Matty Sutcliffe has bets all through the weekend, as he has targeted the seven-race Sunday Series card at Musselburgh with his value punts on Sunday.
3:45 Musselburgh – Enter ITV7 For Free Handicap (Class 5) (4yo+ 0-68) – Spun To Gold 1pt WIN
Jim Goldie won this last season with a 4yo who’d tumbled down the weights and it could be a similar scenario with this well bred son of Justify, who failed to go after a promising 2yo season for Andrew Balding.
He was two lengths behind the now 99 rated Qirat on debut, finishing his 2yo season with a head success over the now 92 rated Run Boy Run. He couldn’t capitalise on an opening mark of 79 last term, but he was only beaten three lengths behind the progressive Our Havana who;’s now rated 15lbs higher on the grass and 24lbs higher on the all-weather.
He marginally improved on that effort where beaten three lengths in a 0-88 at Newmarket behind Skukuza, who’s now rated 98 having been beaten 3/4L in the Brittania last time out.
He didn’t run all that badly when a tenderly handled 10th at Ayr on yard debut, and soft ground was a likely excuse when well beaten at Doncaster two weeks later. While he undoubtedly has to improve on the form he’s shown for the yard thus far, he’s dropped 9lbs in four runs for Jim Goldie and the latest 3lbs enables him to contest this 0-68, with Amie Waugh taking three off and a return to any of his 3yo would see him be competitive in this class five affair.
4:15 Musselburgh – British EBF Novice Stakes (GBB/IRE Incentive Race) (Class 2) (2yo) – Harswell Calling 1pt WIN
HARSWELL CALLING was a bet for the column in the Brocklesby and showed plenty of early speed, but was ultimately disadvantaged by leading the field into the strong headwind and inevitably weakened late on.
He has the fitness edge over all of his rivals, and prominent racers have fared well in this contest with the last five winners coming from the front, including the owners’ Harswell who was coming into the race off a similar defeat on debut at Ripon.
4:45 Musselburgh – Sky Bet Acca Freeze Handicap (Class 4) (4yo+ 0-78) – Knicks 1pt WIN
KNICKS was an eye-catcher at Doncaster on seasonal debut when a tenderly handled three length eighth having been held up in rear throughout. The race was already unfolding up front while Jo Mason was sat quietly on Knicks, who was ultimately given too much to do and looking as if another target was in mind.
The son of Invincible Spirit clocked the highest nishing speed percentage in the contest, and his last success came early on in the season after a pipe opener at Catterick having made all with the form working out well. He went backward from then onwards, but regained some form at Ayr and Nottingham in October once equipped with a tongue tie and this sharp 5F test at Musselburgh can play into his strengths if coming on for that seasonal debut.
6:15 Musselburgh – Sky Bet Proud To Support ROR Handicap (Class 4) (4yo+ 0-78) – Benacre 1pt WIN
Just four pounds separate the eld of twelve but the Charlie Johnston trained BENACRE is the most attractively handicapped, having dropped 18lbs since the beginning of last season when beaten a length in the Lincoln trial at Wolves.
While it is a concern he’s 0-25 since his three two year old victories, he proved he was capable of good form last season when a 3/4L third to Great Blasket in a 0-92 at Nottingham last season, with the winner on an upward curve, the second franking the form on his penultimate run and the fifth climbing 7lbs with two subsequent victories (also won on Wednesday). The yard have evidently struggled to work him out over the last couple of seasons, with trips of 1m4f, 1m2f and 1m1f all failing to spark improvement, but the suspicion is that the return to seven furlongs will suit given he’s only tried it twice since he was 12011 over the trip as a 2yo. The first occasion came in a Listed contest when a 3/4L second behind Shouldvebeenaring who peaked at a mark of 113, while the second was a twelve length eight at Newmarket in a race that generally favoured hold up performers.
He ran a solid race from the front in a 0-78 at Chelmsford on seasonal debut, beaten three lengths having made the running with the first three home all coming from off the pace, shaping as if a drop back to seven furlongs trip wouldn’t go amiss. Now dropped a further 2lbs in the weakest race he’ll have contended on turf, it would be disappointing to see the previously progressive son of Australia not make his mark off 74 soon enough.
