Friday’s top tips for Bath, Musselburgh and Pontefract
Published:
David Metcalf | May 27, 2016
Athlon ready to cause a splash at Bath
Trainer David Lanigan does well with his rare runners at Bath, and Athlon can build on a promising reappearance run to provide him with another winner in today’s 1m 2f classified stakes at the Somerset venue (16.30).
The gelding failed to trouble the judge in three runs as a juvenile, but hinted at ability and looked the type that would come into his own as a three-year-old once strengthened up.
That view was confirmed when Athlon finished an eye-catching fourth on return to action in a 1m maiden at Lingfield earlier in the month.
After being held-up and racing wide throughout, the son of Arakan came with with a real rattle under a hands and heels ride to be gaining all the way to the line and be beaten just a length.
It was a terrific run given how the race panned out, and the extra two furlong in this look sure to suit given the way in which he finished off the race.
With the prospect of more improvement to come, this looks a nice opportunity for Athlon to open his account.
Curzon Line poised to follow-up at Musselburgh
Curzon Line bolted up last time out and rates a solid bet to follow-up in the 1m handicap on this evening’s card at Musselburgh (21.10).
The gelding had some useful form to his name earlier in his career when trained by Mohammed Al Zarooni, winning twice with his last success coming off a rating of 85.
He went on to score over hurdles for John Ferguson, but then failed to cut any ice in nine starts back on the level after joining Mick Easterby.
However, that has resulted in the handicapper cutting him plenty of slack and Curzon Line cashed-in on a career-low mark of 60 to get back to winning ways at Ripon eights days ago in no uncertain fashion.
The seven-year-old made smooth headway two from home, and after taking up the running deep inside the last cruised clear to score by 2 1/4 lengths.
Curzon Line is due to go up 8lb for that facile success in future engagements, but the fact that it was an apprentice race means that he escapes a penalty and is able to run off an unchanged mark.
It is going to make him very difficult to beat, and Curzon Line looks to have been superbly placed by his shrewd handler to go in again.
Peloponnese has plenty going for her at Pontefract
Peloponnese ran a blinder when runner-up on seasonal reappearance and can go one better to land the 1m 2f handicap on this evening’s card at Pontefract (20.30).
The Sir Michael Stoute trained filly stepped up significantly on her three runs as a juvenile when sticking to the task well to be beaten 2 1/4 lengths by Goldenfield in a competitive 14-runner affair at Goodwood.
It was a run which suggested the three-year-old was ahead off her mark, and although now 2lb higher in the weights that looks more than fair given that the third and fourth home have both come out and won since.
Peloponnese is certainly bred to be better than her current rating of 70, and hails from a yard that has a healthy strike rate of 27 per cent at the track in the past 12 months.
Connections are also now fitting the daughter of Montjeu with the visor for the first time, and the headgear has the desired effect Peloponnese is going to be tough to beat in the hands of Ted Durcan.
Friday’s best bets
Bath
16.30: Athlon
Musselburgh
21.10: Curzon Line
Pontefract
20.30: Peloponnese
Related
