By Nic Doggett
“That's racing!” said
after
was denied the £100,000 bonus offered to any horse that wins three races during this year’s £1.3m Sky Bet Sunday Series, just 30 minutes after
had been denied the same bonus, by the same margin of half a length.
I’m not sure many of us would have been quite as sanguine in similar circumstances!
Undeterred, Goldie saddles both horses once more, with each facing fewer rivals than a fortnight ago. Will it be 60 minutes of agony this time for Goldie, or a golden hour for the Scottish trainer who is having his best season – 14% strike-rate and £570,000 in earnings already - since he took out a licence in 1994?
Letsbefrank runs in the Sky Bet Build A Bet Handicap at 5.15 and is obviously not a horse to take lightly having improved in leaps and bounds since stepping up in trip in handicaps. He’s 2lb higher than when clear with an unexposed stayer at Haydock Park, so may not yet be in the grip of the handicapper, but there are some slight concerns over this step back up in trip at a more testing venue (travelled smoothly last time). Godsend’s own rise up the handicapping ranks has been equally impressive, more so than his wayward finish last time when tried without cheekpieces. With the headgear back on, this C&D winner is fancied to land this from the front, with The Grand Visir,
and the well-handicapped
all respected.
Ross Millar's tip for the stayers' contest
Like his stablemate, American Affair has a higher mark (4 lb) to contend with in the Sky Bet Request A Bet Handicap at 6.15.
turned the tables on Goldie’s runner at Haydock, but none of these seven rivals have faced American Affair this season and they might not see which way he goes. His profile is more progressive and he’s expected to raise the roof with victory over Haydock Sky Bet Sunday Series winner
and recent C&D winner (well-backed)
.
Before all that, however, the sixth and final card of the Sky Bet Sunday Series gets under way at 3.45 with the Cure Leukaemia EBF 'Newcomers' Maiden Stakes. As the name suggests, there’s no form to go on here, just reputations and pedigrees. Karl Burke does well here, so
is respected, but the southern raiders may hold sway. Preference is for the speedily-bred
- whose trainer George Boughey has a 38% strike-rate at the course - ahead of expensive purchase
who is a brother to the smart juvenile winner
.
and
also fetched plenty at the sales and command respect accordingly.
A mile at Pontefract is perfect for the well-handicapped The Cookstown Cafu, but the pick of his form has come on softer ground, so with the sun set to shine in West Yorkshire he is taken on in the Sky Bet For The Fans Handicap at 4.15 with
. She shaped with much more promise when second to the re-opposing
over C&D last time and, off the same mark, is fancied to add another August success (two of her last three wins came in this month). My Harrison George, Naval Academy,
and
- despite a wide draw for the last-named – are considered the chief dangers.
Ross Millar shares his view on the Listed feature
is respected as she steps back up in class in the listed EBF Sky Bet Sunday Series Flying Fillies' Stakes at 4.45, but marginal preference is for recent York winner
who is well clear on Timeform’s weight-adjusted ratings. She was well-drawn that day but made mincemeat of some smart sprinters and looks a filly to follow. Three-year-olds have won three of the last four renewals and their number is led by speedy front-runner Adaay In Devon, though it would be no surprise to see improved efforts from
or Symbology, the last-named representing owner Sheikh Isa Salman Al Khalifa who has won with two of his last three runners, including the leading Champion Stakes fancy
.
Elsewhere on the card, the admirable front-running veteran
has rivals for the lead in the form of the three-year-old pair of
and Temple City, and may have to play second fiddle to C&D specialist Highway Grey in the Sky Bet Extra Places Every Day Handicap at 5.45. Tim Easterby’s hold-up performer has form figures of 8-1-1-1-1-2-4-2-3-3-3-1-2 at the course and could have the race run to suit once more.
Ross Millar goes for one at a price in the finale
Finally,
faces some in-form rivals such as
and
but she has scope to be much better than her opening handicap mark of 75 in the Sky Bet Acca Freeze Fillies' Handicap which rounds off the card at 6.45. She weakened quickly on debut but settled much better when off the mark at
last month and this 320,000 guineas purchase is out of a dam who won the Park Express Stakes and was runner-up in the Irish 1000 Guineas.
I’m looking forward to seeing Sir Michael Stoute’s charge in action, but Sunday is all about chasing the pot of gold at the end of the Sunday Series rainbow once more. It may not be 320,000 guineas, but the substantial £100,000 bonus could belatedly be on its way north of the border to Jim Goldie’s yard south-west of Glasgow. Let’s hope Sky Bet’s Michael Shinners has the oversized cheque at the ready...