4.15pm Naas Tips & Betting Preview 29/05/2016

IN SUMMARY: Washington DC quickly got his career back on track with a comfortable win in Listed company at Navan a fortnight ago and is respected but, at the prices, it could be worth chancing the British runner, ACLAIM (7/1). Martyn Meade’s colt needs to prove he has the class to graduate from handicap company but his Class 2 win at Newmarket last month (only his second start) was gained with a degree of authority and his Group 1 entry at Royal Ascot suggests his trainer thinks an awful lot of him. Smash Williams has been off since a disappointing effort in France in October but he looked very exciting on his first two starts and remains very much of interest.

1 Aclaim – British-raider who is unbeaten after two starts, in Kempton maiden (6f, AW) in December and Newmarket handicap (6f, soft) last month; today’s race requires some progress but it’s hard to gauge the limit of his ability and connections evidently hold him in high regard (holds Group 1 Royal Ascot entry).

2 Al Qahwa – Created good impression in Leopardstown maiden (6f, good to yielding) in July but was no match for Smash Williams when third in Group 3 at the Curragh (6f, yielding to soft) the following month; that still goes down as a decent effort but this is his first start for 226 days and he needs to have done well over the winter.

3 Smash Williams – Impressive winner of huge-field maiden on debut at the Curragh (6f, good to firm) last summer and comfortably followed up in Group 3 event over that C&D (yielding to soft) a few days later; below that form when sent to France for a Group 2 contest in October and not seen since but remains an exciting prospect.

4 Washington DC – Excellent second to Air Force Blue in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh last summer and quickly bounced back from a disappointing run at Ascot last month when comfortable winner of Navan Listed race (6f good to firm) a fortnight ago; confidence would be slightly higher on fast ground but still expected to play a leading role.

5 Waterloo Bridge – Won the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot (5f, good to firm) just under a year ago but hasn’t made any further progress and was over 5l behind Washington DC in Navan Listed race a fortnight ago; surprising if he manages to reverse that form.

6 Erysimmum – Two wins from the front this month, the first by 17l in Sligo maiden (7f, heavy) and the second at Killarney (1m, good); evidently in excellent nick but big leap forward required to dominate this field and it remains to be seen how well she copes with the drop in trip.

7 Only Mine – Ended 2yo season with Listed success against own sex at Newmarket (6f, soft) in October and improved upon moderate reappearance run when very respectable third to Washington DC at Navan (6f, good to firm) this month; unlikely to be disgraced here but it’s hard to see where the required improvement will come from.

myracing Forecast Prices: 6/4 Washington DC, 5/2 Smash Williams, 6/1 Aclaim, 10/1 Waterloo Bridge, Only Mine, 12/1 Al Qahwa, 20/1 Erysimum