3 minute read
Sam King is back with two selections on Thursday.
Ice Cube looked a surefire bet when the prices were released last night but he's now too short to get involved with up at Redcar, so it's off the Yarmouth for the best bet of the day.
Alice De Clare looked extremely unlucky to bump into a well-handicapped one on her handicap debut at Beverley last time out and compensation ought to await in the Download The Raceday Ready App Handicap (3.50).
George Wood looked to produce her with a perfectly timed challenge when hitting the front a furlong out on her handicap bow but she ultimately found herself going down by a neck to the well-backed Barbury Boy.
James Fanshawe, who has kicked off the campaign in rude health, wouldn't be one to turn horses out quickly but even he can't resist running her here before the new 7lb higher mark kicks in.
There were over six lengths back to the third-place horse at Beverley last time out and in all truth, a replication of that performance should see her enter the winners' circle for the first time.
Alice De Clare – 2pt Win
Odds – 10/11
Roger Varian has a 25% strike rate when sending horses up to Redcar and the Newmarket-based handler looks to have found a suitable opening for Egotistical, who can shed the maiden tag in the Start Racing TV Free Trial Now Fillies' Novice Stakes (3.23).
Main market rival Confide In Me did it nicely on debut at Southwell but I'm not convinced there was much depth to that contest, and she has to give 7lb to Egotistical, who continues to improve with racing.
Having run well on her first two outings, she again produced a decent performance to finish third at Nottingham twelve days ago, keeping on steadily after racing freely in the early stages.
She'll need to settle better to see out this seven furlongs but that's entirely possible as she was making her first start for 88 days at Nottingham. The speed figure she posted at Nottingham ought to give herself every chance of getting off the mark in a race that is almost certainly lacking depth.
Egotistical – 2pt Win
