Haydock, Saturday
LION OF WAR might be worth a small investment at 11/1 as an alternative to the heavy favourite Naval Power in the opening Ascendant Stakes at Haydock on Saturday (1.15pm).
Although at first glance his limitations were exposed in the Superlative, he looked raw, green and ill at ease on the track. In addition, he was held up off just a tepid pace. If this long striding colt is allowed to press forward, he could be very well suited to Haydock and his precious efforts strongly suggested a horse of significant potential.
TRIPLE TIME must be the way forward in the Superior Mile (1.45pm) at 13/2. I’d never mind taking on Reach For The Moon, whose achievements are a shade short of his reputation, and Kevin Ryan’s beautifully bred colt looked right out of the top drawer last year in two spins at this track. There aren’t many horses who could dish out a 10-length beating to Ebor Festival winner Point Lynas, let alone dance all over the 108-Rated Hafit. At the prices, we must take his fitness on trust and hope that this is a stepping stone to something much better.
POST IMPRESSIONIST is taking some of my each-way support in the 14 furlong handicap (2.20pm) at 12/1. Everything about this horse’s run style and pedigree suggests he wants this sort of trip, and he ran pretty respectably from an unpromising position at Beverley last week.
EUCHEN GLEN (15/2) might have one more big race in him, and that might just be the Old Borough Cup (2.55pm). His run in the Ebor (clearly a long held target) was excellent and luckless, held up in a tempo led affair. He won this a couple of years ago from a similar mark, and there are no signs of any obvious regression. Any rain that falls will clearly be a big help.
ROHAAN can give Hollie Doyle another Group One in the Spring Cup (3.35pm) at 9/1. He’s a mercurial character, but we know now that he’s more than worth his place in this sort of race, and – in an open contest – he might just have the perfect set up. To my eye, he should get the ideal draft into the race behind the middle drawn pace of Emaraaty Ana, Brad The Brief and Khaadem and he can take advantage of a potential meltdown, particularly if and when the rain falls.
Kempton, Saturday
SOLID STONE looks the one at 7/1 in the September Stakes (2.05pm). He’s had a little break since Royal Ascot, when he was a bit free for his own good but still ran respectably, and can go very well on a surface that he enjoys if he reverts to type and relaxes somewhat. With his main market rivals likely to deploy waiting tactics, he could easily get first run and he has the right jockey to judge the fractions to perfection.
BALDOMERO is worth a small each-way interest at 14/1 in the London Mile Final (2.40pm). He enjoys this track and is only a little higher than when quite convincing here in the spring. This trip is a minimum, but he won’t be too far away from the pace and isn’t to be underestimated.
Ascot, Saturday
TACTICAL (14/1) is well worth another dart in the seven furlong race at Ascot (3.10pm). He’s not an easy horse to get a handle on these days, but his desperately unlucky run at the Royal meeting rather got lost in the fog. His overall profile rather suggests that seven furlongs is where he needs to be, and he won’t mind if a bit of rain falls.
FIRST RULER can win again at Ascot (3.45pm) at 11/4. I was quite taken with his defeat of the in-form and well handicapped Etonian at this track and the three pound rise is quite generous.
The post Nick Luck’s William Hill blog: Time for Rohaan at Haydock appeared first on William Hill News.
