Side with Gunner to strike at Ayr
Gunnerside can win for the fifth time in seven starts and strike at Ayr tomorrow, where he has a point to prove.
Grant Tuer’s four-year-old has been successful in three of his last four outings, with the only defeat in that spell coming on this course.
Things, however, did not go his way from the start – when he was bumped – and that can be the difference between winning and losing.
It was in this case, because Gunnerside was beaten only three-quarters of a length in third place behind Paddy Power. That race was over six furlongs, but he is now chasing a hat-trick of wins over the minimum trip in the Bet At racingtv.com Handicap.
Global Humor finished just a head in front of Gunnerside in that Ayr race, and has won twice since.
Jim Goldie’s six-year-old can make it three on the trot in the Afternoon Tea At Western House Hotel Handicap.
His two latest victories have come at Hamilton and over this course and distance. Global Humor has gone up a total of 9lb in the weights since the start of the turf season – but that may not stop him, because he is obviously in good heart.
Mark’s Choice can make it two wins from three visits to Ripon this year in the Weatherbys Personalised Gifts Handicap. Sam England’s five-year-old got home gamely by a neck from Mutanaaseq on his reappearance in April, and was then a creditable third to Flying Pursuit over the same six furlongs four weeks ago.
The Bungle Inthejungle gelding seems sure to go close again. Tees Spirit can regain winning ways in the Ripon Farm Services Handicap.
Successful over this six furlongs in April after 190 days without a run, the Adrian Nicholls-trained threeyear-old was beaten only a head by Temple Bruer at Doncaster five weeks ago.
Babindi showed she had improved over the winter when running her best race to date on her seasonal debut.
The William Haggastrained filly had displayed only a modicum of ability in three starts as a two-year-old – but then stepped up to finish second of 12 to Bellazada, beaten a length, at Newmarket. The daughter of Frankel goes up in trip and can open her account in the Titanium Racing Club Novice Stakes.
At Cartmel, Mickey Bowen’s Minella Daddy is an obvious answer to the Molson Coors Open Hunters’ Chase.
The 11-year-old has a handful of pounds to find with a couple of rivals on the ratings – but as a decent handicapper in recent times, is of course very well in with the majority of the field in this company.
Minella Daddy has operated at almost two stones in advance of his current 120 in the past, and has always been effective on a variety of ground.