Saturday's Selections

Yourholidayisover was backed off the boards throughout the day yesterday, but even so he still couldn't manage a place, missing out on third in the final strides. To say it was a sickener is an understatement. Saturday is a day stuffed with decent quality action, and there are a couple of tastily priced horses that have caught my eye.

Duretto has crept in near the bottom of the handicap in the 3.25 at Ascot, a Class 2 Heritage handicap run over 1m 4f. The ground is currently good to soft, and with showers forecast overnight there should be an ease. This will be music to the ears of Andrew Balding, as Duretto has shown a clear preference for soft ground during his short five race career. He has two wins in those starts, with his most recent one coming last time out over course and distance on soft, when he routed a small field.

Jim Crowley rode him with supreme confidence that day, and he waited with him in rear, making his move as they turned into the home straight. He travelled powerfully up on the outside, and a furlong from home Crowley got to work and administered a couple of smacks. The response was immediate, and he pulled away for an impressive 3 length victory, after which his trainer suggested he could 'go on now' and suggested this race as a possible target.

He is bred to be useful, a half brother to Nabatean, who ran Clever Cookie close in a Listed race earlier this year and his dam is a Listed winner out of a half sister to a dual Group 1 winner. His sire Manduro is not half bad either, and at odds of 10/1 he could prove better than his current rating of 85.

Another one that looks overpriced goes in the 2.35 at Haydock in another Class 2 Handicap. Hassle, trained by Clive Cox and with Dane O'Neill booked for the ride, can currently be backed at odds of 14/1 for this 1m 6f contest.

This horse had a spell hurdling in the Spring with Nicky Henderson, but he didn't show an aptitude for the jumping game, and that experiment was quickly aborted and he returned for a flat campaign with Clive Cox. He has had a couple of runs back from a post hurdling career break, both over 16f, and he showed that all his old flat ability remained. He shaped as if that trip just stretched his stamina, and the drop back to today's trip, which he is 3/4 over, will suit him in a big way.

His only defeat over this trip came in this race last year, by just 3 lengths, but he will be a much fresher animal this time around and it is not beyond the realms of possibility that this race is the plan. He races off the same mark that he had last year,and his last two runs should have him cherry ripe for today. Soft ground holds no fears, and Hassle looks well worth an each way interest at his current odds of 14/1, even if the draw could have been kinder.

STEVOS' SATURDAY SELECTIONS: 

2.35 HAYDOCK: HASSLE (14/1) E/W

3.25 ASCOT:     DURETTO (10/1) NAP.