Mitchum Swagger figures on a handy mark at present and makes plenty of each-way appeal at 12/1 in the Balmoral Handicap at Ascot today (4.30).
The six-year-old is not the easiest to win with but does have some solid placed efforts to his name, including when a cracking luckless 1 1/2 length third in the 2016 Royal Hunt Cup over this course and distance off a mark of 108 when trained by David Lanigan.
He also ran well to finish a head runner-up in the Group 3 Superior Mile at Haydock in that year off an official rating of 110 and was far from disgraced in another Group 3 at the same venue last season off a rating of 108 before landing a conditions’ contest at Thirsk off 106.
Mitchum Swagger has had just two runs this season since joining Ralph Beckett and ran very well in the first of those when a three length third to Addeybb in the Lincoln at Doncaster wnhere he travelled very strongly for much of the contest,
He is now able to race in this off 1lb lower and his current rating of 105 makes him well-treated on the pick of his form.
Soft ground is also ideal and he is best when getting a strong pace to aim at in big fields, so this test will play to his strengths.
Daily Sport recommended bet: 2pts each-way Mitchum Swagger (12/1 generally available – use BOG firms)
