TimeformBlog

Starting at Yarmouth, where [b]Blue Dune[/b] could benefit from the drop down to sprint distances as she makes her handicap debut in the Pleasurewood Hills Maiden Handicap at 14:35. The daughter of Invincible Spirit stepped up on her previous efforts when upped to an extended mile at Wolverhampton two weeks ago. Improvement is almost assured now she tackles this discipline and the drop to six furlongs should work in her favour. She makes plenty of appeal for a yard who are still in very good form. At Brighton, [b]Little Rainbow[/b] makes most appeal in the seven-furlong handicap at 14:45. The three-year-old daughter of King's Best looked much more at home at this trip when decisively landing a C&D fillies' handicap 13 days ago on good to soft ground. A 4 lb rise in the weights shouldn't...

[b]14:15[/b] - Tenancy is Timeform top-rated for the opening race of the afternoon at Brighton, considered 4 lb superior to his nearest rival, and he looks a good choice in what's a potentially tricky handicap. His lack of consistency would be a slight worry for backers, however, and Louphole is also taken, that one arguably better than his recent form suggests. He could be an interesting proposition dropped back to six furlongs and racing on turf once again and hopefully the pair will be good enough to see us through. [b]14:45[/b] - Perfect Honour has decent C&D form, including when second here last week, and he can go well once again at a venue where he tends to thrive. The first-time cheekpieces seemed to work on his latest outing but it remains to be seen whether this inconsistent...

[b]Filun[/b] had a good run early last season, winning 3 times, 2 of them over C&D. Good second on return visit here in May, but bounce back called for following more recent modest effort. [b]Stentorian[/b] is a front runner who won 7f Leicester maiden as 2-y-o, but struggled last term for Mark Johnston. Low-key start returned to Flat for this yard in May, and one to treat with caution now. [b]Amistress[/b] held her form well 1ast year, winning 3 times at up to 11.5f. Looked on the way back at Haydock in May, and on a competitive mark, so no surprise if she figured. [b]The Calling Curlew[/b] best efforts when twice placed over this C&D, finishing behind Filun when third in May. Well below par upped to 1¾m last time, but likely to fare better back at this more suitable trip. [b]Ostentation[/b]...

[b]Ad Vitam[/b] (16:00) returned to form at Wolverhampton earlier this month on his most recent start and, in a race in which few make much appeal, he looks to be the answer in the mile handicap. Admittedly, his two wins have come on the all-weather, but his turf form in the spring looks solid enough and the visor that seemingly sparked his return to form last time is applied once more. Ad Vitam's official rating has been dropping all season (currrently 50) and, if building upon, or even repeating, that Wolverhampton effort he has to go close. At first glance, Brighton's 16:30 would appear to be a fairly competitive handicap but [b]Olney Lass[/b] stands out at a course where she has a 100% record from three starts. Olney Lass defied a 5 lb rise to gain her latest victory here last ...

[b]Clear Ice[/b] scored twice at this track at sprint trips in August, and had Magical Speedfit 3 lengths behind when taking 5-runner C&D event on first occasion. Ran poorly at Yarmouth last time, but can do better here. [b]Mi Regalo[/b] won a 6f maiden at Kempton in December, and raced only twice since, suggesting he's had his share of problems. Well held after an absence at Goodwood last time, but too early to write off. [b]Grandmas Dream[/b] landed a 5f Lingfield maiden in February. Proved consistent since, but needed drop to claiming company to win on AW last month, and found out back in a handicap last time. Blinkers back on now. [b]Magical Speedfit[/b] is a hold-up sort who won this contest in 2009, and has scored 4 times over C&D in all. Below best at Folkestone in August,...

[b]Wadha[/b] (14:40, Kempton) did well on debut last time out in a Warwick maiden, travelling best of all and leading entering the final furlong, only to be picked off in the closing stages by one with slightly more experience. Wadha is a relatively well-bred half sister to two-year-old winner Cash Queen Anna, and she is also related to several useful performers who have won over this kind of distance so it shouldn't be too long before she records a victory of her own. She is open to improvement and if taking to the Kempton polytrack, she should definitely be capable of losing her maiden tag this afternoon. [b]Annie Walker[/b] looks best treated at the weights and can record back-to-back victories in selling company this afternoon at Musselburgh (14:50). She has had just the two careers...

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, [b]Tuscania[/b] (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...

[b]Conciliatory[/b] won a Kempton maiden and a York handicap last season. Her improvement has stalled since and she is now tried in cheekpieces after running poorly when last seen in June. [b]Rondeau[/b] is a free-going hold-up handicapper who nabbed his second success of the year in a seven-furlong handicap at Epsom last time. His previous attempts at this sort of trip haven't borne fruit, however. [b]Mujood[/b] is a Goodwood specialist who registered his sixth success at that track last September. He has made no impact this year though, and virtually refused to race last time. [b]Night Lily[/b] bagged her second win of 2011 at Nottingham last month prior to an even better effort in defeat when two lengths second of 16 to Albaqaa in an apprentice event at Glorious Goodwood. She...

The twenty-three-runner Coventry Stakes perhaps isn't the most obvious race to concentrate on with the idea of finding one of the day's best bets, but in [b]Mezmaar[/b] (16:25) we have a colt potentially out of the top drawer and he can give the in-form Barry Hills a fourth success in the six-furlong Group 2. Backed into favouritism on his debut at Haydock Park last month, Mezmaar landed the gamble impressively, showing a good turn of foot and looking every inch a Group-race performer in the making. It remains to be seen whether the draw has a significant bearing on things today, but Mezmaar's pitch in stall 1 on the far rail could prove a big positive. [b]First Bid[/b] (13:45) did the business for this column at Yarmouth last month, and given the manner of that victory, we see no reason...