2.05pm Epsom Tips & Betting Preview 28/08/207

Always a huge crowd on the downs on Bank Holiday Monday, especially when the weather is sunny. It’s a fascinating juvenile contest over seven furlongs to start proceedings, our expert tip and runner by runner preview are below.

IN SUMMARY: VOICE OF THE NORTH is a fascinating newcomer from a yard who have an excellent record at the track. His dam is a half sister to Darasim who the Mark Johnston yard guided to multiple Group wins so it’s interesting that they picked this horse up at the sales. Make Good is the only winner in the contest, he has to give weight away all round but might be capable of just that. Deadly Accurate ran well in a decent looking Newbury maiden, he wouldn’t need to improve much more to play a leading role.

1 MAKE GOOD – Sole winner in the field, the mount of Ryan Moore is sure to be a popular one to kick the day off with a winner. He stepped up on that winning form when second last time to a potentially smart recruit over this trip. Despite having to give weight away all round, he holds strong claims in this company.

2 DEADLY ACCURATE – Fifth in a better race than this at Newbury last time, that was a sizeable step forward on his debut form. Newbury maiden form is traditionally strong, the winner of that contest boasting multiple Grade 1 winners in the USA on his dam line. This is a very different track but he wouldn’t need to step forward much more to win this.

3 KING ATHELSTAN – Unraced son of a nineteen race maiden, his yard are not as noted for juvenile winners as they were a decade ago. John Best is just 3/120 in the last five seasons with this age group so he is going to have to be well above what his pedigree suggests to get involved at the first time of asking.

4 THE NAUGHTY STEP – Has shown very little in a pair of starts so far. His brother is a stayer (albeit by a stronger stamina influence) and this horse may do better when handicapped and up in trip. It would be a shocking start to the day for punters if he were to come home in front in the opening contest.

5 VOICE OF THE NORTH – Yet to see a racecourse but he is afforded plenty of respect for the Mark Johnston yard. His dam didn’t make it to the track but she is a half sister to Darasim who was a four time Group winner for the Johnston team. The yard are 2/5 (with a second and a third) at this track with two-year-olds so far in 2017 so he is well worth plenty of consideration as a fascinating newcomer.

6 CHICKPEA – Stepped up a little from her first race to her second but she still made little impression at the business end of that seven furlong contest. She needs this run for a handicap mark and is likely to do far better once she is running at that level than taking on a couple here who could be potentially above average.

7 HATEYA – Went close to winning on her debut at Brighton in May, she was desperately disappointing back at the same track the following month. She hasn’t been seen since so perhaps she came back a little sore from the latter encounter. She has at least shown she handles a switchback track, the only one in this line-up with that distinction, so she is of interest once more.

8 POWERFUL SOCIETY – Ran well on heavy ground last time up, she will have to face very different conditions here. The step up in trip is going to suit her and it was a stablemate who turned over Make Good last time out so it will be interesting to see if she attracts any market support. Probably needs to step up another fair chunk if she is going to win this however.