It's the last day of the month, so I'm gunna be a bit reckless and put up another 2 picks!

Onorina, 1.45 Goodwood, 1pt EW @ 14-1

I liked this filly last season when she won at Lingfield (turf), looking raw but demonstrating a good way of going and nicely on top at the finish, pulling well clear with the second; she was a bit disappointing on her next start, but then showed at Kempton on her last run of 2015 that her new mark wasn't beyond her, doing well to finish where did considering she could have done with a stronger pace.

I selected her on her reappearance at Bath and she ran just OK to be fourth, but she was entitled to need the run and the filthy conditions that evening meant fitness would have been at a premium (race time 16 secs above standard).

Onorina looks well worth a try at this 14f trip on the evidence to date, and in the hope she has gone forward for her reappearance, is given another chance at a double figure price.

Sagaciously, 2.15 Goodwood, 1pt EW @ 40-1

This is a bit speculative given the adjusted figures give her plenty to find, but I wouldn't be surprised if she out-ran market expectations.

She made a pleasing return against male opposition over 12f at Lingfield (AW), racing a bit keenly but seeing her race out really well to close down on Top Tug, who had some decent handicap form from last year and who evidently hadn't gone backwards for the switch to Alan King's yard.

Some of Sagaciously's earlier form behind the likes of Irish Rookie and Moonrise Landing doesn't read too badly, and given the excellent start her stable has made to the season, it could just be she's returned a stronger and better filly.

Feel like I was due that one tbh!

Sensational stuff, mackies, VWD!

Tremendous tipstering mackies, hope you did the Trixie!

Even better George. Had a Yankee with Goldenfield at Goodwood.

Thanks everyone. Nice when they go in!

Apologies for Le Rock, that was x-rated. That'll teach me for selecting horses from stables who are struggling for winners

Lightning Spree, 5.05 Hamilton, 1pt win @ 12-1

I selected Lightning Spree when he ran over 1 mile at Ayr last Monday on the basis he'd caught my eye over that C/D last season when not getting any luck in running, and it was possible to excuse the defeats since, plus his mark has dropped a few pounds.

An issue the horse has had is that he tends to race with the choke out and that was evident again on Monday, though that wasn't what beat him because after the line he seemed to have loads of running left in him, so it's likely he could have done with a stronger pace or he needs a stiffer test.

His best run of last season (on RPRs) came at Hamilton, and although he's back up in grade here, he's given another chance at a double figure price, in the hope that wearing a hood for the first time will help him settle better and see him more competitive at the business end.

Even Song, 1pt win @ 5-1, 4.50 Newmarket

I've been sucked into this one by the price, but the market weakness has got me worried!

Half-sister to  Simple Verse who shaped well on her debut over 7f at Dundalk before impressing with the manner in which she won her maiden at Leopardstown over 1m, having had quite a wide trip (unlike the second and third who had raced round the inner from low draws) and done a lot of running just to reach the leaders, before powering clear inside the final furlong.

It's her first run of the season and may not be at fever pitch, and it remains to be seen how she copes with drying conditions on turf, but she looks sure to improve again for racing over further this season, and a chance is taken despite the ominous market weakness, for the minimum stake.

I might be wishing I hadn't after today!

Good luck with M & M, saddo

vwd George

George I've just noticed the price of Mega Fortune that is one hell of a selection,I'm not with it today for some reason I had 6/1 in my head but I never look at the Irish stuff.I think you should look more during the week you've had acouple of very good winners over there

I always look at the Irish racing, FL, I'm sure there'll be plenty more selections for over the sea.

Cheers mackies. Even Song was a bit of an eyecatcher too, for all she wouldn't have beaten the winner on the day, but if they meet again...

I didn't consider him on the ground tbh, stewarts. The way he's tanking through his races I'd be tempted to try him back at 5f on ground with juice in it, though he's not doing too badly over 6f at the moment!

The only one I've missed on this thread who subsequently won after I'd selected him was Dinneratmidnight. I picked him over 5f at Ripon despite concerns about the trip, and when they stepped him up to 6f at Ponte, I passed on account of the wide draw

vwd Geoge, I see it just scraped home

Thanks, maybe I should just stick to the Irish racing though having just looked at the Curragh handicaps...

Briardale, 1pt win @ 11-1, 3.30 Beverley

I've decided to have a saver in that 3.30 on Briardale, who I selected on this thread at a big price the last time he ran over C/D, and having looked like he had a winning chance going into the final furlong, he didn't even place, much to my chagrin, though he was only beaten a little over a length in fourth.

The story with this one was that he won a weak maiden over C/D last season and probably went handicapping subsequently off an inflated mark, but despite some heavy defeats, I didn't think the run last backend at Redcar was without hope.

He can be keen, which is a concern given the ground may be softening at Beverley, but he does seem to handle some cut, and as he would appear to like it at the track, a chance is taken at a double figure price, for all he has a bit of work to do to turn it around with Jacbequick, who might have been unfortunate when they met last time, but he did seem to have the kinder trip (though that is entirely possible again given their draws).

Good luck go-all-in and to Fatlad too, with TS. It's anyone's guess how he'll handle Brighton (and grass), but if he applies himself, imo he clearly looks up to winning something like this off his basement mark.

Could be a good call G-A-I,looks a big framed horse who may well benefit from the step up,whether this track will suit,time will tell.

The other horse worth a second glance is the top one,been on the radar for a while,phelan has managed to drop him a stone in ten months,his best bits of form have been with a little cut,bit of rain yesterday,ground should be ok.The claim brings him down to 53,hoping he has the racing plates on tomorrow ,he also runs one in the 3-55, had a saver on,low grade stuff as ever at this track.


A pleasure to read,plenty insightful analysis,keep it up gents.

Hatsaway, 3.55 Brighton, 1pt win @ 12-1

Hatsaway makes a little appeal on his return to turf.

He was formerly trained by Clive Brittain, who ran the horse in the 2 mile Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot on just his third start in 2014, and although he was out of his depth, he wasn't disgraced on the figures; perhaps surprisingly on the back of that run, Clive only once ran him beyond 10f after, even though he did shape on a couple of occasions as though he needed further (and he is out of a Montjeu mare who won over 14f in France).

He was sold to Pat Phelan for just 5,000 gns last October, and made his stable debut 3 weeks ago over 12f at Kempton where he shaped just OK when finishing 5th of 12.

Hatsaway returns to turf rated 63, which is 24lb below his initial mark, and as he remains unexposed at middle distances, he makes a little appeal at a double figure price, with that recent pipe opener behind him, though drying ground is a concern as I thought one of his better efforts came at Sandown when there was juice in the ground.

Gurkha Friend, 7.25 Catterick, 1pt win @ 9-2

He'd been quite a disappointment since winning a conditions race at Leicester early last season, but his reduced mark combined with a step up to 7f on turf, produced a much more encouraging display last week at Ayr, when looking unlucky not to have won (imo) having failed to secure a clear passage until it was too late, before running on strongly when in the clear to be beaten just under a length in third.

He's unexposed at the trip and potentially well handicapped (9lb below his initial mark) if building on that effort last week, and although he has a potentially tricky draw to overcome, at least this should be truly run with Jay Kay and Dr Red Eye in the race.

The Catterick race is a tricky little contest, good luck George.