ITV Racing Preview - 22/05/21

Ralph Beckett’s horses are running particularly well at the minute so a big run is expected from Prince Alex.

This 4-y-o gelding rattled off an impressive 5-timer last season working his way through the handicap ranks and he is subsequently racing off a mark of 86.

He returned to Salisbury for his first run off that rating at the start of May and although well beaten in fourth he shaped as though there are still races to be won.

He rallied well inside the final stages of the race but he had the look of a horse that needed the run therefore he is expected to improve significantly for that effort.

The forecast rain will suit him and Jason Watson has been booked to ride.

With the ground starting to turn horrific at Haydock it won’t be a course for maximum faith but the sensible option is to stick with horses proven on the surface and Molls Memory, who has the acquaintance of Oisin Murphy, fits that profile.

This 6-y-o mare is 2/2 on heavy going with both victories coming off similar marks to this and Ed Walker has his string in fine form.

She ran a cracker in a competitive handicap at York last week so she is evidently in good heart.

David Loughnane’s Ffion represents a similar form line having been beaten by the same rival as Molls Memory last time out so it would be stupid to ignore his chances off bottom-weight.

This unexposed 4-y-o isn’t as battle-hardened as some of these which may not be ideal in a heavy ground finish at Haydock however his unexposed profile means he has the potential to improve past them and he outlined he handles this course/surface when second at the start of the month.

He gets plenty of weight and can not be ruled out.

Al Zaraqaan is evidently a talented horse and you can forgive his run at Newmarket where like many young horses he didn’t seem to enjoy the undulations, however he is unproven on soft ground and the bookies have him in at 15/8 favourite which we are more than happy to leave alone.

The rank outsider of the field (20/1) is what looks the value selection. Winter Reprise was a winner on Heavy ground at Chantilly last term and his previous UK form behind Darain at Newbury reads well.

He returned with a promising effort in the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown where he made some late headway from the rear beating the likes of Highest Ground and Thunderous and he is expected to improve for both the run and change in ground conditions.

Venetia Williams’ Green Book landed a gamble at Chester last time out but he has subsequently been rated 10lb by the handicapper which leaves him on worse terms with the second place Postileo, who was also disadvantaged having come from the rear around Chester with the winning stealing a leader under Franny Norton.

With the weight swing and race tactics combined it is feasible to think Postileo will reverse that form and he has had six career starts compared to his rivals 15 so he is also open to the most improvement.

He is unraced on ground this bad but he is by Galileo and has form on a softish surface.

Seven go to post for the Group 3 Bronte Cup Fillies’ Stakes and with one firm offering three places we are siding with the rank-outsider in Inchicore.

Alan King’s daughter of Galileo landed a gamble at Lingfield on Classic Trials day with the money pouring in once the rain come so connections obviously feel he is suited by this sort of test and his form stacks up quite nicely.

He has loads to find on ratings but it can be foolish to rule a horse out on it’s rating when it has such an unexposed profile and a couple of the main protagonists have something to prove.

There is bundles of pace on offer so we are hoping Daniel Muscutt sits off them and takes it up late on.

Andrew Balding’s horses are running well at the minute which makes Nebulosa look interesting at a healthy e/w price.

The daughter of Archipenko is likely to appreciate more of a stamina test so it was impressive she won over 7f on good ground at Goodwood at the start of the month.

This increase to 1m on a softer surface looks right up her street and Oisin Murphy has been booked to ride.

The feature race on the card is the Grade One Irish 2000 Guineas and the horse we like at a price is Battleground for the master trainer Aidan O'Brien.

Battleground, although needing to bounce back from his seasonal debut, still holds bundles of ability and looks to be overpriced in the market.

The son of War Front was an exceptional juvenile, needing his debut at Naas over 6f when a fair fifth, but after that went on to be one of O'Brien's best two year olds last season.

On his second start he went to Royal Ascot for the Listed Chesham Stakes over 7f and he revelled in the extra trip to get off the mark for his career.

He then backed that up at Glorious Goodwood in the Group Two Vintage Stakes, pulling away from a good field in the final stages.The colt was saved until November for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and finished a superb second behind a home runner, giving a superb run on his first try over a mile.

Having apparently wintered well, it was all systems go for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket but only beating one runner home left a lot to be desired.

The Sandy Lane typically goes to a real speedster but with the ground coming up soft it may pay to follow a horse proven over an extra furlong in testing conditions.

Isabella Giles, Saint Lawrence and Mujbar are three that fit that profile with the latter two being our marginal preference.

Saint Lawrence has an excellent record over 7f with a notable fourth in the Superlative Stakes and he also boasts some useful form on heavy ground having finished third in a Group 3 at Newbury that was won by our other selection.

At the bigger price Mujbar is an obvious bet in this race as he is unbeaten on soft or worse and he will be fully primed after a recent spin in the Group 3 Greenham Stakes.

His trainers’ form is definitely a concern but he has plenty going for him in this race therefore a chance is taken at the price.

A typically trqppy 5f sprint handicap at York with Makanah being our each-way play with 5 places on offer.

This 6-y-o gelding has plenty of soft ground form which is a must have looking at the weather forecast and his recent spin at Chester will have put him spot on.

He has to shoulder top weight but he looks the rock solid option and he should hit the frame.

This is far from a vintage renewal of the Temple Stakes so Liberty Beach’s rock solid profile may just fit the bill.

John Quinn’s 4-y-o filly rarely runs a bad race and she rounded off last season with a third in the Group1 Prix de L’Abbaye.

The form book can often be flipped on it’s head in that event but that outlines she handles a testing surface and she also has form over 6f if this was to turn into a battle at the finish.

Two more positives to note are she goes well fresh and she is 1/1 at the course.