Wedding Ring (5-2) and Emirates Flyer (4-1) gave us a very profitable day at Meydan on Thursday. Wedding Ring earned a 25-1 quote for the 1000 Guineas, although I still rate her below stable companion Ihtimal for the fillies’ classic. Perhaps Godolphin mean business this season after the nightmare of 2013.
It’s a far cry from Dubai to Haydock on a saturated Saturday but the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase is our next big race preview. My regular readers will know that I’ve been following Merry King and I’m giving him a third and final chance here. He ran well enough in the Hennessy to finish fifth to Triolo D’Alene, seemingly being outpaced in the home straight after closing up turning for home.
That looked a decent enough trial for the Welsh National but he produced an almost identical performance. He jumped safely and moved on to the heels of the leaders three out but made no further progress, again having to settle for fifth place. Jonjo O’Neill is sticking a first-time visor on him on Saturday, he’s run well at the track before and looks worth another chance at 11-2 or thereabouts.
I’m also going to support Aintree winner Chance Du Roy at 10-1 with Coral. That looks like outstanding each-way value with the Philip Hobbs stable in great form at present. The form of the Becher Chase is nothing to shout about with the veteran Baby Run in second but Mr Moonshine (3rd) did win convincingly at Musselburgh next time.
Vino Griego is top weight, although Joshua Moore takes off a handy 3lbs. He bolted up at Sandown but I’m just not sure how he will run at Haydock. He’s handled Ascot and Cheltenham well enough in the past but can be a bit awkward at his fences and he may not like some of these big black obstacles.
Venetia Williams runs Katenko who is trying to work his way back to form after suffering an injury last season. I felt that everyone got rather carried away by talking about him as a Gold Cup horse and I’d like to have seen more from him when he trailed home behind Unioniste at Aintree.
Vintage Star was just behind Merry King at Chepstow but I’ll be disappointed if the O’Neill horse can’t beat him here whilst Sydney Paget dropped out tamely at Wetherby. It wasn’t a great Rowland Meyrick by any means and perhaps Sydney Paget was flattered by his wide margin win over course and distance previously.
Merry King 11-2 Coral
Chance Du Roy 10-1 Coral
