Three tips today from three different meetings.
13.50 Ludlow
CENTREOFEXCELLENCE (best price 9-2) proved a total revelation when allowed to bowl along at the head of affairs at Bangor last time out and providing he can obtain another uncontested lead here this afternoon, there’s every chance the son of Oscar will repeat the dose.
Setting a strong gallop from the start at the Welsh venue, Steve Flook’s gelding never looked in any serious threat and in keeping up the tempo all the way to the line, he ended up posting some excellent figures for the grade. Indeed, the seven-year-old amazingly managed to run the final circuit 4.5 seconds quicker than the other impressive chase winner on the card, Some Chaos (rated 102) and given what Michael Scudamore’s inmate went onto achieve at Market Rasen subsequently, it highlights even further the performance of the selection 16 days ago. In short, he still looks ridiculously well handicapped.
18.00 Kempton
FITZWILLY (best price 13-2) didn’t get much of a look in the other day which is not surprising given what the winner posted on the speed figures and Mick Channon’s should turn out to be a good deal more competitive returning to a track where he has a pretty impressive record.
Unable to cope with the subsequent Newmarket winner Graceful Lady in the latter stages at the Berkshire venue, the eight-year-old still plugged on well enough to finish a creditable second, and if you go back just four starts it’s plain to see what the son of Sixties Icon can do given a well-run affair on the Polytrack. Despite racing keenly early on, he still managed to find the necessary requirements to see out the trip well and a repeat of that sort of performance should be good enough to see him hit the frame at the very least.
19.45 Chelmsford
THE LAMPLIGHTER (NAP) (best price 6-1) still remains a maiden after 13 starts, but that might not have been the case had he got any sort of a run at Kempton last time out and he’s fancied to go close to vindicating the view of how unlucky he was 13 days ago.
Held up from his wide draw at the Sunbury venue, George Baker’s gelding was noted going well just behind the speed turning into the home straight and then just as he was about to unleash his challenge inside the final two furlongs, he got stopped abruptly in his run. Allowed to coast home in his own time from that point onwards, he finished on the bridle not knowing he’d had a race and if you add on his previous outing when he came from a good way back to get within half a length of the progressive Enthaar over the same C&D, it’s clear he arrives here in better shape than his odds suggest.
Obviously, the son of Elusive City has yet to race over tonight’s course, which is a slight concern, but providing he does handle the surface (every chance as Kempton is riding quite deep at the moment), the three-year-old should turn out to be a massive player.
