
Hello Racing fans and welcome back! I have 6 selections for you to get stuck into for Thursday’s racing. A longshot and also my win Lucky 31. Before I get started, I’d just like to mention that there is now a weekly recap show, where I will review all of my selections from the previous week. Head over to my YouTube channel to check that out!
Below are my selections for Thursday and I advise backing these in a win Lucky31 and having an each way single on my longshot. Thank you for all of your support so far, and don't forget to check out my socials @gingerjoeracing on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook for daily updates!
J: Sam Hitchcott / T: Richard Hannon
ABOARD THE BEAGLE didn't really show much in her first three starts on a racetrack but gave her running without ever looking dangerous. She was much better last time out which was her fourth start and she finished runner up that day showing what was a much improved performance on what she had shown previously. She was no match for the easy winner but clearly best of the rest that day and is open to more improvement still.
She comes from powerful connections and it is more than possible that she could still have more to offer over this trip. Her first three runs were over 6 furlongs and she took a drastic step up in trip last time and that could just be what brought out the improvement in her so she's definitely well worth another go. It's a weak event and she enters calculations. No surprise to see her run a big race and is cracking value each way.
J: William Cox / T: Christopher Mason
ATTYS EDGE gets my vote in this race and he ticks a lot of boxes in this. A few of his rivals at the head of the market have been quite disappointing a few times now as favourites and look a little unreliable but ATTYS EDGE looks sure to run a big race here. He does his running over 5 and 6 furlongs generally and found 7 furlongs a slight stretch last time out.
He drops back to 6 furlongs this time and he won over this trip on his penultimate start in good fashion so it’s likely we will see him in a better light again this time and ticks a lot of boxes here. Conditions suit my selections well and he generally always at least gives his running so I expect him to be bang there at the finish in this and claims a valuable 3lb from William Cox. He’s the pick of them for me.
J: Laura Pearson / T: Steph Hollinshead
VELOCISTAR is a horse I've backed a few times now this year and I was gutted when I missed her last time out. She won as 9/4 favourite but was heavily backed in from around 13/2 opening price. Megan Nicholls gave her a magnificent ride that day. Laura Pearson gets the ride this time and claims a very valuable 3lb on her mount here which is massive off bottom weight.
VELOCISTAR keeps creeping into these handicaps off bottom weight and it has been an excellent training performance that's more than fair to say. She is still clearly on the up and not one to write off yet with more progression likely to come still. When she won last time out she made all and was really tough at the finish but these tactics aren't essential as she has won from the back also so she's versatile when it comes to tactics.
She is up against some good sorts from some powerful stables but may have just gone under the radar in this and I think the 11/2 needs to be taken advantage of. She also hung a little left when she won last time so there's some improvement to be had there too. I think she is sure to be competitive again and I really like her chances in this off-bottom weight with a top claimer on board.
J: Paul Hanagan / T: Richard Fahey
STATE PATROL has so far looked like a nicely progressive 3 y-o owned by the clipper logistics partnership and they could have found a good race here for STATE PATROL to break his maiden. He has only ran twice this year but has been placed on both occasions showing improvement for each of those runs and is again open to more improvement.
His first run of the season was over 7 furlongs and he ran well before finding 1m1f slightly too far next time out although he stayed on and stuck to his task really well in the closing stages. He gets a slight drop back in trip to a mile which should be perfect for him and I think he can take another step forward.
His current price of 9/2 holds extremely good each way value although I will be backing him for win purposes only and I can't see him out of the first two. GOLDEN MELODY may prove to be his main danger however I think there is a big run on the cards due from my selection STATE PATROL and he gets the nod. Travels well, has plenty of pace and this race sets up well for him. No excuses for him really.
J: James Doyle / T: Roger Charlton
ENCOURAGE has a big profile and comes here with what I think is the best piece of form on offer in this lineup and I think he deserves to be favourite in the market. A really nicely bred type owned by the Queen and one that looks likely to relish this step up to 1m4f for the first time and I think he is going to be really difficult to beat this time round.
He’s looked really really progressive and I think the bookies have it wrong. They have ZIKANY the current 9/4 favourite and although he would be a welcomed winner with Richard Kingscote riding for his new boss, I think they have a lot to deal with in my selection ENCOURAGE. My selection was pipped by Mr Excellency in June after being really slowly away but was even better next time when he beat Anmaat from the Shadwell operation who has won since and franked that form in good fashion.
ENCOURAGE was again even better last time out where he finished ¾ length behind Miramichi who was on a four timer and they had a sustained battle the whole way down the final furlong through the line and he lost nothing in defeat that day. If anything it just confirmed the credentials he has even more. He looks a much easier ride than ZIKANY and probably open to more for this step up in trip. I’m really sweet on his chances here.
J: Callum Shepherd / T: William Knight
SIR BUSKER is my NAP selection for Thursday’s racing and I think he takes all the beating in this. He has the best piece of form this field has to offer by finishing 2 ½ lengths third to Palace Pier in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and that would make him tough to beat if he can reproduce that run here.
I think it's quite likely we will see the best version of SIR BUSKER as well with conditions to suit the forecast. That Royal Ascot run was on his penultimate start and on his latest effort he didn't appreciate it as soft as it was. He has some decent up and coming 3 y-o’s to take on in this however they are going to need to be pretty damn good if they are going to be able to beat SIR BUSKER at this early stage of their careers.
PEROTTO probably being the best of the three with a Royal Ascot win to his name already, but still even he has a lot to find. SIR BUSKER has some really good placed efforts to his name already in big field events and I think he could finally get the big win on his CV that he totally deserves and the 9/2 is plenty big enough. Get stuck into this one!
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