Monday Racing: Ameuletum to Shine This Bank Holiday Monday

There were a number of impressive winners on Saturday including Temple Stakes winner Battash who was left unchanged at 9/4 for the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot next month.

Two horses that caught my eye, however, were at Chester where Caradoc looked a horse to follow when justifying favouritism in the opening Novice Stakes over a trip just short of a mile. He has no fancy entries at this stage but I will be interested to see what handicap mark he gets.

The other for the notebook was Humble Hero who really should have got the race in the Stewards’ Room when beaten a head in the 1m 5f handicap. He looks a potential Ebor horse for later in the season although he is also entered in the 2m Northumberland Plate at the end of June.

Windsor

Six meetings this Bank Holiday Monday and we begin at Windsor who stage an afternoon card including a valuable sprint for three-year-olds, which can go to recent York winner Koditime (4.50). The selection has been raised 4lbs for that effort which seems fair given he looked to be idling inside the final furlong. The combination of Clive Cox and Adam Kirby did us a favour courtesy of Crack On Crack On at Haydock on Saturday and Koditime was well backed on the Knavesmire.

Tip:

Koditime

Leicester

There is a terrific 12f Novice event for 3-year-olds who have raced three times or less and there are any number of horses representing major yards including John Gosden who saddles both Photographer and Raa Etoll (3.30) and it is the latter who I favour.

Frankie Dettori rides Photographer for the first time with Robert Havlin keeping the mount on the selection who impressed when scoring at fast ground at Nottingham earlier in the month.  As a son of Sea The Stars, he may not want the ground to get too testing and there are thunderstorms forecast for the area.

The Nathaniel colt Natural History travelled like a smart prospect for the Queen on debut and he is a big danger stepping up in trip from a mile.

Top-weight Amourice (4.05) is 5lbs higher than when scoring at Doncaster in a similar fillies’ handicap last time and she is taken to defy the rise. She has improved for the step up to a mile-and-a-half of late, and would not be inconvenienced if the ground were to soften as a daughter of Authorized.

Ameuletum (5.15) improved for the step up in distance when runner up at Windsor from a 2lbs lower mark on fast ground last time. The filly has yet to encounter soft ground, which is a slight concern, but I am convinced she is well handicapped at present. Sebastian Woods takes the ride in this apprentice handicap.

Tips:

Raa Etoll

Amourice

Ameuletum

Cartmel

Over the sticks at Cartmel and in the Veterans Chase I hope to see Buachaill Alainn (3.55) go close for the father and son combination of Peter and Sean Bowen. The 11-year-old often needs plenty of stoking but if on a going day he is well treated and this stiff test of stamina should suit.

Brave Spartacus (5.05) finished third in this corresponding race 12 months ago on soft ground under Emma Todd – Alderbrook Lad second – when a bad mistake at the second last knocked the stuffing out of him before he rallied gamely.

Tips:

Buachaill Alainn

Brave Spartacus

Huntingdon

Walden Prince (3.10) hinted at a return to form when second at Ludlow last time and he can go one better off a 5lbs higher mark at Huntingdon this afternoon.

Tip:

Walden Prince