TWO FOR TODAY

BRIGHTON 4.00 VALDAN 1 pt @ 14/1 WillHill, 12/1 (Gen)

Valdan beat Epsom Salts at Lingfield in December when giving him 5lb but travelled much the better during the race and the 3lb Epsom gets today could again be lost due to a mediocre draw.
Valdan's run in the Lanark Silver Bell is working out well with both the 2nd Just Lille winning a Class2 stakes since, and the 3rd Lochiel ran a good 2nd in the Class2 Cadbury Cup at York, both off marks in the high 80's.
The winner Record Breaker, then went on to finish 2nd in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes and the form looks strong in the context of this.
The 5th horse Gordonsville, who was another 3.5 length behind had previously accounted for Soundbyte (won both starts here) and Step This Way in the Musselburgh Gold Cup and on that evidence you have to favour The Evans runner.
Andrew Heffernan claims the 7lb Valdan is higher than for his last win in which he rode him to a 5 length victory on similar going.

VALDAN 1 pt @ 14/1

minus 1 point

FULL RESULT>>


HAYDOCK 3.40 MISHRIF 1/2 pt @ 16/1 (Gen)
Only 7 of the intended 8 runners so far line up so the E/W is gone in my opinion.
Has won after a month off before and also placed on the declared going on his final outing last season in a Listed Stakes contest.
This a good drop in class after running in Group/Listed company before a decent effort in the Brittania where he was around 5 length in front of Deadly Secret.
A lot will be focusing on the form lines of Firebet relative to his beating of a few of these, but Mishrif could be the Class act here and the one to surprise if the break has done him good.

MISHRIF 1/2 point @ 16/1

minus 1/2 point

FULL RESULT>>


Ones to watch.......

BATH 7.30 OBE GOLD/DRESSED TO DANCE
Dressed To Dance was a selection last time out and ran a disappointing race for us but drops into a Seller.
But @ 2/1 too short a price.
At a bigger price Milton Bradley's (Mr Forthright) and Andy Haynes (Talamahana) lurking at the bottom of the weights, have both ran decent races behind The Tatling, and if all 9 go to post could be the ones for some Place Value on the exchanges.
Obe Gold would look a better proposition if 3/1 were available and is the most likely winner in my book.