Friday's Gazette horse racing guide: Mushtaq looks Best bet

Mushtaq has been on a steady upward curve this year and can continue the trend by taking his winning run to three in the Best Odds Guaranteed At 188Bet Handicap at Sandown on Friday.

The Richard Hannon-trained gelding has crept up to a mark of 89 which still looks manageable as he has done only what was necessary to win his last two races by a neck and a short head at Nottingham and Windsor.

He had been knocking on the door by being placed in his three previous efforts in 2018 after scoring on the second of his two races at the back-end last year.

It is conceivable there is much more to come from the Al Shaqab-owned son of Zoffany and the mile suits him well at the moment.

Almania will have learnt plenty from his debut at Ascot and it would it be no surprise if he were to get off the mark in the Bet & Watch At 188bet.co.uk EBF Maiden Stakes.

The Australia colt was sent off 6-4 favourite in a field of six for a six-furlong maiden at Ascot five weeks ago, but never looked like obliging.

He was not the best out of the stalls and was soon up against it until the penny dropped inside the final furlong when he suddenly realised what was going on. It was too little too late and he finished fourth.

The benefit of that run plus the step up to seven furlongs will only see the Sir Michael Stoute-trained youngster in a better light.

Tinto can follow up his first career success at Brighton three weeks ago in the Read Silvestre De Sousa At 188Bet Nursery Handicap.

Amanda Perrett’s colt had shaped encouragingly on his previous effort over this course and distance when he stuck on gamely after being headed to finish fourth behind Dark Shadow a month ago.

Zeelander has finished second in all his three races so far this season but can put that right by bagging the feature Ladbrokes Lanark Silver Bell Handicap at Hamilton.

Roger Varian’s four-year-old is still relatively lightly-raced and the drop back to a mile and a half should suit after just being found out over a mile and three-quarters at Sandown last time.

Yes You just got touched off by Dark Defender over this six furlongs on his latest start and can go one better in the EBF Stallions Scottish Premier Series Fillies’ Handicap.

The four-year-old, trained by Iain Jardine, was on a hat-trick after winning two races at Ayr and consequently had shot up in the ratings.

He is on a career-high mark but is in such good form that he can resume winning ways.

Dakota Gold stepped up remarkably on earlier efforts this season to take second place behind Gunmetal in the Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon at odds of 33-1.

Michael Dods’ sprinter certainly appreciated going back up to six furlongs for the first time since September.

The four-year-old sticks to the same trip for the Theakston Pale Ale Handicap and can be rewarded with victory at Thirsk.

Formula One looked a horse for the future when scoring at the second attempt at Ffos Las and trainer Hugo Palmer is happy to give the son of Frankel more racecourse experience at an average level in the Capital Allowances Consultants Ltd Novice Stakes at Newcastle before he thinks of stepping him up in class.

SELECTIONS:

BANGOR: 1.50 Delirious Love, 2.20 Royal Supremo, 2.55 Go Another One, 3.30 Vif Argent, 4.05 Invincible Wish, 4.40 Handy Hollow.

CURRAGH: 4.20 My Laureate, 4.50 Pink Dogwood, 5.20 Wargrave, 5.50 Dromana, 6.20 National Glory, 6.50 Aydoun, 7.20 Savitar, 7.50 Dandyman Port.

DOWN ROYAL: 4.35 Chica Buena, 5.10 Its All A Lark, 5.40 Joy’s Gift, 6.10 Anytime Now, 6.40 Woodland Opera, 7.10 Weather Watch, 7.40 Best Of Dubai.

HAMILTON: 4.55 Princes Des Sables, 5.25 Three Comets, 5.55 Optima Petamus, 6.25 Yes You, 6.55 Zeelander, 7.30 Multellie, 8.00 Rockley Point.

NEWCASTLE: 5.45 Chickpea, 6.15 Lunar Corona, 6.45 Formula One, 7.15 Coral Queen, 7.45 Zoravan, 8.15 Under Curfew, 8.45 Sienna Says.

SANDOWN: 2.40 Tinto, 2.10 Peggie Sue, 2.40 Forest Of Dean, 3.50 Almania, 3.50 MUSHTAQ (NAP), 4.25 Red Striker, 5.00 Teenage Gal.

THIRSK: 2.00 Never Do Nothing, 2.30 Divinity, 3.05 Straightothepoint, 3.40 Tiger Lyon, 4.15 Deansgate, 4.45 Dakota Gold, 5.15 Buonarotti, 5.50 Admiral Rooke.

WOLVERHAMPTON: 3.25 Jenny Ren, 4.00 Athassel, 4.30 Anandita, 5.05 Theatre Of War, 5.35 Herm, 6.05 Energia Flavio, 6.35 The Throstles, 7.05 Balaaway.

DOUBLE: Mushtaq and Almania.