Morning all,

Its only the start of June and four of the five English classics are done and dusted for the season.  Still, we have Royal Ascot to look forward too which gets underway next Tuesday. The period between the Epsom Derby meeting and Royal Ascot tends to be a quiet one on the quality front. Hence why it’s a good opportunity to wind down and take the foot of the pedal for a few days.

Inside today’s column you’ll find a couple of eyecatchers from last weekend’s Epsom Derby Festival. Plus, there’s a Tuesday selection from Salisbury.

Two for the tracker

I think we can rely on the Epsom Derby Festival meeting to provide plenty of future winners. Since 2016 ninety-eight horses who ran at the meeting went on to win their next start. Here are two that caught my eye over the weekend.

Pocket The Profit – George Boughey

The leaders went off quick in the concluding 7f handicap won by Bowland but they didn’t come back to their field. It paid to be up close to the pace with few horses getting involved from the rear. There are a few who were held up who can do better next time. Top Secret was well backed into 9/2 co fav. He raced midfield but just didn’t handle the track. A straight 7f, on a galloping track is more his cup of tea and he’s one to bear in mind going forward.

Pocket The Profit hasn’t really built on his Pontefract seasonal reappearance success on heavy ground. However, he’s had excuses. He could never get involved over 6f at Chester last month and hasn’t had enough ease in the ground on his other three starts including on Friday. Wasn’t the best away and was held up out wider than ideal. He finished his race off well enough to suggest that his present mark remains workable when gets his favoured underfoot conditions.

Punchbowl Flyer – Eve Johnson Houghton

There were several that caught my eye at Epsom on Saturday, including three who ran in the final race the 6f handicap won by the likeable Mr Wagyu. Not for the first time Alligator Alley shaped like he can be placed to win a decent handicap pot. It looked like the 5-year-old had come with a winning run 1f but just faded in the final 110yds to finish 4^th.  I don’t think he stays 6f and a return to 5f should see him back into the winner’s enclosure.

Last season’s Goodwood Stewards Cup winner Commanche Falls wasn’t the best away and only beat one home. He didn’t like the track and you can forgive him this run.  He developed into a smart handicapper last season and although he’s 2lb above his last winning mark he’s likely to be dropped a 1lb or two after this effort. Remains one to keep onside in big field 6f handicaps this season.

Punchbowl Flyer never got into contention and finished stone cold last. On the face of it he wasn’t exactly an eyecatcher. However, he once more he didn’t get his favoured soft ground. Six of his 7 career wins have come with soft or heavy in the going description. Indeed, his record over 6f with soft or heavy in the going description is 6 wins from 11 runs. He’s already dropped 4lb below his last winning mark and will drop another couple of pounds after this run. The 5-year-old is one to note over 6f when the going eases significantly.

Tuesday Racing

It’s all about the flat today. Brighton and Salisbury provide the afternoon action and the day’s sport is completed by evening cards at Wetherby and on the all-weather at Cheltenham. The £25,000 Racing With Pride Handicap (7.20) is the feature race of a seven race card at Chelmsford and is also the best race of a low key Tuesday. Sharpcliff returned from a 10-month absence to win over C&D last month. He’s up 4lb in a better race but shouldn’t be far away in her bid for a four timer.

Sir Michael Stoute fresh from his Derby success has his horses in excellent form – 6 winners from 19 runners 32% in the past 14-days. He’s got three runners out today. Two at Salisbury to be ridden by Ryan Moore and one at Chelmsford to be ridden by Derby winning jockey Richard Kingscote. Kodiac Sign (6:10) is the horse in question. The colt finished a 1 ¼ length 3rd of 7 to Bass Player in maiden at Doncaster last time. The winner ran well to place in Listed contest at Epsom on Saturday, so the form looks solid enough. This is just the Stoute horses third start and he’s open to further improvement.

Both Sharpcliff and Kodiac Sign would be worthy selections but given their respective prices I’m off to Salisbury for today’s best bet.

Salisbury

4:50 – Million Memories is 2 wins from 15 starts (both wins on good to firm) and has top-weight to carry here but I think he’s got a good chance provided the ground is on the quick side of good which looks likely. Yet to win beyond 1m 2f but went close over 1m 3f at Goodwood last September and he was only beaten ¾ length when 2^nd of 10 over C&D in 2020, on his only start over 1m 4f. Down the field on his on his Sandown reappearance 12-days ago. However, he wasn’t subjected to hard race that day and will be fitter for that run. At around 10/1 he looks overpriced and is today's pick.

1pt win – Million Memories – 11/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes.

Good luck with your Tuesday bets.

John