Saturday Racing Tips: Ajman to Bridge the gap with Royal Ascot conqueror

With ten Channel 4 races on the box, no words can be wasted today, so Ajman Bridge at 13.012/1 gets the ball rolling in York's John Smith's Cup at 15:25.

I was going to tip him up at 16-1 in my ante-post column earlier in the week, but the vibes from the Luca Cumani camp hinted that they were going to rely solely on Mount Logan, who is also in the same ownership as the selection.

So I am taking it as a big positive that he is running here alongside his stablemate - and I am not surprised, as he has a lot going for him.

He is 5lb well-in after his ½ length second to Arab Dawn over 1m4f in the Duke Of Edinburgh at Royal Ascot - the winner carries a 5lb penalty here - and he may have been a little unlucky there.

The winner rather got first run on him and the situation was not helped by Adam Kirby dropping his whip in the closing stages.

As Cumani said afterwards: "He is a lazy horse at the best of times, so a hands and heels ride through the last furlong might just have made the difference between success and defeat."

I also think there could be an element of the horse being better suited by a fast-run race over this shorter trip - everything went wrong for him when tried over course and distance last season - and I think he sat too far off the pace, rather than wanting further, when a good third over 1m4f here in May.

He will run a big race if Kirby has him on the premises 1f out.

He is an excellent second string to our bow after we put up Sennockian Star at 16-1 each way with the Betfair Sportsbook on Tuesday. Read the case for that horse, and 25-1 recommendation Suzi's Connoisseur in the Bunbury Cup, here.

Trainer Mark Johnston had the form book students scratching their heads yet again after Resonant put some poor efforts behind him to win at Newmarket on Thursday, but hopefully Sennockian Star can simply back up his Ascot run. If he does, he goes close.

And over at Newmarket, I really do the like the look of Suzi's Connoisseur, with Pat Smullen up. But let's finish York off first before heading to HQ.

*****

At the time of writing, York is good (good to soft in places) and while I expect it to dry out in the next 24 hours, it will be hopefully be ok for You're Fired to be given the all-clear in the 13:45.

Back him at 15.014/1.

Graham Lee looked after him at Royal Ascot as he felt the ground was far too quick for him on the way to the start - he said he would have withdrawn him if he could have got hold of the trainer - and he has been pulled out because of quick ground since, too.

So if the ground does get too lively, we may be on a non-runner.

But if he returns to the form of his good ground course and distance second in May - where I thought he should have won - then he is still handicapped to win races. He is still a lightly-raced horse, too, with just 11 runs under the bonnet.

*****

I favour Take Cover to follow up his win in the race last season in the 14:55,but not quite enough to put him up as a bet - he may not get an uncontested lead with the likes of Stepper Point and Red Baron in the line up, to name just two - and I was really tempted to give Gabrial's King one last chance in the 14:20.

He travelled like a dream throughout the Northumberland Plate but seemed to resent it when getting into a bit of trouble on the inner, when Paul Hanagan was forced to switch.

He can be rated better than the bare form, is a course winner and is on a winning mark. But he does look a weak finisher, and Dashing Star is preferred at 12.011/1.

He was a big gamble at Ascot, probably due to the Ryan Moore factor - we tipped him at 16-1 and he went off at 6-1 - but he never really looked like winning, running far too freely as Moore tracked across from a wide draw and weakening tamely in the straight.

The jockey was very easy on him though, and he is a big player if coming back to the form of his second to Watersmeet over 1m4f at Newmarket, where his rider also dropped his whip.

Anyway, the step up in trip isn't a problem - he has good course and distance form - and the David Elsworth stable is in great form.

*****

Over at Newmarket, the first two races on the card look too tough for me to call, though I was very taken by the Kempton debut of They Seek Him Here and I don't think he will be disgraced as he is upped in class in the 14:35. I couldn't put you off him at a double-figure price.

As the earlier link I posted illustrates, I really like Suzi's Connoisseur in the Bunbury Cup at 15:10.

He would still be my main advice at 23.022/1 for those who want an interest. Ayaar is a very worthy favourite but I cannot resist Horsted Keynes at 21.020/1.

The David Simcock yard are having a quiet time of it at the moment but in Horsted Keynes he has a very interesting contender for a big pot.

He hasn't been seen since Dubai in February but he races off the same mark as when a close second in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Ascot, and has an excellent record when fresh. And for a 5yo, he doesn't have many miles on the clock.

*****

I think Muhaarar and Brazen Beau will be hard to kick out of the frame in the July Cup at 15:45 which makes playing each-way in the 15-runner race unattractive.

If I am going to play in the race, it will be win only on Muthmir, as I don't think we have seen the best of him yet and I think this easy 6f on fast ground - and it isn't a stiff 6f, despite what many say - is right up his strasse.

I won't put him up here but odds of around 13.012/1 are fair, even if he does have 7lb and more to find with the two big guns.

*****

Over at Ascot, I like Taajub in the 14:10 at odds of 21.020/1. The case for him is straightforward.

Peter Crate has his small string in great form - they haven't been winning but the likes of Sandfrankskipso, Elusivity, Picansort and Smoothtalkinrascal haven't been beaten far in defeat - and Taajub looked very unlucky when second at Sandown last week.

He is 2lb higher here but he remains on a fair mark, and some of his better efforts down the years have come over course and distance and on fast ground.

Be lucky.

Recommended Bets

Back You're Fired at 15.014/1 in the 13:45 at York
Back Taajub at 21.020/1 in the 14:10 at Ascot
Back Dashing Star at 12.011/1 in the 14:20 at York
Back Horsted Keynes at 21.020/1 in the 15:10 at Newmarket
Back Ajman Bridge at 13.012/1 in the 15:25 at York