Saturday 19th

Pricewise tips

Bond’s Girl a beauty at tasty 14-1 for big sprint

Trying to forecast what the weather is going to do and what the ground will be for a big race has almost become a full-time job this Flat season.

Virtually every Friday we are faced with a weather warning forecasting the potential for rain of biblical proportions before and during racing.

That doesn’t make finding winners at an early stage particularly easy, as at the likes of Market Rasen and Newbury this afternoon the ground could be anything from good to firm to heavy.

At least Bond’s Girl has plenty going for her in the Weatherbys Super Sprint (3.50) at Newbury as she has shown form on both soft and fast ground and really caught the eye in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot last time.

Bond’s Girl never really got a shot at the leaders under Richard Hughes as she was held up in rear and was hampered on three different occasions. She stayed on well when the race was over, but she travelled with plenty of power in the early stages and the drop to 5f under her featherweight is not an issue.

Before that effort Bond’s Girl beat a good colt on soft ground at Pontefract and I reckon she has more pace than her shorter-priced stablemate Realtra.

The other one I like is more ground dependent as I doubt Fast Act would be at his best on a very soft surface, but he has been aimed at this race and beat a good horse with ease at Carlisle last time.
Kevin Ryan has a good record in these races and if stall three is okay and the ground isn’t too slow, he should run a big race.

The Group 3 Al Basti Equiworld Hackwood Stakes (3.15) looks best left for now as it could cut up drastically if the rain arrives in the proportions forecast.

The most interesting runner is undoubtedly Music Master, who was forced to go for home far too soon in the Diamond Jubilee as those who raced on the other side of the track were a long way clear at halfway.

However, he might have been racing on the best ground and the even pace on his side might have helped him run as well as he did, so I’m far from convinced he was unlucky.

Intibaah and That Is The Spirit are the two who want a deluge, but if you back them now in the hope of an easy surface the likelihood is that half the others won’t run and a huge Rule 4 will come into play.

At Newmarket Llanarmon Lad has plenty going for him in the 32Redsport.com Handicap (1.50). He reminds me of Top Notch Tonto, who ended up running in Group 1 races for Brain Ellison a year ago, and he is likely to get the strong pace he needs to be at his best.

With the stalls on the far side, his high draw should help and the impressive Cam Hardie’s claim negates his rise in the weights for an easy win at the track last time.

As for the jumps racing at Market Rasen, It’s A Gimme is going to be hard to beat in the Betfred Summer Plate (3.30). He was second in a Ladbroke Hurdle a couple of season ago, has taken well to fences and could be a class above his opposition. He won’t want it bottomless, but does handle some cut.

Today's bets

Llanarmon Lad
1.50 Newmarket
1pt win at 6-1 with Ladbrokes or Paddy Power

It’s A Gimme
3.30 Market Rasen
1pt win at 11-2 with bet365 or Coral

Fast Act
3.50 Newbury
1pt win at 14-1 with Boylesports or Coral

Bond’s Girl
3.50 Newbury
1pt win at 14-1 with Paddy Power (10-1 generally)

Good luck all.