Mass Rally looks cracking each-way value at 14/1 in the 5.05 at Ascot now dropped to the minimum trip for the first time.
The five-year-old is a quirky sort who has not scored since landing a couple of races for John Gosden back in 2009, but he has run a number of solid races and is not badly treated off a mark of 90.
Now in the care of Michael Dod’s charge, he has ran really well in his last three starts and it could be that the switch to the 5f trip will enable him to get his head in front.
The gelding is a strong travelling type who always doesn’t find as much as expected off the bridle, but a strongly run sprint could well play to his strengths.
He did little wrong three starts ago when beaten just a short=head by Rasaman over 6f at Doncaster where he led on the bit a furlong from home before being collared in the dying stride, and now meets that rival on 4lb better terms.
That should be enough for him to turn the tables, and he has since run well to finish 5th of 15 to Fast Shot at Newcastle and third to Grissom at Hamilton in very testing conditions.
Today’s better ground – similar to when he was just beaten by Rasaman – will be much more up his street and the handicapper has also dropped him a pound to a mark of 90.
That should enable him to be competitive if the 5f does prove ideal, and with Paul Mulrennan in the saddle I can see him running a massive race at tasty odds.
Daily Sport recommended bet: 3pts each-way Mass Rally (14/1 bet365, Paddy Power – BOG)