Hot To Trot: Have faith in Ralph

Flat Trainer: Ralph Beckett  

Whilst Ralph Beckett’s strike rate of 15% this season isn’t a particularly dazzling one, it is worth noting that his string have actually been running well of late, something which is of interest considering that he has experienced mixed form in this period over the past five seasons – as the graph below illustrates.

He has several entries this week, including three at Windsor on Monday, the most interesting of which is Nine Below Zero. He ended last season on a low, but showed the benefit of a reappearance run when producing a career best at Windsor last week, and would hold excellent claims if quickly turned back out off the same mark. Edge of The World is on a roll at the moment, and has four entries this week. He defied a 5 lb rise in the weights to complete a brace at Leicester last month, and would be a threat wherever his trainer chooses to send him raised another 4 lb. Looking further ahead, Beckett is likely to be busy at Royal Ascot, and Taurean Star would be an interesting proposition in the Royal Hunt Cup if taking his chance. He has been holding his form well of late and boasts a solid record at the track, with two wins.

Jumps Trainer: Noel Meade

The summer season can be a tricky one for National Hunt yards, with the faster ground requiring a different type of performer in a period where there is some good prize money on offer, such as at the Galway Festival. Noel Meade’s yard generally holds its own early in the season, for all that it sends up significantly less runners, as shown below.

Meade has several entries at Roscommon on Tuesday, including Lord In Red, who markedly improved for the marked step up in trip to finish fourth at Down Royal last month. He would be an interesting proposition if taking his chance on the card, as would Le Martalin, who scored on his most recent run at Killarney last month. Whilst he hasn’t always upheld his form, he went with zest that day, asserting at the line, and the penny could well have dropped with him, and he could be up to doubling up in the novice chase. Wounded Warrior has two entries this week, having ended a 3-year losing run when scoring at Punchestown in April, and is worth keeping an eye on for all that he has a rise in the weights to content with following that success.

Under The Radar: Iain Jardine

Iain Jardine is enjoying a good run of form of late, in a period in which he hasn’t always enjoyed the most fruitful of spells, completing an eye-catching double at Doncaster last week.

He has several entries this week, including three at Thirsk on Tuesday, with the most interesting being She’s Pukka. She shaped well on her reappearance run at Wetherby back in April, with only a lack race fitness seeming to prevent her from making a bold bid, and would hold leading claims in the fillies’ handicap. Colour Contrast is one of Jardine’s more interesting entries at Hamilton on Wednesday, and whilst he isn’t one for total faith, he has been running creditably of late and is up to picking up a contest of this nature off his current mark. Looking further forward, Stone The Crows caught the eye when picking up his first win in handicap company at Carlisle on Friday. The four-year-old is pretty low mileage for his age, and he is one to keep an eye out for in the coming weeks.