Silky can be a material gain for Middleham
MUSSELBURGH stages the first fixture of this year’s €1.5m Sky Bet Sunday Series and there is plenty to recommend about Silky Wilkie in the €87,000 feature event.
The five-year-old has been a great servant for Middleham Park Racing, posting six wins and 15 seconds from 38 outings.
He has already had four runs this year but that is no concern, as Karl Burke’s charge held his form really well throughout 14 starts in 2023, which included an emphatic course and distance triumph in the Scottish Sprint Cup just over 12 months ago.
Silky Wilkie was just as busy in 2022, when picking up a trio of victories, notably striking twice under this weekend’s rider Sam Feilden.
Saddle
The 7lb claimer was back in the saddle for this month’s eyecatching head second to Blind Beggar, when he got pushed back after an early skirmish but fairly flew home once out in the clear late on.
Third-placed Baldomero, who also finished strongly, was a 33-1 close second of 18 at Newmarket on Wednesday to give the form a boost and Silky Wilkie gets the nod in the Sky Bet Acca Freeze Handicap.
In the same light blue colours of Middleham Park, Phoenix Beach has been given a nice break since a busy all-weather campaign, which included a Newcastle success and a couple of placed efforts at Wolverhampton.
With Richard Fahey in good form and cut underfoot no problem for this five-year-old gelding, he has each-way claims in the Sky Bet For The Fans Handicap.
For the best bet of the day, Do It Now is fancied to go one better than on his promise-packed debut in the Cure Leukaemia British EBF Novice Stakes.
Adrian Keatley’s charge was sent off favourite at Kempton and looked set to justify s strong support in the betting ring when throwing down a challenge to front-runner Pont Neuf at the furlong pole.
It was frustrating for Do It Now’s followers that Pont Neuf battled back in but that pair pulled more than four lengths clear of the third and compensation awaits.
Individualism failed to win as a juvenile but produced four consistent performances, suggesting it should not take him long to break his duck at three off a mark of 78.
After two seconds and a third, Charlie Johnston’s colt again ran with credit when fifth behind the smart Zoum Zoum in a red-hot Newmarket contest on heavy ground at the end of last season.
Placed runners Kikkuli and Balmacara have both franked the form by obliging already this term.
As a half-brother to former stable stars Subjectivist and Sir Ron Priestley, as well as three other winners, Individualism is entitled to improve with age and stepping up to a mile in the Sky Bet Extra Places Every Day Handicap should also suit.
SELECTIONS CURRAGH: 1.50 Treasure Isle, 2.25 Whistlejacket, 2.55 Betsen, 3.30 Half Nutz, 4.00 Henry Adams, 4.30 Two Stars, 5.00 Downforce. MUSSELBURGH: 3.45 Phoenix Beach, 4.15 DO IT NOW (NAP), 4.45 Bell Shot, 5.15 Haveyoumissedme, 5.45 Individualism, 6.15 Liamarty Dreams, 6.45 Silky Wilkie. STRATFORD: 1.10 Silent Auction, 1.40 The Wise Traveller, 2.15 Easy Peasy, 2.48 Felton Bellevue, 3.23 Largy Force, 3.55 Victory Club, 4.25 Deise Aba. TRAMORE: 2.05 Barrier, 2.40 Magic Dawn, 3.15 Pirate Island, 3.50 Onlyamatteroftime, 4.20 Brucejack, 4.50 Erigmoor, 5.20 Dutch Schultz. WINCANTON: 1.22 Paddy De Pole, 1.57 Irish Hill, 2.32 Beny Nahar Road, 3.02 Manuelito, 3.35 Almazhar Garde, 4.07 Guillaume, 4.37 Celtic Dino.
DOUBLE: Do It Now and Silky Wilkie.