RAISING SET FOR LIFT-OFF
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3
1 RAISING SAND 2 KEYSER SOZE 3 BLESS HIM
RAISING SAND has an impressive record at Ascot and that tilts the scales in his favour.
From five visits to the royal heath, the Jamie Osborne trainee has won twice – he is one from one over the straight mile – and boasts a third and fourth in strong seven-furlong handicaps.
Having captured the Shergar Cup Mile on the round course last August, my selection ran a strong-finishing fourth over a furlong shorter the following month. Again over seven, Raising Sand signed off for 2017 with a fine third to Accidental Agent in a bigmoney handicap in October. The six-yearold’s record of making the frame at Ascot went west on his reappearance with a 16th of 27 in the Victoria Cup last month.
But his comeback should have put an edge on Raising Sand, and, with Jamie Spencer (left) booked to do the steering, a good account is on the cards.
This year’s Hunt Cup is as fiendish as ever, with Afaak, Keyser Soze, Kynren Bless Him and capable of having a say.