What's TV Focus

Newbury

1.50 1 pt – 3 Highland Avenue 11/4 general, 3/1 with bet365

This small-field listed race promises to be muddling an Al Aasy – the class act but a weak finisher at the best of times and lining up following a wretched reappearance – makes absolutely no appeal at odds on. There’s a case to make for the two three-year-olds at double-figure odds, but Highland Avenue looks the most solid proposition following three good runs this season. He had no excuses when fourth in the Wolferton at Royal Ascot last time, but that was certainly a stronger listed race than this one and a repeat of that effort might prove sufficient, with his style of racing – he’s likely to be handy in a race that’s unlikely to be well run – potentially an advantage as well.

2.25 2 pts – 12 Sweet William 7/2 general

Plenty of these are in good form but if there’s one that’s some way ahead of the handicapper then it’s Sweet William. He’s lightly raced for a 4-y-o, this just the fifth run of his career, and having been understandably no match for the smart Saint Georges on his reappearance, he landed the odds with loads in hand in a minor event at Doncaster earlier this month. Sweet William possibly isn’t 100% straightforward (he wears headgear and has already been gelded), but he’s completely unexposed at staying trips and, as a half-brother by Sea The Stars to the Leger winner Hurricane Run, his pedigree strongly suggests that this longer distance will be right up his street – he’s worth backing to prove that an opening BHA mark of 88 underestimates his ability.

3.00 0.5 pt – 9 Rumstar 12/1 with Paddy Power, William Hill, Betfair and BetVictor, 0.5 pt – 10 Shartash 14/1 with bet365, Paddy Power, William Hill, Betfair and BetVictor

The Hackwood looks a wide-open affair, with cases to be made for plenty, and it’s worth splitting stakes on a couple of bigger price runners. Rumstar won the Cornwallis as a two-year-old, for which he’s now unpenalised, and proved he’s trained on well when a keeping-on fifth in the Commonwealth Cup last time. It’s true that he was ideally positioned that day, but he was going on at the finish, the form has had a couple of notable boosts subsequently, and it won’t take much more improvement to see him go close here. The Irish raider Shartash also looks to have been a little underestimated judged on some two-year-old form that saw him mixing it with the best around, including a Group 2 verdict over subsequent dual top-level scorer Blackbeard. He didn’t run badly when a close fifth at Naas when last seen in May, and with his Group 2 penalty since having expired there remains some home that he could yet raise his game as a three-year-old.

3.35 1 pt – 8 Bobsleigh 6/1 general

For a race that always has a huge field, the Super Sprint is rarely a difficult race to price up, with a wide range of abilities on show and short-priced horses having a good record in general. The betting this year does have an excessively lop-sided look, however, as while Relief Rally is the pick of the weights following her fine second in the Queen Mary, that form doesn’t put her miles ahead of the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained pair Bobsleigh and Juniper Berries. The latter will do well to reverse Ascot form with Relief Rally, even on 7 lb more favourable terms, but there’s a strong case to make for the colt Bobsleigh, who’s just 2 lb behind the favourite on Timeform ratings. He won his first two outings, include the Woodcote at the Derby meeting, and it was a fine effort that saw him finish sixth, beaten less than 3 lengths, in the Coventry last time. That form is already working out, and is surely stronger than the Queen Mary, and the way Bobsleigh travels suggests he’ll have little trouble dropping back to five furlongs against considerably weaker opposition. 

Market Rasen

2.05 0.5 pt – 7 Sea The Clouds 11/1 with Paddy Power, Betfred, William Hill and Betfair

It’s hard to have great confidence behind Sea The Clouds after a disappointing effort at Worcester last time out, but prior to that his hurdling profile was essentially positive and there are a couple of angles that could potentially spark him back to life. Firstly, he’s up to two and a half miles having raced solely around the minimum trip previously, and he’s also fitted with cheekpieces for the first time. It’s hard to work up much enthusiasm for those towards the head of the market and, as such, no surprise to see the unexposed stable-switcher Dream Jet attracting support ahead of his handicap debut.

2.40 1 pt ew – 3 Too Friendly 8/1 general (all 4 places, Sky Bet 5), 9/1 with bet365 and William Hill

An open-looking race as ever for the hurdling highlight of the summer campaign but the identity of the favourite, four-timer seeking Belvedere Blast, is something of a surprise given he’s stepping up from some basement-level handicaps into effectively a 0-130. Belvedere Blast isn’t the only regular winner in the lineup by any means, either, though, perversely, it’s a contender with a handicap record of just one success from a dozen starts – Too Friendly - who makes most appeal of all at the prices, certainly from an each-way perspective, not least as nearly every firm is offering an enhanced four places and Skybet even five. Too Friendly made his handicap breakthrough under a more positive ride than usual in a lower-class, small-field affair at Fakenham, and he again went with bundles of zest at Cartmel next time, quickening clear probably further out than ideal yet worn down only near the end of the lengthy run from the last by a progressive Irish raider. There are several of these who’ve got on with it in the past, suggesting Too Friendly may find himself in pole position tracking the likely strong pace before delivering his turn of pace late on. Market Rasen’s hurdle run-in can be a long way home itself but there are few finer judges of tactics than Harry Cobden, who is riding Too Friendly for the first time in his bid to improve on an already noteworthy record when riding for James Owen of two winners and four placings from just seven rides.

3.15 – 1 pt – 16 Born Famous 10/1 general

The Summer Plate has been a Peter Bowen benefit down the years, with a remarkable eight of the twenty-eight runnings having gone his way, including the last two courtesy of the returning favourite Francky du Berlais, who looks a deserving favourite at similar odds to those he’d defied last year. Bowen’s back-up plan of Courtland isn’t too shabby, either, given he’s returned with three successive wins, most recently over course and distance, but it would be easy to underestimate the strides made by another rival boasting an unbeaten record this season in the shape of Born Famous and the market does look to have done so. This will be much the toughest task Born Famous has faced in compiling four wins from as many starts for Iain Jardine, but her defeat of Dicey Rielly over hurdles at Aintree two starts back is strong form for the grade and she’s made short work of landing handicap chases at Perth either side, showing versatility as she went to the front further out than usual at that track last weekend before sauntering clear. It seems highly unlikely Born Famous has peaked yet and it’s worth backing her under Harry Cobden to justify that belief.

Curragh

3.45 1 pt – 8 Warm Heart 7/2 general, 4/1 with bet365 and William Hill

Maybe it will prove to be a foolhardy decision taking on Savethelastdance, especially with conditions at the Curragh already on the soft side and further rain forecast by mid-afternoon on Saturday, but in our opinion the discrepancy in price between Savethelastdance and Warm Heart is big enough to justify backing the latter. Warm Heart is improving at a rate of knots, taking another appreciable step forward in form terms when winning the Ribblesdale in emphatic fashion last time out. It’s likely she’ll need to do better again if she’s to master her stable companion, but Warm Heart is proving so progressive that it’s by no means out of the question. It’s not as if testing conditions are likely to trouble her, either, already proven on heavy ground and, judged on her Ascot display, clearly a notably strong stayer at a mile and a half.