Star Anthem is the pick of the card at Bath on this busy Bank Holiday Monday, at least according to Elliot David. He keeps onside David Menuisier's prodigy, as well as four others in action today.
Monday 6 May 2024 09:03, UK
It's a busy Monday of action on Sky Sports Racing, with Bath and Windsor hosting domestic action. Elliot David takes you through his five to follow...
This Maiden Stakes contest over the minimum trip looks one where you'd be advised to keep your tracker fired up as a promising batch of two-year-olds look to lay down a Royal Ascot marker.
In truth, it could be all about Clive Cox's Star Anthem, the stable seeking a third win in four renewals of this race. The son of Starspangledbanner has the advantage of a recent run having gone close at Newbury on April 19 and with that form nicely franked since he ought to take all the beating here.
Rest assured one that can get his measure will be one worth noting and the likes of Siegen and Red Sand will be worth monitoring in the betting. The former is a son of Blue Point who fetched 250,000gns as a yearling and comes from a likely source of juvenile winners in Richard Hannon. In-form Ed Walker saddles Too Darn Hot colt Red Sand whose smart page includes three winning half-siblings, two of whom won on their racecourse bow.
John and Rhys Flint send course specialist Symbol Of Hope in search of his third successive victory in this 5f Handicap contest. Though both of those victories came for former trainer Grace Harris, the six-year-old undoubtedly reserves his best for this venue and a big run can be expected off the same winning mark of 58.
Nineteen starts at Bath have yielded five wins, two seconds and four thirds, and with four of those wins coming in Class six company he will surely appreciate today's drop down in grade. Indeed his only poor efforts at Bath have come on unfavourably soft ground or off a mark of 65+ that has historically proven beyond him.
Everything seems to point to a big run today now returned to his "home" ground, back off a winning mark of 58 and with a capable 7lb claimer enlisted to aid his cause. The odds of around 13/2 (at the time of writing) make great appeal provide the ground doesn't soften too much for him.
Tom Ward's four-year-old filly Lady Dreamer is worthy of interest in the typically competitive 6f Handicap with connections opting to reapply the tongue-tie and visor combination worn for each of her two wins to date.
Her reappearance at Kempton on April 17 was promising on return from wind surgery and a 151-day break with rider Hollie Doyle giving a patient ride. Despite having plenty of her plate three furlongs out, she kept on nicely into fifth just two lengths behind the re-opposing Big R. It was a similar story last year as a promising Kempton reappearance was followed up with a fine 2nd at Windsor, coming on markedly for that first run of the season and I'd expect a similar outcome.
As yet, soft ground would be a query for her having run only on ground Good to Soft or better to date but having ran well with cut in the ground at Carlisle last season I'm hoping she can get away with it.
I'll be following another Tom Ward trainee in this 1m Handicap contest as Inns Of Court filly Theworldsnotenough looks to follow up her course and distance win on April 22. I thought she was value for more than the narrow winning margin that day and a 1lb rise in the handicap may underestimate her.
Out of dam Fondled she's a half-sister to a host of winners and smart performers including the useful Keystroke and clearly bred to improve beyond her current rating. Though she is unraced on ground this soft, progeny of Inns Of Court have so far ran well with cut in the ground and many of the family have ran well on similar going.
Adrian Wintle's four-year-old entered my tracker as a big eye-catcher on stable debut at Wolverhampton on March 11 and on the face of things his 5th back at Dunstall Park in April could look disappointing. However, I can forgive one below par effort with rider Billy Loughnane reporting he'd hung left-handed and he's of interest with Finley Marsh back aboard now switched to turf on a more galloping track.
His win in Ireland for former trainer John Joseph Murphy came in similar conditions to those he'll be faced with here and the yard have a terrific record at the track. Wintle operates at around a 20 per cent strike rate in course handicaps to a healthy level stakes profit and this runner can give you a good run for your money at an each-way price.
Watch every race from Bath and Windsor live on Sky Sports Racing.
