13:15 - Global Storm 6/1 E/W (5 Places) - Pretty sure someone else put him up on here last week or so, can definitely see the appeal. The in form Buick on board, for a trainer also in very good form, so double positive. Form looks solid, and obviously due to go up 5lbs in the future, so is still on a good mark. Held off backing him as he was fairly weak prior to now, managed to get some 7's last night, but still 6/1 available which is plenty fair enough.
13:50 - Regal Reality 9/2 - Had been on the go since April last year, and despite the short break I think it was one race too far for him in the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October. He'll also get a 4lb swing with current favourite, Fox Tal, who finished 7 lengths ahead of Regal Reality, but also went to the race a lot fresher. Both horses could improve, so wouldn't surprise me if Fox Tal still got the better of RR, so I won't be going in heavy, but at the price I'm happy to go with RR.
14:25 - King Leonidas 10/3 & Lord Of The Lodge 10/1 E/W - Are my two plays here. The yard and jockey of King Leonidas are absolutely flying at the moment, and is hard to ignore, as he too has made an impressive start to his career. This is a big step up but one I expect to take in his stride, before going on to better things. Lord Of The Lodge had run in some fairly useful 2yo races last term, the best effort, IMO, finishing a good 2nd behind the now 114 rated, Threat. It was a good run on reappearance this season over at Newcastle, I suspect mostly for race fitness, but I mostly expect improvement to come from the step up in trip, and he could go well at a nice price. One other, who I will back out of pure sentiment, everyone loves a cliff horse, is Ropey Guest 33/1 E/W (5 places). I remember backing him in the Coventry Stakes for 5 places, and he finished 6th at 200/1, I was gutted! Since then I have managed to grab some place money on him at nice prices and is one I feel always runs a fair race. He'll have it all to do yet again, but he doesn't seem to dislike Ascot, and he has finished top 3 in Group 3's or higher no fewer than 4 times from his 10 starts (6 Group 3 or higher races), I'll be trying to nick some place money with this one, anything else is a bonus!
15:00 - Modern News 3/1 - Again, not a strong bet, but made a nice start to his career at Newmarket, at a trip a little short. Step up here, and hopefully more improvement, but a tough race to decipher, small stakes for me.
15:35 - Pray for the Strad! In multiples, hopefully wins!
16:10 - Finest Sound 6/1, Dance Fever 18/1 E/W (5 places) & Johan 10/1 E/W (5 places) - The three that interest me the most. Finest Sound could be anything, a group horse masquerading in a handicap, and wouldn't be the first horse for connections to do so. Dance Fever has been a constant improver, think the step up to 1m will suit, obviously improvement needed again, but no reason to suggest he can't again, looks overpriced at 18/1 I feel, so worth some pennies E/W. Johan made an impression on reappearance, looking to have won a shade cosily, and along with Finest Sound is due to go up in the weights in the future. Have yet to play Johan, but I'm sure it won't be long before I do.
16:40 - African Dream 2/1 - All over this filly. Gave 7lb to a filly rated 106, LTO, and lost by a nose! Highest rated she faces here is 101, and gets masses of weight from the top lot. Her rivals are more experienced, but if I believe something is going to have to be a little special to beat her here, IMO. As someone on here has noted (sorry, forgot who it was), Declared Interest is worth considering as a saver also.
