It’s a lively afternoon on Sky Sports Racing with quality flat action from Yarmouth, Ripon and Lingfield, featuring runners from the Charlie Appleby and Gosden yards.
4.00 Yarmouth – Gosden runner looks to improve under Murphy
The Grosvenor We Bet You’ll Love Us Handicap (4:00) has several exposed runners in there but not John & Thady Gosden’s Lady Eros, a daughter of War Front who ought to have further improvement under Oisin Murphy.
She races in the Howden silks of Oaks hope Running Lion, but will need to improve on a rusty reappearance finishing fifth at Ascot.
Mick Appleby runs United Front who has some excellent all-weather form but has an attractive turf handicap mark and gets the services of the champion jockey William Buick.
Of the others, Owners Group runner Bling On The Music drops in class for the Ed Walker team having been well-beaten in the Silver Arrow at Musselburgh.
4.20 Ripon – Wide-open handicap clash at Garden Racecourse
The feature Ripon Cathedral Handicap (4:20) looks particularly tricky at the Yorkshire venue, with runners from the David & Nicola Barron and Ed Bethell yards looking most likely to strike.
Baryshnikov was an excellent third in the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar earlier this week and this looks like a drop in grade under Ben Robinson, although will shoulder 9st 8lb as a result.
Ed Bethell’s Nigwa has only one career victory to his name, although it did come at this venue and trip last August and looked back to somewhere near his best with a good second at Hamilton last time out.
They face a pair of last time out winners though, in Cockalorum (Roger Fell) and Pisanello (David O’Meara) – a tough puzzle of solve.
5.12 Lingfield – Cherry Cola the one to beat in marathon heat
Sheena West’s Cherry Cola won just eight days ago at Yarmouth and could strike in the Lingfield finale, the bet365 Handicap (5:12).
She’s 4lb higher for that victory and up in grade, although Rose Dawes does again takes off 5lb in the saddle which could prove handy.
At The Double won three of her six starts for Sir Mark Prescott in 2022, and could continue the progress for a yard that is in red-hot form of late, whilst Jonathan Portman’s Russian Rumour was a good second 41 days ago and usually runs her race.
Others to note
2.30 Yarmouth – Godolphin pair Inner City and Royal Army contest Royal Ascot 2yo trial.
3.30 Yarmouth – King Of The Plains catches the eye for Qatar Racing.
Watch Yarmouth, Lingfield and Ripon on Sky Sports Racing on Thursday 1 June.