Thursday 13th July

Newmarket 4.35 1 Monsieur Joe @ 16/1 + 12 Compas Scoobie @ 7/1 (all Bookies go odds to 4th place and SkyBet offer odds to 5th place) 1/2 point e/w each horse.

Carlisle 4.20 12 Whipphound @ 7/1 + 10 Gaelic Wizard @ 14/1 (all Bookies go odds to 4th place) 1/2 point each way each horse.

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A fantastic Card at Newmarket but most of the races are "same age non handicaps" and although

great for the connoisseurs of racing, they don't particularly float my boat. The one race on the Newmarket Card that

is very interesting is the 5 furlong handicap sprint at 4.35. I have to say I prefer The Rowley Mile to this July Course

as there can be wild and significant draw bias swings on The July Course but I think there are a couple in this race that

stand out. MONSIEUR JOE is a Course and Distance winner. He usually runs in Group races and is therefore thought

to be regressive on 2017 form. He may be past his best but down in grade in a Handicap; I think he can do some serious

damage here off what could proven to be a lenient mark. The Sprint Division at Group level is probably at its highest

level for a decade at least, my view is not so much that Monsieur Joe is regressing, but that the younger generation

are better than we have seen in a while. The one sure thing is that we will find out today if Monsieur Joe is past it;

or if he is going to pay a compliment to the Group Class horses. I think at 14-16/1 in this Class off this mark with a high

draw that could be an advantage, whatever beats him is going to have far more behind them than in front. The one

who I fear the most is COMPASS SCOOBIE another with Course and Distance form, possibly progressive and off

a mark at which it should be very competitive. Of the rest I think that Go Far; Soie D'Leau and Poyle Vinnie could

easily outrun their odds.

Up at Carlisle in the 4.20 the 6 furlong Handicap may be a polar opposite in Class being Class 6, but there are

races to be won with these horses and a couple who look ready to strike are WHIPPHOUND and GAELIC WIZARD.

Whipphound is from the Ruth Carr yard that simply gets better and better and is below its last win mark and gets

a nice draw in stall 10 and won't mind a bit of cut in the ground. Gaelic Wizard gets a massive pull with a dangerous

opponent in Caeser The Geezer, he is a Course and Distance winner who may just still need the run and is one

to track very closely as he sharpens up off this kind of mark and we can't discount Picks Pinta, although I think

that ne needs Good to Firm and old Salvatore Fury can always be guaranteed to pop up when least expected

but I'm happy with WHIPPHOUND and GEALIC WIZARD here.