Plenty of rain around today and it looks like it'll be testing tomorrow, but it means you have to be a little bit careful today as good ground (which Worcester is at present) could easily become soft by racetime. Here's three I like the look of today.
5.40 Worcester
Tom Symonds is struggling for a winner or two but Meteorite has been found a weak race, and he might be able to get him off the mark for the season.
Like many of these, he finds winning hard but he’s only had the three chase starts and it was definitely a better effort at Southwell last time, leading down the back but not getting home, and fading late. To that extent, the drop back to 2m looks a plus, as does any further rain, and both the tongue-tie and cheekpieces go on to try and get him home in front.
8.10 Worcester
Normally there’s some plot lurking in these summer 0-100 handicaps but I don’t see one here, and it may be best to concentrate on the form picks.
An Taillur has won three on the trot after another easy success at Southwell on Wednesday night, but he’ll have a penalty to carry for that and this will be his fourth quick run. At some point that’s going to take its toll, and it might be tonight.
The Uttoxeter handicap in which Iron Port beat Mr Woody looks solid form. Both were well backed in the morning, with early double-figure prices soon disappearing about Iron Port, and he ran out a ready winner in the end. A 10lb rise still only leaves him 3lb above his initial handicap mark, so that’s still workable, but a lot of rain might be against him. Nevertheless, his chance is much respected. But at this stage, I’m willing to chance that the return to Worcester sparks a bit more of a revival in Mr McGuinness, who would pick this lot up and drop them on the best of his form, and there were signs at Southwell last time that all is not lost. Two of his three wins have come at the track and he seemed to get 3m fine last time. He can hit the frame at a big price.
4.00 Goodwood
A 2m handicap in soft ground means there’s no room for non-stayers, but Tigerten, from the in-form Joe Tuite yard, is worth another try after a disappointing first effort of the year at Chelmsford last month.
Having been off since October, he might have needed that, and I’m willing to forgive the run, especially as he ran so well in heavy ground here last August, looking a touch unlucky in the run and staying on strongly towards the finish. That suggests the more rain they get, the happier he will be, and he held his form well after that. With little weight on his back, he can bounce back to form under conditions that should suit him well.
Today's selection – Tigerten (e/w 4 places) 4.00 Goodwood
Good luck with all your bets today,
David.