Listed races this evening

A busy, busy day with no fewer than 8 meetings in the U.K. and Ireland. The best racing is in the evening, with listed races at Haydock and in Ireland at Leopardstown. There are in fact two such events at the latter track, the Saval Beg Stakes over 1 3/4 miles at 20.20 CET and the King George V Cup for 3yo´s over eleven furlongs half an hour later.The Saval Beg is often used by Irish trainers as a prep for the Gold Cup at Ascot, but the two main Irish hopes for that race, Rite of Passage and Saddler´s Rock, both miss the race because of the firm ground. However Rite of Passage´s trainer and jockey, Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen, could still win with Pale Mimosa, who has not run since the Arc meeting, but still looks the one to beat. The obvious, and probably only, danger is the lightly-raced El Salvador (Aidan and Joseph O´Brien), but we are not sure that he will act on this ground. The King George V Cup is a late Trial for the Irisjh Derby, though we cannot see many of this ev ening´s runners playing any sort of role in the classic. The O´Brien´s can take with Count of Limonade, who holds the Aga Khan´s Dibayani (Mike Halford/ Declan McDonough) on a line through another O´Brien 3yo Leading Light; Weld and Smullen have a possible danger here in very lightly-raced Resolute Response, who is taking a huge leap in class.

At Haydock, the 5 furlongs Achilles Stakes at 21.15 is the main feature. Excelette (Bryan Smart/ Royston Ffrench) won this last year, beating subsequent Group race winner Spirit Quartz, and a return to that form would give her a great chance of a double. However on her latest form she looks held by My Propeller (Petert Chapple-Hyam/ Ryan Moore), and she is our selection, although Irish raider Nocturnal Affair (David Marnane/ William Buick) also looks dangerous. For fans of German breeding we recommend Moon over Miami (owner, trainer and jockey: D.Holmes) at 18.55, and Lightning Strike (Paul Webber/ Liam Treadwell) an hour later, both at Stratford´s N.H.meeting this evening, where the top race is the hunter chase at 21.30. This has attracted many of the top British and Irish hunter-chasers, including Salsify (Rodger and Colman Sweeney), who won this last year and this year has been successful in the top events at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Special Mix - Gran Maestro - Breakheart
2. Race: Mawfoor - Safety Check - Fair Ranger
3. Race: Rock N Rouge - Ben Hall - Capitulate
4. Race: Medicean Man - My Propeller - Excelette
5. Race: Visit Copenhagen - Brave Acclaim - Red Red Wine
6. Race: Ennistown - Ray Ward - Mystery Bet