The Daily Yankee
NAP OF THE DAY: Raising Sand, (1630 Ascot), 1pt win, 5/1 generally available
This big handicap looks destined for one of Raising Sand, Kynren or Argentello. Whilst we like Kynren and he has the beating of our pick on recent Cambridgeshire form, Ascot has a love-hate quality and his stinker of the season came in his one run here and that is offputting. Frankie could go close on Argentello but has both ground and course as question marks. No such doubts for Raising Sand who landed our nap here two weeks ago in runaway style. If anything this mile should be more suitable and he retains the wonderful Nicola Currie in the saddle. He can go in again.
Librisa Breeze, (1400 Ascot), 5/1: This sprint sees a match up between heavy ground Ascot lovers The Tin Man and Librisa Breeze. The Tin Man heads the betting having finished ahead of his rival in both head to heads this year and hot off a Group 1 win at Haydock. Librisa has less obvious claims coming here off a tailed off last in a Group 3, but the manner of his win in this race last year with most of today’s rivals, including The Tin Man, easily beaten off, gives hope for a turn around. He’ll need to be sparking today and these conditions should hopefully see him revert to his best.
Lord Glitters, (1515 Ascot), 6/1: hot favourite here is Roaring Lion and there is little doubt he has a class edge on his older opponents, but very soft ground is a leveller, and with his US pedigree there has to a suspicion that he could be below his best. The ground will absolutely suit two horses who started this year contesting the Lincoln. Addeybb won that day and returns here with ground to suit and a big chance. Lord Glitters gets an 8lb pull for nearly 3 lengths which should just about level things. The Lord has been more active since and has a compelling track record even on unsuitably quick ground this summer. Back on the soft, he can edge out his old rival on what amounts to his home turf.
Crystal Ocean, (1550 Ascot), 3/1: this race is about defending champion Cracksman. He looked the horse to follow this year and opened with a crushing win in France. But a laboured win at Epsom and then defeat here in June have been disappointing. In context, he still finished miles clear of the rest last time, but the handicapper saw fit to drop him 5lbs to 125. Trainer Gosden reaches for first time blinkers and that doesn’t add up to an odds-on shot particularly when you consider that the handicapper now has Crystal Ocean 4lbs higher on 129. We’re not sure we wholly buy those maths, but Crystal Ocean is reliable and will run to the mid 120s and that makes Cracksman’s price only justified if he runs to his best, and there has to be real doubt about that.
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