TimeformBlog

With a bank holiday traditionally comes rain and indeed there's said to be plenty of it about at Newmarket this morning. Stamina could be at a premium once the action gets underway on the July Course and with newcomers and unexposed maidens all over the shop early on many punters will prefer to get stuck into the handicaps that make up the second half of the card, where, in the penultimate contest for three-year-olds, Tuscania (16.35) is worth a bet. Her best efforts this year have come over course and distance and she looked most unlucky not to score off today's mark two weeks ago, travelling best of all but getting no luck in running and finishing with plenty left in the tank. A good fifth in a soft-ground listed race at Newbury last autumn suggests that Tuscania won't be inconvenienced if the going does continue to ease and she can take what looks a fairly warm handicap.

Ffos Las host a mixed card that features a £22,000 handicap chase in which 2009 Sefton winner Ogee (16.50) can land the spoils. The flag-bearer for Renee Robeson's yard was successful three times in his novice chase campaign off the back of his Aintree triumph and is now 5 lb lower in the weights than when a close third to Chief Dan George in that season's William Hill Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival. Ogee's jumping was sketchy on occasions in what was a light campaign last term, but a repeat of the form he showed when fourth to Always Right in the Grimthorpe back in March would see him bang there after a break today.

Gary Moore looks to hold a strong hand at his local track Brighton's evening meeting and Lightning Spirit (18.15) could be set to gain compensation for a gamble that went astray at Lingfield earlier in the month. On what was Lightning Spirit's handicap debut, she never threatened behind Diamond Run, but the market support for her spoke volumes, and back on turf off a 3 lb lower mark she's worth another chance in what looks a moderate handicap having caught the eye on a number of occasions in maidens.

Recommendations
Back Tuscania @ 5.2 Newmarket 16.35
Back Ogee @ 5.5 Ffos Las 16.50
Back Lightning Spirit @ 5.8 Brighton 18.15

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