27-Jun-2015

Bushcraft is favourite for this, but he is a worthy favourite in my book. I would have had him in at a fair bit shorter than 5/1, and I am backing him at that.

Ed Walker’s horse is just a highly progressive sprinter who is in top form and who probably has more to come. Winner of two of his four races as a juvenile, he missed all of last season, but he has won both his races so far this term.

On the first of them, at Windsor in early May, he finished well over six furlongs to get up and beat Kinglami and Smidgen, the three of them clear, and Kinglami went and won next time off a 3lb higher mark.

On the second of them, also over six furlongs at Windsor, and racing off a 4lb higher mark, Bushcraft again finished well to get up and beat the useful Boomerang Bob, the pair of them nicely clear of Major Jack.

The handicapper has raised Bushcraft another 5lb for that, but he continues to progress, and he should be able to take that type of hike in his stride. He should get the fast pace here that he likes, and good ground should be ideal. There should be more to come from him, and he should go close.

BUSHCRAFT WON (ADV 5/1, SP 4/1)