Friday 7th April 2023

Author: Jordan Yates (EvRacing_)

Welcome aboard to this Friday blog where it’s All-Weather Finals Day which is live on ITV with the action coming primarily from Newcastle, as well as Lingfield.

My first pick of the day comes in the 1:15 at Newcastle which is the Listed Burradon Stakes that’s contested over a mile. I’ve sided with Galeron here at 5/1 who represents Charlie Hills and Kieran Shoemark. He already proved that he’s a very useful animal last term when posting several decent efforts within pattern company. When he was last seen he signed off his campaign with a win in the Goffs Million, bagging a huge pot in the process, and looks like a very nice prospect moving forward. If he’s anywhere near his best on his first run of the season he should be bang there.

The 1:50 at Newcastle is where my second selection comes from and this is the 3-Year-Old race that’s contested over six furlongs. Just like the majority of the races today, this is very competitive, but I think I’ve found one that could go well in the form of Perdika at 11/2 for Kevin Stott and George Boughey. She’s a very likable and consistent filly and has been plying her trade at Meydan throughout the summer before making the journey to France for her most recent outing where she won a listed contest at Chantilly when pulling away from the field with the runner-up. She escapes a penalty for that success and if she turns up in the same kind of form for this assignment she’s a big player in this.

It’s over to the 2:05 at Lingfield for my third selection of the afternoon, this is the All-Weather Vase Marathon. Mr Escobar will be a popular pick with punters here and arrives here with a big chance for his powerhouse connections, I’ve taken him on though, and I’ve done that with Ehteyat at 3/1 for William Buick and George Boughey. He looks a progressive sort and was narrowly denied a neck into second when last seen, following a win at Southwell, with that most recent outing also coming at this track where he was ironically ridden by Ryan Moore. The trip is no issue for him and he’s traveled powerfully in several of his most recent runs, I think there could be more to come from him and another bold showing could well be on the cards here.

Back to Newcastle now for the 2:25 for my fourth punt of the day and this is the All-Weather Marathon finale over two miles and half a furlong. It’s hard to get away from Berkshire Rocco here at 15/8 who’ll be my NAP of the day for Oisin Murphy and Andrew Balding. He’s a lightly raced horse for a six-year-old but despite that he’s still got some very solid form to his name, most notably when finishing second in the 2020 St Leger. His most recent success came on his penultimate outing at Southwell back in January, where he won a decent conditions race in good style. He also ran up to form on his latest outing at Kempton in February when finishing second of eight, and I think he’s the one that sets the standard here with Murphy back on board.

The 3:15 at Lingfield is where my fifth and final selection comes from which is the Vase Sprint that’s contested over six furlongs. This is about as competitive a field you’ll see on the all-weather, as it’s currently 5/1 the field, I’ve come on down on one though which is Tolstoy at 7/1 for Stuart Williams and Rossa Ryan. He’s not been in the winners’ enclosure for some time now but as a result of that has tumbled down the weights to what looks like a very workable mark, ten pounds below his last winning one. He’ll need some luck in the run as he often doesn’t break well, but he looked like a smart prospect not so long ago and if things fall into place he’s got a great chance off this mark.