Timeform UK SmartPlays: Wednesday June 26

Sprint handicaps can be tricky puzzles at the best of times, and the 15:00 at Carlisle today seems no exception. However, there appear strong reasons to be rather keen on the chances of Avon Breeze who put her three-year-old form well behind her when winning comfortably on her reappearance at Ripon last month. Furthermore she arguably bettered that run when finishing a respectable runner-up to a progressive horse in the shape of Above Standard at Redcar last time, and Richard Whitaker's filly can get us off to a flyer.

It's off to Salisbury for the second of today's SmartPlays, in which the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Commend (15.50) is taken to regain the winning thread. Commend has been rather frustrating since his facile Carlisle success last summer but he gave an indication that his turn may not be far away when a rather unlucky sixth at Sandown on his latest start. With Ryan Moore in the saddle, the visor applied and a snug draw near the rail we'll take a chance that Commend can provide us with a winner. 

Catchanova (18.20 Kempton) is not the most consistent of horses, yet Eve Johnson Houghton may have just found an ideal opening for her six-year old to get back to winning ways. A winner off a 3 lb higher mark at Goodwood last summer, Catchanova ran one of his better races for a while back here just over a week ago and with promising apprentice William Twiston-Davies on board, hopefully we can see the night out with a winner.

Timeform UK SmartPlays:
Back Avon Breeze @ 5.95/1 in the 15:00 at Carlisle
Back Commend @ 6.411/2 in the 15:50 at Salisbury
Back Catchanova @ 3.7511/4 in the 18:20 at Kempton

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