8.50pm Bath Tips & Betting Preview 02/06/2017

The nightcap at Bath has lost a little of it’s sheen with the absence of the Sir Michael Stoute debutante. That said, there is still plenty of decent winning form to get stuck into. Read on for our expert’s tip.

IN SUMMARY: Mister Musicmaker is interesting now that he has got his head back in front. He has won off higher marks in the past but has never been the most consistent. British Embassy is another who would be interesting in first time headgear from a winnable mark but the vote goes to CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS. He bolted up at Haydock last week and if the claim of his rider is taken into account, he is nine pounds well in before his new marks kicks in and can take full advantage.

1 CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS – Given a forceful front running ride over further at Haydock last week, he settled well in front and never looked like being caught. It was a six length margin at the line and he arrives here officially four pounds well in under a six pound penalty, having been raised ten for the win. Jenny Powell takes five pounds off his back with her claim so if in the same form again at this shorter distance, is going to be very hard to beat if in the same form.

2 BRITISH EMBASSY – Already on his fifth trainer, he was a winner over this course and distance last September from the same mark of 77 he runs off here. He boast a pair of wins, a second and a third in four runs at the track so clearly has an affinity for the place. That said he needs to step up on his form so far in 2017 which has been has been a long way below his best. The hood he has worn on all three starts this season has been replaced by cheek pieces, it would be interesting if they sharpen him up as there is enough in his favour to consider him.

3 PEAK STORM – Hasn’t got his head in front since August 2015 but such is his consistency, he is still eight pounds above that winning mark. He has run no better than fairly in five career starts here and just four days removed from his seasonal return, he is probably just best watched for now as he’s unlikely to have progressed much from a fitness point of view in such a short time frame.

4 MOKHALAD – NON RUNNER

5 MISTER MUSICMAKER – Very impressive scorer over this course and distance in May, disposing of Hot Mustard by four lengths. A six pound rise in the handicap isn’t punitive on the visual impression he made that day but the step up in class does demand more of him. He was rated much higher in his pomp so the mark itself shouldn’t stop him but that was his first win for almost two years and he’s no good thing to back it up with another going day.

6 STORMBOUND – Landed a preview tip winner for us at Brighton in May, narrowly failing to back that up with another success back at the South coast track last time out. He is a previous course and distance winner and has scored off a mark one pound higher than he runs off here but the suspicion remains that this is likely to prove too tough for him, having never scored above Class 5 level in his 42 career races.

7 SAINT HELENA – Twice a winner over this course and distance in 2016, from marks of 61 and 64, running off 65 now. They were both Class 6 races however, a very different level to where she is competing here. The Mark Gillard stable have had just a single winner in their last 31 runners going back over the last three months and it would be a surprise if this exposed veteran were good enough.

8 HOT MUSTARD – Won over this course and distance from today’s mark of 64 back in 2015 and has been a regular visitor to the track since, including both starts so far in 2017. He needs this to be run at an end to end gallop, plugging on at one pace in a small field behind Mister Musicmaker before not getting home over a mile and a quarter last time. There are further races to be won with him off this mark, but it is unlikely to be this one.

9 KING OSWALD – Has come back to form this season since being fitted with cheek pieces, following up a close third at Haydock with a victory at Yarmouth last time out. He travelled noticeably smoothly in that Yarmouth contest, only having to be nudged out to run away with a Class 5 handicap to the tune of four lengths. He looks to be on his way back up the ladder as a four year old and further improvement is certainly not out of the question but, he will need to show it to strike again in this company.