/ Timeform / 06 June 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Roger Varian trains our banker today.
"Watercourse's... pedigree is all about middle distances, related to a Dante winner and by an Arc winner, so stepping up to a mile and quarter should be in his favour."
After a weekend of being treated to Derby's and an Oaks, it's back to reality with a small but competitive evening card for today's placepot venue, Pontefract.
18:30- With the field reduced to five after Bellechance won on Saturday night, this looks a weak race. Mick Channon's Majestic Zafeen ran creditably when third on her debut at Newmarket, looking green, and that run will have done her the world of good. The form of the race is not too bad, either, as the winner has won gone in again since and the second was involved in a close bunched finish last week. The back-up is debutant, Sunny Side Up, who is closely related to the speedy Duchess Dora. Sunny Side Up's trainer Richard Fahey has a 30% strike rate with his two-year-olds this season, so she must be respected.
19:00- In this marathon the first selection is going to be a horse that is in need of a revival. Hollins ran disappointingly at York last time in a race which he won the year previous, and saw him go onto run in staying handicaps at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood. His form has tailed off slightly, but hopefully he is in a willing mood tonight. Visions of Johanna was claimed by Richard Guest after his win at Catterick last time, where it took him a while to get up. He ran that day as if a step up in trip would be in his favour, let's hope, the extended two miles is in his range.
19:30- Foxtrot Hotel ran into a well-fancied Henry Candy colt on debut, going down by a neck with pair were well clear of the rest, and in landing the odds next time he looked the sort to make his mark in handicaps. His main danger is the filly Jade, who broke her maiden over course and distance on her final start as a juvenile. She has been runner-up both starts this season, including against older rivals last time, and should be thereabouts again.
20:00- An interesting maiden, as five of the six runners are based with Newmarket trainers, and it is HQ trainer Roger Varian's Watercourse who is the banker here on his handicap debut. His pedigree is all about middle distances, related to a Dante winner and by an Arc winner, so stepping up to a mile and quarter should be in his favour.
20:30- Close To The Edge comes here in form, having won over course and distance on his penultimate start (second and third won next time). He finished well after a slow start behind Barkston Ash (who has won his last three starts) last time at Warwick and must be the one they have to beat, if he can overcome the draw. It may also be worth taking a chance on Billyruben, who makes his first start for Dandy Nicholls, a trainer renowned for improving horses he gets from over stables. He showed little in maidens when with Daniel Loughnane in Ireland, but against a lot of out-of-form rivals he could grab a place.
21:00- In the last we are going swerve Pontefract legend Mr Wolf and plump for Comptonspirit, who won four times last season. His wins have come at tracks with stiff finishes, making this the perfect opportunity for him to get back onto the winning trail. Steel City Boy's form shows he may run a lot on the all-weather, but his last two runs on turf have seem him win and make the frame. With the drop down to five furlongs not a problem, he will bid to make all from a good draw.
Selections
18:30- 1,2
19:00- 2,5
19:30- 1,7
20:00- 4
20:30- 9,11
21:00- 3,8
= 32 lines
Click here to get a FREE TIMEFORM RACECARD for this evening's meeting at Pontefract.
The calm is supposed to come after the storm, but two low-key National Hunt cards just 24 hours after Mickael Barzalona's stunning (and, frankly, hilarious) Derby celebrations have seen the order reversed. Perth it is......
It was a profitable day for those who followed the Oaks day Placepot perm. Hopefully, Derby Day will be just as rewarding......
48 lines and an Oaks banker should be all we need in our bid for placepot glory at Epsom today......
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