Burned by the tennis this week, we’ve decided to stick to racing and go for two from a high-quality meeting at Ascot on Wednesday afternoon.
The highlight of the card is the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes over two miles and the one that takes our eye is AKMAL. Trainer John Dunlop has had a couple of winners in the past week and the Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned four-year-old is expected to improve for his season opener over an inadequate 1m4f at Newbury last week. You won’t have any difficulty spotting him in the field of ten: Akmal (pictured above) will be the front-runner with the big white face.
In the next race, we’re going for unconsidered outsider SHEARMAN. Ed McMahon’s charge steps into Listed company after winning a maiden first time out but he left quite an impression that day and Fighter Boy, who finished behind him that day, has since filled the runners-up spot in a Listed event at Newmarket, so the odds on offer would appear to underestimate his chances.
JOE’s Daily Double: Akmal (Ascot, 3.55 @ 5/1) & Shearman (Ascot, 4.30 @ 16/1)
