Saturday gives us seven meetings to pick through, from Ascot in the afternoon down to the evening lights at Doncaster and Nottingham. It is a broad card with plenty to like, and the bulk of our strongest fancies land after the sun starts to dip.
The afternoon is spread thin. Ayr offers four to follow across the card, Down Royal sends out a handful over the water, and there is interest at Redcar and Newmarket too. Most of those are each-way prices rather than horses we want to back to win outright, so we are happy to keep stakes sensible and let the day build towards the evening fixtures where our conviction sits.
Doncaster is where the day earns its keep. Five picks across that card, and a couple of them stand out properly. Lumenbourg arrives off a win with his best work fresh behind him, and the handicapper has not caught up yet. The weights still suit and in a small field he holds a clear edge, so he gets the nod to win at five o’clock business. Then later we land on Asia Force, who reads as the safest call of the lot. Second, second, second and third on his last four runs. He has been knocking on the door for weeks now and his fastest work is coming right at the right time. A horse that ready to convert is worth being with.
Over at Nottingham, Winchurch is the one we keep coming back to. He struck over course and distance last time out and did it with plenty left in the tank by the look of things. His times are trending up, and stall four gives him a fair shake over the minimum trip. That combination of course form, improving figures and a kind draw is the sort of profile we trust.
Yesterday rewarded the patient. City Of Poets obliged at 4.5 and Argy Bhaji followed up at 2.5, a tidy double to head into the weekend with. Hello Sweety and Brave Hunter both placed too, so the card did most of what we asked of it.
Plenty to keep an eye on through the afternoon, but the day really comes alive once we get to Doncaster and Nottingham. Get those evening races right and Saturday looks after itself.