Hajjam – 1.22 Doncaster – 7F Handicap – 12/1 888sport – 1 point each way.
The 7 year old Hajjam is a winner of 7 races from marks ranging from 72 to 89.
He is a real 7F specialist with 6 of his wins coming over todays trip.
I’m drawn to him today as his favourite rider, D Nolan comes in for the ride for the first time this year, when he also gets his ideal conditions for the first time since he has been fit this season.
Hajjam ran well two runs ago in a Class 3 handicap at Ascot, where he came a close second off 74 with a very inexperienced lady rider on board, this was followed up last time with a solid run, but the ground was too soft and against him.
I think he comes here today in rude health, with the right jockey on running off almost a career low mark coming out of an ideal lowish draw.
With everything in his favour, and the best ratings at the track and trip we have to get involved where his 12/1 price with 888sport makes much appeal.
I recommend 1 point each way, He is still value at 8/1.
Ornate – 2.25 Doncaster – 5F0 Handicap – 22/1 Skybet – 1 pointy each way.
Ornate is an admirably classy and consistent. He has run in multiple Group 1’s and whilst not being at that class has then won big handicaps off marks in the 90’s as well as conditions races postmarking regularly 100-110.
This year he has followed a similar route, trying his luck in the Group 1 July Cup and a Group 1 at Royal Ascot, but he now takes a considerable class drop into a Class 3 (0-95) handicap.
I have been waiting for Ornate to take a drop in class before tipping him, but I also wanted him to get his good/fast ground that he loves, and today is the day.
He gets in here off a mark of just 91, which makes him look really well handicapped considering he has postmarked 112 at his peak and postmarked over 100 multiple times in the last 12 months.
The flat Doncaster course will also suit and with a visor applied this should help him go through with his effort today against much inferior rivals than he is used to.
Most important is the price, he sits in the market at 22/1 with Skybet and we have to get involved and I recommend 1 point each way.
He still looks value at 12/1.
More Bucks – 6.35 Market Rasen – 2m 7F Handicap – 12/1 Bet365 – 1 Point Each Way.
At 11 years old More Bucks has started to show his age with a drop in form over the last 18 months.
He was previously a good winner of Market Rasen’s hugely competitive Class 1 Summer Plate Handicap off a mark of 127 and today’s Class 5 handicap over the same course and 2F further than the plate will seem like a stroll in the park in comparison.
He is what I call a P1 horse. He wins plenty of races and gets a 1 against his name, but he also tends to run a stinker too and pulls up on many occasions. He has won twice when pulling up on his previous start then going onto win his next race and I think today is one of those occasions.
After an out of form spell last season the Bowen family moved him to run in point to points earlier this year which rejuvenated him, winning three from four starts. He then came back to run under rules on his latest start from a reduced mark of just 97 and was hammered in the market only for him to be pulled up.
I think the big issue last time was going left handed as most of his wins and big runs have being going right handed. So the fact he returns to a flat right handed track where he has won before is a real plus and we know he can leave a pulled up run behind him, so we can back him with confidence today.
Last time out he was smashed into 2/1 in a 10 runner field against a highly progressive horse. Today he faces 11 rivals, but none have such a progressive profile so I’m really keen to get stuck in now that he is a 12/1 shot. I’m expecting him to be strong in the market tomorrow and probably half in price.
I’m therefore recommending 1 point each way at 12/1 with Bet365.
He still looks value at 8/1.
