Unequal Advantage for Pontefract Backers

By Anita Chambers, PA

Unequal Love can put a recent defeat behind her as she lines up in the British EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap at Pontefract.

William Haggas’ charge had been on a roll through July and early August, stepping up on a debut fourth in June to win at Leicester, Ripon and Haydock to land on a mark of 90 at York’s Ebor meeting.

Lining up over furlongs, Unequal Love was sent off the 4-1 favourite but failed to fire, coming home a well-beaten 10th behind Nigiri on ground that may have been just a shade too fast for her liking.

The winner has since gone on to place at Group Three level while a handful of those who also finished in front of Unequal Love have also subsequently gone on to win or place, so the form looks pretty strong.

Unequal Love’s unchanged perch of 90 does not look beyond her and the expected easier conditions in West Yorkshire could play to her strengths.

Marching Band makes his first turf start in the Nadeen Dawson Memorial Maiden Stakes as one of two contenders for Sir Michael Stoute.

Owned by the King and Queen, Marching Band has had two spins on the all-weather so far, most recently being beaten half a length at Chelmsford at the end of last month and might not need to improve too much to win this.

Dereham can make his second visit of the year to Pontefract pay dividends with victory in the Search For The Yorkshire Wonder Horse Handicap.

Well out of the frame on his initial spin in April, Dereham subsequently recorded one win and two placed efforts, with the move back up in distance here a definite plus.

Painters Palette can be the star of the show on the first day of the Ayr Gold Cup meeting.

He contests the Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily Kilkerran Handicap after notching a second win in his last three starts when prevailing on the Tapeta at Wolverhampton two weeks ago.

Switching surface is no issue though, as he showed when winning at Redcar last month and while he has been raised 6lb for his last victory, he looked good value for the official two-and-a-quarter-length margin.

Highfield Viking lacks the star quality of his half-sister Highfield Princess, but should thrive with some cut in the ground in the second division of the Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Handicap.

Tajanis can get off the mark in the Moulton Nurseries Handicap at Yarmouth.

His most notable effort came when beaten four and a quarter lengths by Sweet William at Doncaster on his penultimate run, with a subsequent handicap debut at Newmarket yielding a fair third.

He looked in need of a longer trip there, so a mile and six furlongs makes sense this time.

Piz Nair was found out under a penalty in novice company when last seen, but an opening mark of 81 in the Breast Cancer UK Nursery Handicap makes plenty of appeal.

Aljari can bring up his four-timer in the Chelmsford City Racecourse Membership Now Available Handicap at that track.

Top tips for today’s UK meetings

TAB is betting on 4 UK meetings today. Here are the tips.

AYR: Race 1: 14.20 Volterra, Race 2: 14.50 Made In China, Race 3: 15.25 Sir Maxi, Race 4: 16.00 Painters Palette, Race 5: 16.35 Golden Melody, Race 6: 17.10 Tobetso, Race 7: 17.45 Time To Rumble, Race 8: 18.17 Highfield Viking.

PONTEFRACT: Race 1: 15.00 Derwent Boy, Race 2: 15.35 Bondy, Race 3: 16.10 Damascus Steel, Race 4: 16.45 UNEQUAL LOVE (NAP), Race 5: 17.20 Dereham, Race 6: 17.55 Marching Band, Race 7: 18.30 Mother Mary.

YARMOUTH: Race 1: 15.10 Storm Alice, Race 2: 15.45 Middlesex, Race 3: 16.20 Piz Nair, Race 4: 16.55 First Folio, Race 5: 17.30 Tajanis, Race 6: 18.05 Dreaming Spires, Race 7: 18.40 Seattle Time, Race 8: 19.10 Galileo Glass.

CHELMSFORD: Race 1: 18.24 Warhol, Race 2: 19.00 Better, Race 3: 19.30 Hold The Press, Race 4: 20.00 Aljari, Race 5: 20.30 Anticipating, Race 6: 21.00 Dalby Forest, Race 7: 21.30 El Royale.

ALL TO COME: Painters Palette (Ayr, Race 4) and Unequal Love (Pontefract, Race 4).

For fields, race betting and more information go to www.tab4racing.com