Wednesday’s best bets: Your best bets and NAP for today’s racing at Salisbury and Kempton from Callum Jamieson
IT’S been a profitable June so far, and with a week to go I’m hoping to top that up and go out on a bang.
It’s classic midweek fare to tell the truth, but I’ve found a few I like at Salisbury and Kempton.
We start at Salisbury and one for the flying William Haggas team in a hot little three-year-old handicap.
DESERT ICON (Salisbury, 4.20) makes his handicap bow in much calmer waters than what could have been, with this former King Edward entry a no-show at Royal Ascot.
He starts his handicap life of a mark of 85, far from a gimme, but more than workable off the back of three smart efforts in three good heats.
He made his debut in the Wood Ditton – always a good race – before trouncing his rivals when upped in trip at Pontefract.
June P+L
June: +20.73pts
He was then given another run dropped back to a mile, this time under a penalty, and showed enough over an insufficient trip.
That third is good form, with the winner going off 6-1 for the Britannia rated 96 and the second winning at Newmarket recently, and also rated in the 90s.
Stepped up to the a mile-and-a-half, this son of Sea The Stars should come forward again and good old Ryan Moore is booked.
Haggas is 2-6 at Salisbury this summer and although there’s plenty of depth to this race, he looks the one to be with.
Wednesday Bets...
4.20 Salisbury – DESERT ICON 1pt win
4.50 Salisbury – RUNNING CLOUD 0.5pt ew
6.50 Kempton – GASLIGHT 1pt win (NAP)
In the very next race, I really like the chances of RUNNING CLOUD (Salisbury, 4.50), again with Moore in the saddle, but this time for Alan King.
This is far easier than the hot handicap he contested at York last time, where he was miles back and faced plenty of traffic up the home straight.
Moore was very conservative on him that day, perhaps fearing the two mile trip, and back down two furlongs here, he should be plenty more confident in the saddle.
He looks very well treated judged on the way he’s finished on his last few starts, and despite his losing run mounting up, this looks his best chance by some way.
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He was well-backed at York last time and I’m confident this four-year-old has a couple of races in him at this level.
Over to Kempton for their evening card, and GASLIGHT (Kempton, 6.50, nap) should take all the beating given a clear run from stall one.
She sneaks into this 0-70 and looks thrown in after her second to Hotsy Totsy last time out over course and distance.
That is terrific form and she gets 9lbs as a three-year-old. This time of year is where three-year-olds can really make the most of this allowance.
She finally gets a go in a handicap and the James Fanshawe yard – after a steady start – are now starting to tick over.
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