Hamilton - First Evening Meeting

HAMILTON – Friday 7th May

Going – Good

The card opened with a moderate five-runner two-year-old maiden won with come comfort by SAUCY BUCK, a raider from the West Ilsley yard of Mike Channon. This one had the best form coming into the race and comfortably saw off ROODEE QUEEN who might find her level in nurseries.
Channon missed out on the £13,000 added three-year-old sprint, his MISTER HUGHIE been seen off by less exposed northern trained BOW BEAVER. The latter has potential to make a mark in decent sprint handicaps since the second has won such an event. Mark Johnston’s BELOW ZERO was well outpaced after two furlongs out.
MEETINGS MAN fulfilled the promise of a fair effort at Pontefract to win the three-year-old mile and a half handicap. He stayed on well to win with a bit to spare and should be capable of moving up a grade from this 0-65. IL PORTICO kept on for second if held.
TAARESH has been running well on the all-weather and turf, and found the stiff finish to his liking here. He stayed on after leading two out in a nine furlong 0-78 contest. DANDAREK rallied two out but couldn’t make an impression in the final furlong and is probably pretty much on his mark now. ZAPLAMATION ran respectably in the company and has scope for a drop in class off a current mark of 67. ERGO stayed on at one pace for fourth and is gradually coming to hand.
BEAT BABY did a sound job in the six furlong maiden, pulling clear inside the last two furlongs. His breeding suggests he might progress as a three-year-old and he made a decent start to the season. ANTARCTIC DESERT chased the winner home and suggested a move back up in trip would do no harm. Mark Johnston’s newcomer OPERA CAT was disappointing, outpaced early on and never in the race. PRINCE OF FIFE is well related but was left twenty lengths at the start, so ended up having no more than an exercise gallop.
The card was compeled by a ‘whose turn is today?’ 0-75 handicap. It was TADALAVIL’s turn and he’s well exposed, while GUEST CONNECTIONS kept up a good record at Hamilton by finishing second. APACHE RIDGE and NORTHERN BOLT were both putting in good work at the finish.