Ayr begins its Gold Cup meeting on Thursday among five cards in all. Here are Andrew Mount’s top tips.
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Posted: 5.01pm, Wednesday, September 18th
1.42 Ayr – BOWEN ISLAND (1pt win – 11/4 bet365)
My paddock pick BOWEN ISLAND ran a cracking race in the Convivial Maiden Stakes at York last month, finishing fourth at 33-1. Kevin Ryan’s son of Hello Youmzain made the running from a tricky high draw before being headed two furlongs out but was coming back at the third-placed runner at the line. This century, his trainer is four from 14 with horses who ran in the Convivial on their latest start, including form figures of 21101163 (4-8) with those who finished in the top nine at York. Bowen Island faces a tough rival in the shape of stablemate Jorge Alvares, who ran well against the draw bias when fourth in the Premier Yearling Stakes at York’s Ebor meeting, but he’s been gelded since his last run and his trainer won this race in 2022 and in 2021. I’m also going to play the two Ryan horses in a reversed forecast/Tote Exacta
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2.20 Yarmouth – VILAINE VERLAINE (1pt win – 13/2 bet365)
Since the beginning of 2018, Mark Usher has an eight from 55 record with nursery debutants for a profit of £157.10 to a £1 level stake at SP, largely thanks to the win of 150-1 shot Monks Mead at Lingfield last
summer. Most of the winners came on the all-weather, including the well-backed (9-1 from 16-1) Token Gesture at Kempton on Monday, but it’s interesting to note that Rab Havlin, who rides VILAINE VERLAINE, is two from two on nursery debutants for Usher in recent years (wins at 14-1 and 5-1). Vilaine Verlaine has caught the eye in mid-division in non-handicap company the last twice and can take a big step forward this afternoon.
4.48 Ayr – DAIN MA NUT IN (1pt win – 11/4 bet365)
I wrote the following about DAIN MA NUT IN in Racing & Football Outlook back in May after his run in a 7f novice contest at Catterick….
“The Lucinda Russell-trained DAIN MA NUT IN had started at just 11-2 when fourth of seven in a course and distance novice contest last October and, having struggled at Redcar on his only other juvenile outing, was sent off at 125-1 for the 7f Racing Welfare Supporting Mental Health Awareness Novice Stakes. The gelding caught the attention of the stewards by finishing just over two lengths behind the winner in a tenderly-handled fifth and will be of obvious interest when handicapping.”
The handicapper didn’t give Lucinda Russell’s three-year-old a mark after the above run, so connections were forced to show their hand – or at least a few fingers – at Musselburgh next time where he finished a 15-2 third of ten in a maiden. He had one more run in maiden company, finishing third at Beverley, and patient tactics were no help on his handicap debut at Musselburgh where he beat only one home at odds of 10-1. He’s since gone two from two over 1m at Musselburgh, scoring by a combined margin of 13 lengths and clocking a fast time in the latest of those two runs. Today’s race is more competitive, but he could get loose on the lead and is worth a punt to complete his hat-trick.
5.30 Chelmsford – SAINT RIQUIER (2pt win – 11/8 bet365)
SAINT RIQUIER has done really well since returning from a 657-day absence, finishing a two-length 28-1 third at Sandown before wins on the Polytrack at Lingfield (1m4f) and on good to soft ground at Leicester (1m2f) by a massive nine and a half lengths. He was turned over when 2-5 favourite at Brighton on Monday but that half-length second was worthy of an upgrade as his got trapped on the inside rail from his poor low draw. The return to Polytrack will suit and the step back up to 1m6f shouldn’t be an issue.
Andrew Mount’s Best Bets
1.42 Ayr – BOWEN ISLAND (1pt win – 11/4 bet365)
2.20 Yarmouth – VILAINE VERLAINE (1pt win – 13/2 bet365)
4.48 Ayr – DAIN MA NUT IN (1pt win – 11/4 bet365)
5.30 Chelmsford – SAINT RIQUIER (2pt win – 11/8 bet365)
Andrew Mount’s tips for Thursday, 19th September 2024.
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The myth-busting Andrew Mount returns with his weekly column, this time focusing on tricky, undulating tracks such as Goodwood and Ripon, and their effects on debutants having their first starts there. If you want to improve your racing knowledge and punting skills, I highly recommend listening to William Hill Racing Radio when Jon Babb is…
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