Today's Racing

I don't really know where to start today as there are so many meetings to get through. A couple of horses catch my eye at Epsom though so I have decided to start there.

EPSOM SELECTIONS

2:15 - DIAMOND CHARLIE (18/1) (30.0 Betfair) - ** Rating - Big field handicaps at Epsom are always a bit of a lottery especially over 5 furlongs, but I think this one will have a chance of going close. He is a previous CD winner, handles a bit of cut in the ground, is well drawn, has a jockey on board who knows how to ride the down hill course and likes to race prominently. In the past he has been known to fluff his starts and that would be a slight concern as you have no chance of making up ground on this track but at 18/1 I believe he is worth taking a punt on.

3:55 - HALFSKIN (10/1) - *** Rating - Now this is a horse which I really like and I have been waiting for him to make a reappearance. He was impressive last year and although he never managed to win a big prize a 3yo he did run well against some classy opposition. The most important thing today is that he meets a lot of the key trends for this race, he is the right age, is making his seasonal reappearance (won fresh before) is very well drawn, is in the first 4 in the market, has won over today's distance and carries a nice weight. As always with these types of horses you never really know whether they will continue to progress past 4 but his Sires progeny usually do, and they also usually handle a bit of cut in the ground (won on GS) so I don't have any major concerns on that front. Priced up around 10/1 there is plenty of e/w value, but I will be splitting my stake 60/40 in favour of the win.

THE GOSDEN DOUBLE


John Gosden looks to have 2 stand out runners on the card today in the form of AIKEN (2:50) and UNEX MICHELANGO (3:20). Now in my opinion Aiken is as close to NAP material as you can get at Epsom and I fully expected him to win and 9/4 looks like good value. Unex Michel (11/2) obviously has a lot more on his plate and is up against some potentially useful types, but he falls within the could be anything category and with Gosden already talking about supplementing him it wouldn't be a great surprise if he was to win his race.  Although I wont be backing them in singles I will be having a punt on an e/w double and to me it looks like a good value bet.

PERTH SELECTIONS


2:30 - ALBION WOOD (2/1) - *** Rating - The only reason this horse didn't obtain a 4 star rating is because of the presence of the McCain horse who I do fear if he is over his crunching fall LTO. However, on all known past form Albion Wood should have to much for the rest of his competitors today.  He won a good looking race LTO at Sandown, and on the basis of his pedigree should be able to continue his progression stepping up in trip. His original target had been the Albert Bartlett however he wasn't quite ready for that but having been given plenty of time to recover from his last exertions he should be tuned up for a big race today. The stable is in good form and there have been plenty of people taking about the horse this morning,  he is apparently very well fancied.


SO THAT'S IT FOR THE MOMENT BUT THERE WILL BE A FEW MORE SELECTIONS TODAY WHICH WILL BE POSTED A BIT LATER ON AND WILL INCLUDE  INFO BETS FROM IRELAND AND HEREFORD AND A POTENTIAL **** BET AT KEMPTON.