 13 points, while last year was a loss of 14 points, despite a 14/1 winner. Racing was suspended in April 2020, so break even was a good result!
The first race on ITV is Weatherbys Bloodstock Pro Handicap (1:50) which looks a decent race, and the form will be worth following in the coming weeks. Punchbowl Flyer looks a big price, the Dream Ahead gelding is back on his last winning mark [100]. He appears to act on any going, he’s never been a non-runner on account of the going. He won at Haydock last year, beating Bielsa by a nose, before that one won the
Ayr Gold Cup off a higher mark. He lost his form after that, as these sprint handicappers tend to do, but has run well first time out in the past:
Newmarket 1:50 – PUNCHBOWL FLYER – ½ point each-way @ 25/1 (Power 4 places, or Sky Bet 18/1 five places.
Master Of The Seas won the Craven Stakes at last year’s meeting before finishing runner-up in the Guineas and looks the right favourite for the Earl Of Sefton Stakes (3:00). John Gosden’s Megallan could be the type that improves from three to four, something his trainer excels at. While Jane Chapple-Hyam has an interesting recruit from South Africa, Catch Twentytwo, who has
solid form in grade 1’s over there.
Highlight of the card is the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes (3:35) and I can’t see any obvious reason why Cachet should reverse the form of the Rockfel Stakes with Hello You, with just a 3lbs advantage. Cachet looked to me that she needs further than seven furlongs, and that was justified when she ran stepped up in trip for the Breeder’s Cup, when she reversed the Newmarket form. My preference is
for Hello You but with fitness to prove, as well as likely improvers from the rest, I don’t think there’s a bet.
Many Thanks,
Neil
Cheek Pieces