Once again we have runners all around the UK on Saturday, at Worcester, Musselburgh, and Hexham.
Royal Village returns to Worcester where he ran a respectable third last August on his favoured good ground which he will get again now. He backed that up with a good third at Carlisle in March which showed that he needs a longer trip nowadays. He has since fallen at Fakenham, and last time at Market Rasen he was never travelling. He now needs to find that earlier form, from a mark which has now dropped to 122. The race is a 0-120 handicap chase over two miles and seven furlongs at 1.45.pm, with Emma Smith-Chaston taking the ride.
We are also jumping at Hexham on ground currently described as good, where Bandit D'Ainay goes to post for the 2.05.pm, in a 0-100 handicap chase over two miles and four furlongs, where he will be partnered once again by Alain Cawley. Bandit D'Ainay was an excellent second to his stable mate Roxyfet when last seen 54 days ago, and will now race from 1lb higher mark. This trip would probably be as far as he would want to go, and he has no form on good ground.
Our other Hexham runner is the veteran Justforjames who could be having his swansong at 4.55.pm, in a 0-110 handicap chase over three miles, with his regular jockey Becky Smith taking the ride. Justforjames has run well on two occasions this season, both times were at Catterick when finishing a respectable third on each occasion. His form has tailed off in his two most recent starts, and he now runs from an all time low mark of 100.
We also have a runner on the flat at Musselburgh where Sparkle In His Eye returns from a near 12 weeks break to take his chance at 4.41.pm, in a 0-60 handicap over seven furlongs, with Aiden Brookes who has already won on him twice retaining the ride. Although all of Sparkle In His Eye's best form is on an artificial surface, he does have placed form on the turf when trained elsewhere, which suggests that a return to turf will be no problem. He has risen 8lb in the weights since winning at Kempton back in January, but he still looks well weighted enough to be competitive.
To keep up to date with all the latest happenings at Oakwood Stables, Sharp Hill, and Curlew, click on 'NEWS' at www.mickyhammondracing.
Good luck to the connections, Cheltenham Trail & Cleeve Racing Club, The Golden Cuckoo, J4J Partnership, and Samuel Sutton.
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