The big betting race of the weekend is the Victoria Cup over seven furlongs at 3.45. As usual, it has attracted a huge field with 29 runners spread across the track.
The bookmakers are currently offering 12-1 the field and beating five places each-way, which tells you all that you need to know about the competitive nature of the race. Ed Dunlop has already scooped one major handicap this week with the Chester Cup and saddles Zarwaan here.
The four-year-old was our selection for the Lincoln at Doncaster and he ran a creditable race to finish sixth, unable to quicken in the closing stages behind Gabrial. He had chased home Chatez on soft ground at Haydock last year and was also a close fifth in the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot. He may just have needed the race at Doncaster and this drop back to seven furlongs could also see him in a better light.
Richard Hannon saddles Emell, a five-year-old by Medicean and an emphatic winner at Haydock in April. He wore blinkers for the first time when producing a fine turn of foot to beat Professor by three and a quarter lengths. The handicapper put him up 8lbs for that run and he looked unlucky not to follow up at Goodwood. He seemed to be travelling extremely well under Kieran O’Neill but could not find a gap. He eventually flashed home in fifth and races off the same mark here.
Speculative Bid is on a hat-trick for David Elsworth after winning twice at Kempton this spring. He was a very impressive winner over Brave Echo off a mark of 82 before defying a 9lbs rise in April. He beat Outback Traveller by a head and that horse is only 1lb better off on Saturday. That was a fine seasonal debut for Jeremy Noseda’s son of Bushranger and he won by seven lengths here in October. He is now a stone higher in the handicap but has to be a contender.
Russian Realm is an interesting runner here for David O’Meara having previously been trained by Sir Michael Stoute. He won well in soft ground at Goodwood last May but never really went on from there. The change of scenery may bring about some improvement and Richard Hughes is an eye-catching jockey booking.
William Haggas is always to be feared in these big handicaps and he saddles the lightly raced Dream Spirit. He beat Maverick Wave at Newmarket last August but was beaten at the same track next time and was third to Mooharib at Pontefract.
Emell @25-1 Ladbrokes
Dream Spirit @14-1 Ladbrokes
¼ odds, 1,2,3,4,5
