The Weekends Racing – By The Sportsman Racing

Summer is finally here[/caption] Belatedly, summer has arrived in the UK and the sight of zapped horses trudging through mud can hopefully be forgotten for a couple of months with Glorious Goodwood on the horizon. Debatedly the Betfred Mobile Sports Handicap is the highlight of the weekend’s racing at Ascot. Keep onside horses with proven form at the track as over the years so many winners of the big Ascot handicaps have run well previously at the course. Gaul Wood from the Tom Dascombe yard holds an entry in the 5.00 at Ascot, a class 4 handicap and looks capable of a bold show. Having landed a maiden very easily at Lingfield on his second racecourse appearance, Gaul Wood made the transition into handicap company at Chester two weeks ago and was only denied a 7-1 win by a head after being badly hampered 2f from home. Switched left following the interference, Gaul Wood showed pugnacity to finish with a wet sail, only denied by the finest of margins by Our Boy Jack. Gaul Wood should relish the step back to 7f and looks sure to improve. Charlie Hills Balty Boys is worth a punt in the Class 2 Boylesports handicap at Newmarket at 4.00. Hills has been waiting for decent ground for the three-year old and the step back to 6f should be right up this sprinters cul-de-sac. Good going at racing’s headquarters will also suit this smart front-runner. Solid reports have been emanating from the yard regarding the horses well-being and with form at Group 1 level last term there’s a possibility he could be a man among boys. William Haggas’ Odooj was a horse who went into the notebook after a dynamic maiden win at Chester at the tail of end of May. The two-year old colt is highly regarded in the Haggas camp and holds an entry in the Gimcrack Stakes at the end of August. Odooj must run well on Saturday to merit his place in such company and looks worth following in the Class 3 Irish Conditions Stakes.]]>