Nick Luck’s blog: Harrison Point looks Perfect for Victoria Cup

Another great Saturday is in store in front of the ITV cameras with racing from both Ascot and Lingfield, where Classic clues are on offer. Nick Luck has previewed the best of the action…

Ascot

PERFECT INCH is overpriced at 20/1 in the TV opener at Ascot on Saturday (1.55pm). She was unlucky to be beaten a fraction by today’s well fancied Dreamloper here last year, but made good progress thereafter and is worth her higher mark. She was forced to sit too close to the pace in Listed company at Kempton last time and this test will play to her strengths much more and allow Jamie Spencer to do what he does best on this track. Dropped into handicap company against her own sex, she’ll find this a welcome relief.

WITHOUT A FIGHT has been found a nice spot in the Buckhounds Stakes (2.30pm) at 4/1. Time will tell that he probably faced the impossible against the very smart Al Aasy (good time) at Newbury last time, but faces nothing of that rival’s calibre here and should resume winning ways. His biggest threat may come from Tyson Fury, who travelled strongly into that Newbury race before early freshness took its toll: he is one to keep an eye on at 11/1.

HARRISON POINT can run a bold race at a whopping 25/1 in the Victoria Cup (3.40pm). His one previous run here was in last year’s Britannia, when he moved very sweetly into the race before not quite getting home. This stiff seven furlongs is just about perfect for him now, and he comes into the race both in the form of his life and pretty well-handicapped. Hollie Doyle – on board for all four of his victories – is back in the saddle for the first time in a while, and I expect this relatively unexposed horse to run well.

FRONTISPIECE (13/2) has been found a nice opportunity later in the afternoon (4.15pm). He hasn’t won for two years, but he hasn’t run much and has generally performed with great credit. You could argue he comes here off nearly a career high at Newbury last time, and he should be better both for that reappearance and a step up to a mile and a half. Kieran Shoemark seems to get a particularly good tune out of him and the yard continues to go well.

Lingfield

OCEAN ROAD is a speculative pick at 6/1 in the Lingfield Oaks Trial (2.15pm). She showed a surprising amount of pace for an Australia half sister to Wigmore Hall when bolting up in a Novice at Kempton late last year, but should find this trip more suitable in this grade. While the form has not worked out very well, her finishing effort was really taking and that impression, combined with her pedigree, makes her of significant interest for a yard that has already sent out an Irish Oaks winner.

SCOPE can take advantage of a likely stern gallop in the Lingfield Derby Trial (2.50pm). While Adayar is a worthy favourite, and might have been the best horse in the Sandown Trial, that form has taken one significant knock already this week and I have a feeling that the Aidan O’Brien horses here are very strong stayers who will set out to make this a pretty searching test. This will suit Ralph Beckett’s colt, who is closely related to his Oaks heroine Look Here and can go very close at 6/1 if building on a very promising comeback at Newmarket.

DOUBLE OR BUBBLE can win the Chartwell Fillies Stakes (3.25pm) at 11/4. This trip and ground looks absolutely spot on for her, as it was for her sister Mix And Mingle, who took the same Newmarket handicap en route to winning this a few years ago. This filly, however, is more lightly raced, open to more improvement and was really impressive on her seasonal debut. She could yet progress beyond even this grade.

ETON COLLEGE is a tricky one to predict, but can see off his three rivals later in the afternoon (4.00pm) at 11/4. My suspicion is that he is not a horse that backs up well very quickly after a previous big effort, and that may excuse his slightly tame effort in Double Or Bubble’s Newmarket race. He’s back into a suitable grade here, however, and a reproduction of his previous effort at Musselburgh should see him through.

Haydock

BALLINSKER makes quite a bit of appeal in the Swinton Hurdle, the days feature jumps race (3.10pm). His biggest asset is speed, as you might expect from a relative of In The Groove, and he hasn’t really had a chance to play to his strengths since his very promising start over hurdles when he demolished the smart Evander at Ludlow. It’s also worth noting that thrashed Belfast Banter in his point, so the talent has always been there and I’ll be disappointed if he can’t figure prominently here at 17/2.

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