There is a temptation to view this Saturday’s racing as just a taster ahead of the main course at Royal Ascot next week. But the Pavers Foundation Catherine Memorial Sprint Handicap is a valuable contest in its own right, worth more than £62,000 to the winner.
This 6f sprint, restricted to three-year-olds, has been run under various titles down the years and has produced champions like Cadeaux Genereux, Sheikh Albadou and Twilight Son. It’s normally won by a progressive sort with the last two winners having come into the race off the back of recent victories. Both were well backed and the market is usually a good guide to the contest with only one of the last six winners starting at bigger odds than 10/1. Tim Easterby has won three of the last five renewals and was predicting one of his entries this year, Angels, could make the leap into group class before a disappointing run behind Foxtrot Lady at Carlisle eight days ago. She could be interesting at the 20/1 with Coral running off bottom weight but greater appeal is made by stablemate STAXTON at the general 16/1.
A very smart two-year-old, he beat this weekend’s rival Green Power on his debut at Haydock last July and twice later ran well over 6f at York, in the Gimcrack and the Listed Rockingham Stakes. He failed to stay 7f in the European Free Handicap on his reappearance but still finished ahead of Great Prospector and Snazzy Jazzy. He’ll handle conditions and stall three looks a good draw – seven of the last 10 winners have started from a single-figure draw.
Foxtrot Lady’s connections almost won this with Dancing Star in 2016 and the filly (13/2 with Betfred) is bang in-form. But a similar remark applies to several of her rivals and she may be a little quirky. She was also beaten fair and square by Beshaayir off level weights at Newbury last September and William Haggas’ charge (10/1 with Betfred), who still has entry in next week’s Commonwealth Cup, is now 5lb better off though needs forgiving a disappointing effort at Musselburgh. She will also have to race up the stands’ rail, which may be a disadvantage.
Green Power and Bengali Boys (both a best 16/1) have bags of pace but step up from 5f and look weighted to the hilt. The latter is trained by Richard Fahey, who has four runners. Gabrial The Saint, the mount of Paul Hanagan, is improving fast and may be the pick of the quartet but has been raised 11lb since an easy win at Leicester and is only a best 10/1. Citron Major (10/1 with BetVictor) has gone up the same amount for winning at Ripon and ran poorly at York the time before. Jawwaal has plenty of improving to do if he is to make a winning start in handicaps and looks poor value at the 11/1 with Coral and Savalas, a general 12/1, has done all of his winning over 5f.
If there is any each-way value, it could be the 25/1 about CONSEQUENCES with Coral. He gets genuine fast ground for the first time since winning at Newmarket in November. A recent fourth at Windsor suggests he’s coming to hand and he’s been dropped 2lb since.
Pavers Foundation Catherine Memorial Sprint Handicap Current Best Odds
Foxtrot Lady 13/2, Beshaayir, Gabrial The Saint and Citron Major 10/1, Jawwaal 11/1, Savalas and Commander Han 14/1, Green Power, Staxton, Bengali Boys, Queen’s Sargent and Snazzy Jazzy 16/1, Encrytped 18/1, Angels and Zap 20/1, Great Prospector 22/1, Consequences and Bambino Loa 25/1, Neola and Soldier’s Minute 40/1 (Correct at 10.40am June 15)
