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Racing Preview of this weekend’s racing with Farringdon: May 28-29

Including races at Haydock, Beverley, Chester and Salisbury

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BEFORE the heavenly tidings of the Epsom Derby and Royal Ascot next month, today is a slight down turn in class with plenty of quantity more than quality in the form of no less than 10 meetings on view.

Haydock Park leads the way with a pair of Group Three events alongside a Listed race and it is the John of Gaunt Stakes at 3.30 which has the best betting potential with a maximum of eight set to go to post. The Merseyside track will have the easiest going of the day and that will surely suit HAPPY POWER who is dropped from his norm of seven furlongs to this six.

A close-up eighth of 20, beaten a shade over three lengths in the Commonwealth Cup behind Creative Force, a fast run six could still be his optimum set-up. This race could fit nicely for him with lots of pace up top and the son of Dark Angel will go to post tight fit to boot.

Of his seven rivals, Laneqash could prove his biggest rival. This lightly raced four-year-old, in what will only be his seventh career start, has a cracking record fresh with a career best effort first time up last year when beaten a length in the Group Two Hungerford Stakes at Newbury. Surprisingly this is his first start over six furlongs, but he has a high cruising speed and I expect him to be strong in the market place and may be worth a saver.

The Group Three Pinnacle Stakes for fillies and mares at 2.55 looks even more open and offers us a chance to play the each-way game in the form of NELL QUICKLY. This daughter of The Gurkha was seriously progressive last season initially winning a class four handicap at Sandown Park off a handicap mark of 74 before adding three more victories to her CV, culminating in a very comfortable class two success at Nottingham over a mile and a half.

Of the handicaps on the card, STATE OF BLISS looks the each-way call in the class two mile-and-a-half event 2.20, while ZARGUN may finally get on the scoreboard in the big sprint handicap due off at 4.05.

The last named looked a shade unlucky not to win at York last weekend and with Hollie Doyle taking over the reins, he gets the nod over the likes of Able Kane and the well weighted outsider Boogie Time, who could run well at a massive price.

Beverley has its big day of the year featuring the Hilary Needler at 2.05 and the Two-Year-Old Trophy (3.15).

PARR FIRE is taken to retain his 100 per cent record in the former for Nigel Tinkler. I was really taken by his success at Doncaster when he steamed home inside the distance. This stiffer track should suit him so much better and he has a nice sit in box number three.

Elsewhere on the card, have a second glance at both ARRANMORE in the extended seven furlong handicap at 2.40, and ALPHONSE LE GRANDE (nap) off bottom weight at 3.50 over a mile and a half. The last named wasn’t suited by the slack pace last time out at Windsor in tandem with a slow start, and he did well to finish a close up fourth of seven beaten a mere two lengths.

There are some red hot handicaps at Chester, none more so than the extended seven furlong rush at 3.45 where course lover Boardman will try to defy a career high mark of 95. But he may well have his work cut out to confirm recent track form with the veteran Oh This Is Us. On soft ground Tomfre would have been the call, but with the weather set fair we will have to wait another day to collect on him and so MYKONOS ST JOHN is preferred.

The selection didn’t get the rub of the green at York last week over a mile, finishing a creditable seventh of the 20 runner field, and off the same mark he has solid each-way claims in a wide open affair.

In a race with absolutely no speed in it, RAZEYNA couldn’t strike a blow at Newcastle last time out and with more pace guaranteed in the opening novice event at 2.01. This well bred Kodiac filly really impressed me on her debut at Newbury when she galloped on powerfully all the way through the line and the extra half furlong here should see her to even better effect.

There is a disappointing field for the finale, a mile-and-a-half handicap at 5.30 and with top weight and veteran Restorer struggling with his handicap mark as a result of his uber consistency, the nod goes to FAIRMAC.

The Johnston runner ran his best for a while when keeping on nicely over a mile and a quarter at Ripon last time out, and the return to 12 furlongs looks spot on for him. I expect him to have too much speed for Wolverhampton fourth Nachez Trace.

Finally, on the evening card at Salisbury the likes of DEVON ENVOY (nb) (6.10) and DUKE OF VERONA (8.15) should both run well.

The former ran a career best on his seasonal debut when second behind Makarova, running very freely throughout, and this drop to the minimum trip looks made to measure for the gelding. The last named ran in a better race at Ascot first time up and could well give the weight away successfully to the likes of Orin Swift and Songo.

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