Saturday Racing Tips – Dan James Racing

Wise Approach for Team Godolphin looks to hold a very strong chance here and, in my opinion, is NAP material. He produced a staying-on second to Charles Darwin over 5f in the Group 2 Norfolk, where the stand side had the advantage, so I would mark that run up quite a bit. He then stepped up to 6f and dropped to Listed level at Newbury, where he duly obliged winning comfortably beating Rock On Thunder. That form has since been boosted somewhat, with Rock On Thunder finishing second in the Group 2 Gimcrack, adding substance to the Listed victory. Most recently, Wise Approach ran in a Group 1 in France, finishing third behind Gstaad and Venetian Sun, beaten less than a length that form is very strong.

There is nothing in this field with form close to that level. Coppull, for instance, has seven lengths to find on the French run, while others have patches of Group 2 form, but Wise Approach is clear on ratings. Off level weights, he looks well placed to finally secure a Group 1 success.

Of the two O’Brien runners, I am with Beautify. On her second run she was an impressive winner in the Group 2 at the Curragh, where she decisively beat Listed and Group 3 winner Lady Iman, staying on strongly in the closing stages. That form has since been well advertised, with Lady Iman going on to score again at Group 3 level. Following that, Beautify was stepped up to both Group 1 level and 7f, once more at the Curragh. She travelled powerfully and looked the likely winner for much of the race, only to be collared in the final half-furlong by stablemate Precise, who arrived on the back of a Group 3 success.

Venetian Sun, a Group 1 winner, finished third, with Composing, a Group 2 and 3 winner, back in fourth. Taken together, that represents a very strong piece of form. The drop back to 6f here looks a positive move, and provided she handles Newmarket, I believe Beautify has every chance of returning to winning ways.

He’s a course and distance winner off a mark of 91 back in September 2023, before finishing six lengths behind in a Group 3 next time out. Since then, he has been gelded. Although he didn’t show much last season, he made a very encouraging return at Goodwood after a 367 day absence, finishing third over a furlong shorter behind Rhoscolyn and Ebt’s Guard who are both rated in the high 90s, with the latter having subsequently won since and now off a mark of 102. That was a pleasing comeback on ground that was likely to have been a touch softer than ideal.

He lines up today off the same mark, stepping back up in trip and returning to better ground. With James Doyle booked, he looks capable of outrunning his odds.