Sky Bet Sunday Series Tips (Hamilton, 8th May)
The Sky Bet Sunday Series was a resounding success with jockeys, trainers, owners and punters last season and it makes its 2022 return at Hamilton on May 8th. Our expert has delved through this card providing selections for all seven races which you can check out below.
Unitarian (3.50, Sky Bet Sunday Series Restricted Maiden Stakes) 6/1
The 2022 Sky Bet Sunday Series kicks off with a 5f maiden and it might just pay to take a chance on the newcomer in this line-up, UNITARIAN.
Karl Burke has made a flying start with his juveniles this season, with five of his 11 runners winning (45% strike rate) and ten finishing placed.
Unitarian is from a family that Karl Burke knows well, and he’s one of the first progeny of sire Tasleet to hit the track. Tasleet has made an excellent start as a sire, sending out winners from just a handful of runners, and Unitarian is backed to continue that with victory in Sunday’s opener.
Sky Bet Sunday Series. Karl Burke’s Unitarian can land the opener at Hamilton.
Crown Princess (4.18, Sky Bet Sunday Series Fillies’ Handicap) 17/2
Although she admittedly tends to save her best form for her beloved Beverley, CROWN PRINCESS still rates a betting proposition at the prices here for trainer Ollie Pears.
This daughter of Mehmas was given wind surgery prior to making last month’s seasonal reappearance, where she showed improved form to finish third to Pisanello, who has gone on to finish third in the Thirsk Hunt Cup.
Crown Princess is entitled to tighten up for that run (came on a bundle for last season’s reappearance) and she runs off the same mark of 75 here, which is a pound below her last winning rating.
Eeetee (4.48, Sky Bet Sunday Series Handicap) 13/2
Gweedore has gained all of his wins at Musselburgh or Ayr and could be vulnerable off a career-high rating, particularly to the unexposed EEETEE.
This former 200,000 guineas yearling was snapped up for just €26,000 by current connections last summer and he was making his first start for the O’Meara stable when runner-up in a Wetherby novice last month.
The William Haggas trained winner of that contest looks a potentially above-average sort, so it simply looked like a case of Eeetee bumping into one that day, and the handicapper has given him a chance here by dropping him 5lb on the switch to handicaps.
This rating of 79 looks very lenient on the pick of Eeetee’s French form, which included a close second to Policy Of Truth (last year’s French 2000 Guineas fourth), with the horse back in third that day (Skycutter) holding a 95 rating in Britain.
Sky Bet Sunday Series. Danny Tudhope and David O’Meara can team up to score at Hamilton.
Sound Reason (5.18, Sky Bet Sunday Series Sprint Handicap) 10/1
There’s a great deal of pace on in this event and there’s every chance that if they go hard on the front end that this will set up for something coming from off the pace, preferably SOUND REASON.
Kevin Ryan’s charge looked most progressive in sprint handicaps last season, recording an RPR of 91 when ending his 3yo campaign with a close second at Beverley.
This son of Hot Streak is just a pound higher for his seasonal reappearance today and has won on the back of an absence previously. Expect to see him ridden cold here under Kevin Stott and there shouldn’t be many finishing faster than him at the business end.
Lethal Levi (5.48, Sky Bet Sunday Series 3YO Sprint Handicap) 5/1
Karl Burke appears to hold the aces here with Aasser and LETHAL LEVI, who both arrive on the back of victories.
It’s the latter who’s just preferred here, having posted a career-best RPR figure when justifying favouritism at Yarmouth last month.
In his juvenile campaign, Lethal Levi bumped into the now triple-figure rated pair of Fearby and Flaming Rib, only losing out in a head-bobber of a finish against the latter, with the front two pulling 6l clear of the remainder.
That run suggests a mark of 82 still underestimates Lethal Levi, particularly if the addition of first-time cheekpieces manages to eke out some improvement.
Sky Bet Sunday Series. Clifford Lee can ride Lethal Levi to victory at Hamilton.
Emaraty Hero (6.18, Sky Bet Sunday Series Stayers Handicap) 4/1
EMARATY HERO has proven a shrewd purchase for connections at 20,000 guineas, winning twice last season including a competitive apprentice handicap at York.
Grant Tuer’s charge has been a beaten favourite in all three subsequent runs, yet he did very little wrong when beaten a length into third at Doncaster last month and going back up a furlong looks a plus on that showing.
That run came on fast ground, but being by Lope De Vega Emaraty Hero isn’t expected to be inconvenienced by a slower surface, and a mark of 80 looks well within his capabilities.
Happy (6.45, Sky Bet Sunday Series Middle Distance Apprentice Handicap) 11/2
The Johnstons send a particularly interesting runner to Hamilton on Sunday in the form of HAPPY, who is out of a Group 3 winner in Sent From Heaven.
Happy had some reasonably smart form to his name at 2 and belatedly opened his account at the seventh attempt when landing a Beverley novice last month.
A winter gelding operation evidently worked the oracle for Happy, and he returns to handicap company here on just a 2lb higher mark, with that rise negated by his rider’s claim. Oliver Stammers is one of the more experienced riders in this line-up and operates particularly well here at Hamilton, where he is currently riding at a 30% strike rate.
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