Elliot David nominates five runners to note on Bank Holiday Monday, including a noteworthy debutant for Richard Hannon at Bath; watch every race from Windsor, Bath and Saint-Cloud all live on Sky Sports Racing on Monday, May 1
Sunday 30 April 2023 18:17, UK
Sky Sports Racing's Elliot David is back with five horses to follow across three cards on the channel on Monday.
Saint-Cloud - Prix Greffulhe (1.33)
We visit the western suburbs of Paris for a Group Three contest that may provide clues towards the Prix du Jockey Club on June 4. The five-runner affair tests two lines of form in those of Longchamp's Prix Noailles and Prix la Force.
Ballydoyle representative Greenland looked in need of a stiffer test of stamina when running on for third in the Prix la Force on April 9. Having finished comfortably ahead of Rashford on that occasion I would envisage that form being upheld and with the extra furlong-and-a-half on offer here, the son of Saxon Warrior is worthy of respect under Christophe Soumillon despite being untested on the forecast heavy ground.
However, I would prefer the Prix Noailles form from which both Harry Way and FORTUNE arrive here. The pair were split by just a neck on that occasion. With Harry having had his own way out in front that day, I can see the form being reversed.
Fabrice Chappet has sent some of his best to this contest, winning two of the last three renewals with Gold Trip and Onesto, both of whom went on to run in the Prix du Jockey club and showcase high-level Group One form.
Rider Stephane Pasquier has guided the winner of the last three renewals and the pair team up with Fortune here, who looks the pick having ran on strongly from well off the pace in the aforementioned Group Three contest when last seen.
Bath - Blackmore Building Contractors Handicap (2.23)
Rod Millman's Princess Naomi was an authoritative winner here on April 21, comfortably seeing off both the re-opposing Alainn Tu and Jax Edge and as a result looks likely to top the markets with a 4lb penalty for that win.
I do, however, think this has the makings of a slightly better contest and there's a good case to be made for Mark Loughnane's top weight DERCOL, with son Billy taking the mount for the first time claiming his invaluable 5lb.
Three starts in just over three weeks at Wolverhampton in March, showing steady improvement, is the sort of form you may associate with a horse that's likely to improve once tacking handicaps. Having looked green and in need of the experience in his first two attempts, he returned an improved performance when second to an 84-rated rival in Woolhampton on March 28.
It would have been a longshot for the son of Bated Breath to challenge Woolhampton on that occasion, but there's no rival of that quality in here and an opening mark of 65 does not look harsh. There's sprinting talent in the family, with dam Primanora a half-sister to the smart Danzeno and Demora and of the nine-runner field I think he has the most potential.
Bath - Blackmore Building Contractors EBF Maiden Stakes (2.58)
Clive Cox and Richard Hannon are key names to take note of whenever assessing a two-year-old race at Bath, with the pair boasting excellent strike rates of 34 per cent and 29 per cent respectively with juvenile runners at the venue.
Cox's Succession is much preferred of the pair that arrive with a run to their name. The son of Showcasing comes from a good sprinting family and made a promising start in soft ground at Newbury when fourth in behind an impressive Hannon-trained colt. He's likely to benefit greatly for that experience a reprisal of forward-going tactics may be better suited to this track, which has favoured prominence so far this season.
He would, however, appear vulnerable to a smart debutant once more and Richard Hannon runs a pair in Jolly Sailor and Marroof. Though the former is closely related to a two-year-old winner, he looks the second string on jockey bookings and it's MARROOF that could be of great interest.
His freshman sire Blue Point has made a rapid start, with three individual winners from seven runners and dam Roman Venture is an unraced half sister to a trio of smart performers including Group One winner Romanised. There looks to be a potent blend of speed and stamina on his page and having cost 130,000 guineas at Tattersalls Book 1 October sales, is evidently a fine stamp of a horse too.
Windsor - Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Handicap (4.29)
Newmarket trainers James Ferguson has made a hugely impressive start to the 2023 campaign. With an overall strike rate of 28 per cent this year, improving to 56 per cent (5-9) with handicap debutants.
His runner SHAMEKH, a son of New Bay, was picked up for 18,000 guineas from Saeed bin Suroor and Godolphin at the Autumn Horses-In-Training sale and could be a shrewd purchase. He fits that handicap debutant angle here, starting out from an opening mark of 78 with some useful looking form in the book.
After four starts over between seven furlongs and a mile, his best likely came when third in a Doncaster Novice behind two rivals now rated 106 and 87. Having fluffed his lines as a 2/7 favourite on his third start, he got off the mark at Leicester on July 27 but wasn't seen thereafter.
He starts out for new connections sporting a first-time hood and the forecast softer ground may well be to suit here, with sire New Bay repeatedly producing classy horses that handle some cut in the ground, much like the stallion himself.
If I had one slight query here it would be the 10-furlong trip as though he's bred for it, as a half-brother to three 10-furlong winners, he was not necessarily the strongest of finishers in his second and third starts over the mile. It may be that Daniel Muscutt opts for a patient approach to stay the trip and be delivered late on here.
Windsor - At The Races App Market Movers Handicap (5.39)
The concluding mile-and-a-half handicap looks a wide open affair, with the standard set by top weights Alumnus and Enochdhu who are at least proven at this level with worthwhile form to their name.
However, I think we are likely to see the switch to handicap company and recent gelding operations unlock improvement in both bottom weights GRAHAM and Galilaeus.
Richard Hannon is following a tried and tested path having trained six foals of dam Gravitation, three of them winners on track to date.
Now the three-year-old son of Time Test undoubtedly needs to show more than he has in his three starts to date, but those three runs came in decent Novice contests and the gelding op plus a switch to a low-grade handicap could unlock something. It's speculative, but trainers are creatures of habit.
Watch every race from Windsor, Bath and Saint-Cloud all live on Sky Sports Racing on Monday, May 1
