Sam King failed to find the winners' enclosure yesterday but he's back with three selections on a jam-packed day of action across the country…
Kalpana – Kempton 2.35
Kempton plays host to the Group 3 September Stakes this afternoon and while I'm not surprised Hamish is at the top of the market; I don't think you can be siding with him at the current prices. I much prefer the unexposed Kalpana and think the other two 'big players' at the top of the betting may well struggle to give her upwards of 10lb.
The Juddmonte-owned filly finished in front of Irish Oaks heroine You Got To Me when third in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot before a professional four-and-a-half length success in the Listed Glasgow Stakes at Hamilton last month. Andrew Balding's contender clearly remains on a consistent upward trajectory and while she'll need more again now back up in grade, she can find the required improvement to collect this Group 3 prize en-route to bigger and better things.
Odds – 5/2
Rogue Encore – 4.40 Haydock
We head to Haydock for our final two selections. Rogue Encore would have gone into plenty of trackers after his luckless ninth at Newbury nine days ago, and while he might not be the most straightforward of conveyances, it surely won't be long until he's getting his head in front.
It's tough to say how close he would have gone at Newbury given Rab Havlin was literally forced to stand up in his irons for much of the last 100 yards, but I'm convinced that in the worst-case scenario, he would have been in the three. That was his first outing since being gelded so it would have been interesting to see what he found for pressure once being let down, but I'll have to take a chance that it's done the trick.
The booking of Oisin Murphy is an upgrade on almost anybody at the moment and off an unchanged rating of 78 and from a good draw in stall five, Peter Chapple-Hyam's son of Kodiac can get off the mark for the first time.
Odds – 11/4
Montassib – 3.35 Haydock
Earlier on the card at the Merseyside venue, the feature Group 1 Sprint Cup looks wide-open and it could be worth chancing one at a double-figure price. There's no doubt Inisherin is the right favourite based on his Commonwealth Cup performance, but he does need to bounce back from a disappointing effort in the July Cup at Newmarket.
There are plenty of plausible alternatives, one of which Swingalong, is particularly strong in the market this morning. However, with a number of likely front-runners in the field, this could set up for a closer and I'm convinced that Montassib can run a big race at a general 20/1.
The Group 1 six-furlong prize has eluded trainer William Haggas, but Montassib looks to tick plenty of boxes in his bid to change that stat. A habitual slow starter and confirmed hold-up performer, this should pan out nicely with plenty of pace up front. He did well to quicken up past a reappearing Kinross on the all-weather at Newcastle last time and should the ground have some ease in it, I see no reason as to why he can't be staying on strongly to grab a piece of the action under regular rider Cieren Fallon.
Odds – 20/1
