Sam King landed two winners yesterday including a 14/1 shot at Kempton and he returns with three selections on this fine Thursday afternoon…
We head to Nottingham for our first selection, and one has caught my eye in the Join Racing TV Now Maiden Stakes at 2.40.
Trainer Owen Burrows sends just one horse to Nottingham today and his recent record at the track is nothing short of outstanding with seven of his last twenty (35%) runners finding the winners' enclosure.
Although form figures of 8-8 do not look entirely appealing for Eddie Temple he's shaped miles better than the bare result in both starts to date and it's easy to see him take another step forward now upped in trip.
He caught the eye when running on from the rear of the field in a warm-looking seven-furlong maiden at Sandown on debut last year and once again showed signs of greenness and inexperience at Kempton on his reappearance.
On both starts thus far over seven furlongs, he's been doing his best work late on and I'm expecting a much-improved effort now that he's stepping up beyond a mile with the yard amongst the late winners.
Selection: Eddie Temple – General 3/1
Eyes turn to Newbury for our second wager, and I quite like the look of Heather Main's handicap debutante Believe You Me in the BetVictor Proud Partners Of Newbury Racecourse Handicap at 3.25.
The daughter of Make Believe produced a clear career-best when a never-nearer fifth in a decent-looking seven-furlong novice contest at this venue on her reappearance when seemingly helped by the fitting of first-time cheekpieces. Those cheekpieces are retained here and she looks the type to do better with experience now entering handicap company.
The step back up to a mile should pose no problems and although the form of that recent course novice event has taken some knocks, I stand by it remains a fairly warm affair.
An opening mark of 62 looks more than fair if she can take another step forward as anticipated and the trainer has a habit of springing big-priced winners at this venue. You'd be a staggering +£258.00 to a pound level stake if backing every Heather Main-trained runner at Newbury over the last five years and although this horse isn't as juicy of a price as the 150/1 winner, she had here in May I still think the general 12/1 on offer about this filly makes her well worth a decent each-way bet.
Selection: Believe You Me – General 12/1
Haydock hosts an interesting seven-race evening card, and we head to the Merseyside venue for our third and final selection.
Patrick Morris may only have a small and select team, but his string could hardly be in better form at present. The locally-based trainer has had two winners from his four runners over the last fortnight and looks to have found the key to veteran Brian The Snail, who attempts to back up a recent Ripon success in the Join Racing TV Now Handicap at 7.10.
The nine-year-old comfortably landed a Class 5 handicap over the minimum trip at Ripon recently and remains incredibly well-treated on the pick of his best form. It's fair to say at the age of nine he isn't anything like the force of old, but he showed the spark still burnt within when winning last time and the form looks solid for the grade with the third-placed form winning subsequently.
A 7lb rise will make life tougher but he's clearly on great terms with himself at present and with conditions to suit I fully expect him to follow up.
Selection: Brian The Snail – General 7/2
