Today selections
PERSUASION – 4.55 Haydock (NAP)
PERSUASION rates a bet off top weight back at Haydock where his career form reads 13221. He acts on all types of ground conditions but his most recent win came on an easy surface up at Musselburgh in April this year and he’s only rated 1lb higher now so is certainly not handicapped out of things from his current mark of 88. Callum Rodriguez is back in the saddle for the first time since and although it didn’t work out when sent to Galway last time, you really need everything to fall your way around that tricky course and he could never quite get into it.
HALIFAX – 4.45 Bangor
They ended up missing six hurdles at Market Rasen but that didn’t stop HALIFAX giving it a good crack and he was only run out of things very late on, finishing second for the seventh time over hurdles. He has won four too including off a higher mark than his revised 109 and we know he’s well suited to Bangor as he struck gold here a couple of years ago.
HARRYS HOPE – 5.00 Worcester
HARRYS HOPE bumped into a thriving rival in Art Of Diplomacy when last seen at Uttoxeter in July and although nudged up 1lb in the weights for her troubles, Ben Pauling’s mare now has a record of four wins and three seconds from eight chase starts and remains with potential as a seven-year-old. Pauling, who had a winner from his sole starter at the last meeting here last Sunday, has an excellent course record in general and following all of his runners at Worcester in the past five seasons would have produced a level-stakes profit of +44.34. Harrys Hope can boost those eyecatching stats further still.
TACTICAL PLAN – 5.15 Ascot
With a high draw (stalls on the stands’ side) and Jim Crowley back in the saddle, TACTICAL PLAN looks to have plenty in his favour in Ascot’s three-year-old handicap over seven furlongs. He ran well when second to an improver over six furlongs at Ayr two starts ago and although not quite at the same level last time, he did raced keenly after fluffing the start and can probably be excused that effort. A winner under Crowley on heavy going at Goodwood last autumn, conditions have appear to come right again and chasing a good gallop on this stiff track should play to his strengths as he travels strongly and is tactically versatile.
AL KHAWSSAA – 7.47 Kempton
AL KHAWSSAA should definitely be marked up for his latest effort when runner-up over this course and distance at Kempton, the four-year-old racing near the back of the pack having been drawn in stall nine. Winner Grand Traverse and eventual third Red Mirage raced closer to the pace and Al Khawssaa did well to finish strongly to grab the runner-up spot. The handicapper has reacted by way of a 2lb rise but the son of Night Of Thunder looks open to more improvement seeing as it was his first run since May and stall one should give Silvestre De Sousa the option to sit a little handier on this occasion.
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