Ascot’s King George card looks a cracker and headlines a fantastic Saturday for punters. Our 10,601/1 Lucky 15 best bets come away from Ascot, however, with a pair of selections each from the meetings at York and Newmarket.
Nomadic Empire (2.40 York)
Horses with previous course and distance form do well in this in sprint handicap. As such, while NOMADIC EMPIRE has a bit to prove on recent outings, his price is worth an interest.
David O’Meara won this two years ago with Muscika, who had been second over track and trip just eight days before claiming this. However, unlike his stablemate, this four-year-old has already won over 6f at York before. He did so last September, before finishing fourth of 21 in the Coral Sprint Trophy, once more showing his liking for the Knavesmire in a big-field handicap.
This season has not gone as smoothly, but his mark has declined to one that is now too tempting. He opened 2022 with a very decent effort to be third at Ripon and his underwhelming run at this venue in May was likely down to the ground having cut up more than the official “good” going suggested.
In the meantime, he has dropped 6lb to a mark of 97, 2lb below his last winning one, which he used to win at this track. That entitles him to respect at what is an outsider’s price.
Audience (3.07 Newmarket)
Cheveley Park and the Gosdens may have unearthed a trickster in the form of AUDIENCE, whose possible con on debut has now been discovered.
A son of Iffraaj and grandson of Group 1 winning sprinter Oasis Dream, he won on debut at Newmarket last term over 7f. There was nothing suspect about the performance and indeed he won by nearly four lengths, signalling that he could well be a horse to follow as a three-year-old.
However, he is yet to follow up, first being narrowly denied by Tuscan over the same course and distance as his debut victory, then going down to Monaadah at Kempton. He could then finish only 13th of 15 in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.
What those three races all have in common is that they were over 7f, the trip he won over as a juvenile. However, his half-siblings, talented or otherwise, have all been out-and-out sprinters and he now drops to 6f for the first time.
That may prove the finishing touch on the plan to get him winning again, as the impression he left on debut was of a horse who could reach significant heights. This handicap could be his off a mark of 100.
Alligator Alley (3.42 Newmarket)
This is a last chance saloon selection for ALLIGATOR ALLEY who may verge on unbackable if unable to challenge in this contest.
A former Listed winner when trained by Joseph O’Brien, he has now had six starts for David O’Meara, who as yet has not been able to conjure the best out of him. Pattern races may simply be beyond his reach now, but he could still prove a high-quality handicapper, even on some recent evidence.
His fourth at York in May saw him finish only half-a-length behind Raasel in receipt of 6lb and that horse has since won at Group level. Moreover, his best effort in his runs for O’Meara possibly came on his only try at 6f, when also fourth at Epsom three starts ago.
He simply has not got going over the minimum distance of 5f, but if Jack Mitchell can ride him patiently in what is the smallest field he has faced on turf this season, then he certainly has leeway to run well off a mark of 87.
Gibside (5.00 York)
Since stepping up to 1m4f, there has been clear improvement from GIBSIDE, who recorded his first career success at Ripon last weekend.
It was a win which had been coming. His other two runs at the distance had been directly prior and saw him finish third, also at Ripon, and second at Pontefract.
That latter effort was behind a winner who put up an RPR 21lb superior to his mark in Wagga Wagga. Ultimately, Gibside had no chance that day, finishing 7½ lengths adrift, but it signalled he could win soon if not up against a handicap blot. He did just that last time out, waiting for room under Duran Fentiman before scooting clear for a 3½-length victory.
The son of Time Test is only up 5lb for that and may well have more to offer. His stamina is all but assured and he race from the foot of the weights here too.