Hawkeyethenoo (33/1) won over 1 mile
100 yards at Beverley as a three-year-old, when in the care of
Michael Easterby, but has not been tried over further than 7 furlongs
in the five years since his transfer to Jim Goldie. However, the
eight-year-old has suggested on recent starts – particularly his
penultimate start, over 7 furlongs, at Ascot – that a step up in
distance could be what he needs at this stage of his career. He’s
only won once with ‘soft’ in the going description, but has run
well enough on soft going to suggest that testing underfoot
conditions at the Berkshire track won’t hinder his chance. From a
handicapping perspective, he’s 4lb lower in the weights than when
edging out Imperial Guest in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood two
seasons ago, so a belated return to the winners’ enclosure at Ascot
may not be entirely out of the question.
Farlow (50/1) is by the top-class
Australian sprinter Exceed And Excel, but nevertheless has some
decent form over a mile, including on soft going, and may have been
underestimated by the bookmakers. Richard Fahey’s six-year-old is
just 1lb higher in the weights than when finishing fourth, beaten 3½
lengths, behind Brae Hill in the William Hill Spring Mile at
Doncaster in March and ran his best race for a while when third, over
7 furlongs, at Ayr nine days ago. He’s the least fancied of three
entries from Richard Fahey’s Musley Bank yard but, thankfully, he
doesn’t know that and he could go well at extravagant odds.
German import Empire Storm (33/1) ran
his best race since joining Michael Attwater when second in the
Totepool Challenge Cup, over 7 furlongs, at Ascot two weeks ago and
is another who looks overpriced in the ante post market. His third,
beaten 2¼ lengths, behind Custom Cut in a Listed race, over 1 mile
67, at Windsor in July makes good reading in light of the subsequent
exploits of David O’Meara’s gelding and, although 2lb higher in
the weights this time, looks far from impossibly handicapped. A
testing mile on heavy or soft going should play to his strengths and,
although he hasn’t won for over two years, it’s surprising that
he’s such a big price.
Anyway, for richer for poorer, our
three against the field this week are, in no particular order,
Hawkeyethenoo (33/1 generally available), Farlow (50/1 with Coral)
and Empire Storm (33/1 generally available). Of course, if you’re
in search of even bigger prices, it may be worth having a dabble on
Betfair, or the Tote, on Saturday. Good luck!