Yarmouth, Wednesday 20 May: Tips and Selections

Yarmouth, Wednesday 20 May: Tips and Selections

A six-race card at Yarmouth on good to soft ground, with the juvenile races dominating the early evening. The going suits horses with a decent action rather than tearaway speedballs, so pedigree angles pointing to soft-ground influence carry extra weight tonight. Three races stand out for punters looking for a wager with substance.

6:10 — British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes (6f, 2yo)

Rogue Imperial at 7/2 (Boyle Sports, Betfred) is the one to be on. The 77,000gns yearling was then bought for 170,000gns at the breeze-up sales, which tells you plenty about how he moves. He is a half-brother to Goodwood Galaxy, who clocked an RPR of 100 over this exact trip as a juvenile. The dam is a half-sister to Fallen Angel, winner of both the Moyglare Stud Stakes and the Irish 1,000 Guineas at a mile. Archie Watson’s two-year-olds have been sharp from the gate this season and Harry Davies continues to pick up good ammunition from the yard. Six furlongs on good to soft at Yarmouth suits a horse bred to settle and quicken rather than just blast through the gates, and this colt looks built for exactly that.

Kevin Ryan’s Peaceful Warrior at 4/1 is the most dangerous rival. The brother to Listed winners in both North America and France, and out of a mare who is a full sister to Group 1 sprinter Emaraaty Ana, he carries serious genetic speed. Ryan’s juveniles have been flying this season. If Rogue Imperial drifts at the off, Peaceful Warrior becomes a straight win bet.

Boysofwallstreet at 11/4 is solid on pedigree but the Boughey yard has only two winners from 23 runners in the last fortnight. Respect, but not at that price with stronger options available.

Selection: Rogue Imperial, 7/2 (Boyle Sports/Betfred)

5:35 — British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes (5f, 2yo)

Havana Sprite is skinny at 6/5 but the form from her Newmarket debut reads better the more you look at it. She posted an RPR of 99 on first asking, which is a remarkable number for a debutante in a five-furlong novice, and the Spotlight notes she was simply green rather than beaten on ability. James Tate’s five-furlong two-year-olds are usually sharp, and the question the market is already asking is whether the slower ground suits her. That is the only caveat worth respecting at this price. If the ground is fine, she wins this comfortably.

The more interesting bet at a bigger price is Halliwell Stream Each-Way at 13/2 (Boyle Sports) or 7/1 (Betfred, LiveScore Bet). A 140,000gns yearling who is a first foal out of a Group-placed 5f two-year-old winner and closely related to Group 3 winner Queen Of Bermuda. Jane Chapple-Hyam is throwing out two debutantes tonight, which suggests the yard is ready to run. Halliwell Stream holds the better five-furlong pedigree of the two and Silvestre De Sousa is a smart booking for a filly expected to show up. Each-way at 7/1 in an 11-runner field makes plenty of sense.

Havana Lightning at 13/8 was a heavily backed favourite at Newmarket and only managed fifth. The form from that race may well work out, but the market is already pricing in that improvement, and she needs to prove she can handle the softer conditions here.

Selection: Havana Sprite win, Halliwell Stream each-way at 7/1

6:40 — Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Handicap (1m2f)

Law Supreme at 5/1 (Boyle Sports, Betfred, LiveScore Bet) is a clear standout in this handicap. The key stat is right there in the Spotlight: Billy Loughnane’s record on this horse reads 4-1-1-1. Four wins from five rides. Loughnane is back in the saddle tonight after the gelding was tight for room at Thirsk last time, a run that can be completely struck from the record. Ian Williams has four winners from 36 runners in the last two weeks, which is not a red-hot yard in current form, but with this horse-jockey combination the angle is too strong to dismiss. The seven-year-old was in brilliant form before that Thirsk run and on a flat, fair track like Yarmouth he should get a cleaner passage.

Dream Pirate at 9/2 is the each-way shout. Two course wins on ground slower than good, the most recent off just 2lb lower than tonight’s mark. His Nottingham run after a three-month break can be forgiven as a necessary blow-out, and T J Kent runs so few that when he arrives at a track his horses tend to be ready. The going suits, the course suits, and the price is fair.

Solanna at 7/2 has nine wins and a course-and-distance success to his name, but the Spotlight specifically flags that he could use the ground drying out. Good to soft at Yarmouth in May is not what he wants. Pass at that price.

Selection: Law Supreme, 5/1 (Boyle Sports/Betfred)

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