Breath Caught and Straight Right catch eye in tricky handicaps
Looking at the rest of the Epsom card and there are only five runners in the opening Woodcote Stakes (1.50pm).
Twaasol is favourite on the back of a decent win at Windsor last month, but I’d rather side with MODERN NEWS at 5/2 with Ladbrokes.
He didn’t seem to stay the seven furlongs at Ascot last time and the stable won this 12 months ago with Pinatubo.
There is also a small field for the Surrey Stakes (2.25pm) where I’m convinced Shine So Bright will put up a bold show from the front if allowed a soft lead.
However, SAFE VOYAGE has been in great form and won’t mind the rain if it arrives.
He deserves to land a valuable pot like this and looks the call at a best-priced 6/4.
The Investec Handicap (3.00pm) looks as hard a puzzle to solve as you might expect.
Desert Icon was really impressive at Newmarket last weekend and deserves to be a short-priced favourite on that showing.
He did have it easy on the front end that day, though, and this looks a lot harder assignment.
Caradoc looks the obvious danger but has been well found in the market this week and is as short as 5/1 with Paddy Power.
Instead I’m going to take a chance on two at the foot of the weights at big prices.
MR SCARARAMANGA loves it around Epsom and won here back in July last year having finished third in this race off just a one pound lower mark.
He’s been busy over the winter on the all-weather but prepped for this at Lingfield earlier last month.
There may be better-handicapped horse than him, but he’s worth taking a chance on at 20/1 with Coral.
BREATH CAUGHT can be backed each-way at 22/1 with Bet365 having caught the eye on his first start for Ralph Beckett at Newbury when just getting a bit tired late on.
That should also have put him spot on for this and he is another lively outsider.
Finally, the Investec Zebra Handicap (5.35pm) that completes the card looks equally as tough.
I’m going to take a chance on last year’s runner-up HATEYA each-way at 10/1 with William Hill.
He’s only one pound higher at the weights than 12 months ago and his two runs in June would have put him spot on for this.
I also cannot resist taking another chance on top weight STRAIGHT RIGHT who has slipped to a dangerously lenient mark and may just warm to this.
The faster they go, the better his chances and he could be flying home late on at 12/1 with William Hill.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Modern News 5/2 1.50pm Epsom
Safe Voyage 6/4 2.25pm Epsom
Breath Caught 22/1 e/w 3.00pm Epsom
Mr Scaramanga 20/1 e/w 3.00pm Epsom
Hateya 10/1 e/w 5.35pm Epsom
Straight Right 12/1 e/w 5.35pm Epsom