Our first bet on an action-packed Saturday comes in the opening contest at Newmarket as we side with Pool House in the six-furlong maiden at 14:10. Andrew Balding's juvenile shaped well over an inadequate five furlongs at Sandown last time, making good late headway having been unable to go with the speedily-bred Outer Space and Jacob's Pillow, and he looks sure to appreciate the stiffer test this afternoon. Significantly, runners from the Balding stable usually improve more than most for the initial experience and Pool House can get off the mark.
The prolific Willow Beck has already won three times this season (dead-heated on her seasonal reappearance) and holds strong claims of adding to her tally in the ten-furlong handicap at 17:05. It was significant that John Gosden persevered with such a lowly-rated filly at the start of the season and his decision has been rewarded by three successes. The style of the victories suggests that she is a filly firmly on the up and she is capable of defying an 8lb rise for her latest win, a most impressive success over C&D. John Gosden's string continue in red-hot form and Willow Beck can add to the tally.
Our final SmartPlay of the day runs in the concluding race of the 2013 York Ebor meeting (17:35) as we select Normal Equilibrium, a sprinter in the hands of the Nunthorpe-winning trainer Robert Cowell. Cowell's ability to get the best out of sprinters is no secret and it didn't take him long to make an impact with Normal Equilibrium as the three-year-old won on his second appearance for the trainer, finishing strongly to win at Chester's May Meeting. Normal Equilibrium hasn't quite matched that level since but he did shape well at Goodwood, when he was simply given too much to do, and he may be less inconvenienced by deteriorating conditions than some of his rivals.
Timeform Selections:
Back Pool House @ 6.25/1 in the 14:10 at Newmarket
Back Willow Beck @ 2.767/4 in the 17:05 at Newmarket
Back Normal Equilibrium @ 8.27/1 in the 17:35 at York
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