Catterick, Thursday 21 May: Tips and Best Bets

Catterick, Thursday 21 May: Tips and Best Bets

A seven-race card at Catterick on good to soft ground, partly cloudy skies keeping conditions honest. Three featured races today, ranging from a tight little fillies’ maiden to a 1m4f handicap with a course and distance winner lurking at a tasty price. Let’s get into it.

2:40 — Every Race Live On Racing TV Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (6f, Good To Soft)

Selection: Rouane (2/5, Andrew Balding)

Short price, yes. But the angle here is straightforward and the Balding yard is in serious form, clicking at 10/71 over the last 14 days, which is a healthy strike rate for a string of that size. Rouane is a daughter of Oasis Dream, handles quick to soft ground without issues, and that Newbury neck defeat on her second start in August was a sharp performance. She travelled well, hit the front, and was only denied by a narrow margin. Six runners, three months off, but the Balding team know how to ready one for a target and Silvestre De Sousa takes the ride. At this level, she should be too classy.

Got The Booty at 11/4 is the obvious alternative. Twice placed on the all-weather and ran a solid fourth over 7f at Southwell last month, leading long. Trip shortening back to 6f is debatable for her, though, and the yard (Tom Ward, 0/8 last 14 days) is not firing right now. Rouane at 2/5 is short, but it is a justified favourite price given the gap in class.

3:10 — catterickbridge.co.uk Handicap (6f, Good To Soft)

Selection: Evocative Spark Each-Way (13/2, John David Riches)

The course angle here is almost too good to ignore. Evocative Spark has Catterick form figures reading 72111 at this track. He has won here twice over 7f in the past month, and while he weakened at Doncaster over 7f on good to firm 19 days ago, that faster ground looks the culprit. Back on a softer surface, which he handles well according to his profile, and back at a track he clearly loves, this is a horse returning to his happy hunting ground off a mark of 67 that still looks fair based on what he achieved here last month.

Safari Dream is the obvious market leader at 5/2 and commands respect after winning at Salisbury last week, but he escapes a penalty only because an apprentice is aboard to claim 7lb. That is already priced in. At 13/2 with each-way terms of three places at 1/5 odds in an eight-runner handicap, Evocative Spark is the value play.

Ingleby Archie is also worth a mention. Won from 3lb higher at York over this trip last season, form of that race has been franked, and he drops 2lb. Sean Nicholls back on board is a positive. He is a 6/1 shot with a case, but the Catterick factor tilts things toward Evocative Spark.

3:40 — Get Raceday Ready Handicap (1m4f, Good To Soft)

Selection: Made All (5/1, Sam England)

The name is almost too on the nose. This five-year-old gelding is a course and distance winner at Catterick, scored at Wolverhampton over 1m4f in March, and ran a cracking hurdling third at Market Rasen just 13 days ago. That jumping run over a stiff track in May tells you he is fit, well, and ready. Sam England’s yard has been in strong form at 4/20 over the past fortnight, and Silvestre De Sousa picks up the ride, which is not an appointment any trainer makes lightly in a race like this.

The favourite Nightsinwhitesatin (evens) is progressive and ran well at Chester last time despite getting hampered. She stays this trip and is off an unchanged mark, so she has every right to go well. But at Evens in a five-runner handicap, there is minimal value. Percy’s Daydream at 3/1 is the other danger, won last time out over 1m2f and the step back up to 1m4f should suit, but she is 5lb higher than that win.

Made All at 5/1 (9/2 available at Betfred and LiveScore Bet) represents the clearest value in the race. C&D form, a fit horse, a yard in form, and a top jockey. Tick, tick, tick.

Today’s NAP