Melrose Handicap Betting Tips – Bodyline Value to Bowl Over York Rivals

Prescott charge crying out for step up in trip

Now stepped up in trip, Bodyline looks cracking value in the 1m 6f Melrose Handicap for three-year-olds on the final day of York’s Ebor Festival this Saturday (14:25).

Trained by handicap master Sir Mark Prescott, he came good at the second time of asking as a juvenile when scoring by 1/2 a length at Epsom. Bodyline backed that up with a solid second at Chepstow.

There was lots to like about his run on handicap debut on return to action over 1m 2f at Yarmouth when finding only Celestran too good.

The son of Australia was seemingly unfancied and sent off 16/1, but shaped with bags of promise in staying on strongly to be beaten 1 1/2 lengths off a mark of 82.

Bodyline then ran a blinder at Royal Ascot when a 3 1/2 lengths sixth of 17 to Hukum in the 1m 4f King George Stakes off 85.

After racing well off the pace in the early stages, he was making rapid headway a furlong from home when denied a clear run.

When switched sharply right by Luke Morris to see daylight, he then flew home to be gaining all the way to the line. It was a huge run, given how the race panned out.

Big field and strong gallop of Melrose Handicap will suit

Bodyline now meets the runner-up Kipps, who is shorter in the Melorse Handicap betting than him, on 3lb better terms.

The form also looks strong as the winner has gone on to bolt up in Group 3 at Newbury, whilst the third home Subjectivist has since landed a Listed contest at Hamilton before finishing third in a Group 3 at Glorious Goodwood.

Bodyline also ran better than the bare result suggests last time out when a 2 1/4 lengths second in a four-runner affair over 1m 4f at Newmarket, where he found the slow pace against him and stayed on late having been awkwardly away as the gates opened.

This big field in which a strong end-to-end gallop looks assured will suit much better, as will the step up to 1m 6f as Bodyline has been crying out for a greater stamina test all season.

He also looks well-weighted off a mark of 87 and is now reunited with Ryan Tate who is 1-1 on him. Prescott does particularly well with his staying handicappers who constantly keep finding improvement as the season progresses.

Hence, at a standout 14/1 with bet365, Bodyline looks overpriced and makes plenty of appeal at the odds on offer.

1.

93/100

Rating

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83/100

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80/100

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Market leader Favorite Moon feared most

The Melrose Handicap betting is headed by Favorite Moon, an unexposed William Haggas trained three-year-old who scored in good style last time out and could be ahead of his mark.

This son of Sea The Moon showed progressive form in his first four starts, running very well on seasonal debut when a 1 1/2 lengths runner-up to Indigo Lake over 1m 4f at Doncaster.

Favorite Moon did all his best work at the finish after being denied a clear run. He has since gone one better to open his account at Haydock relishing the step up to the 1m 6f trip of this for the first time.

After racing on the heels of the leaders under Cieren Fallon, Favorite Moon was produced to take up the running at the furlong marker and then stayed on strongly to readily beat Subjectivist by a length off a mark of 80.

The pair pulled eight lengths clear of the third home to give the form a solid look. There was lots to like about the way in which Favorite Moon got the job done – despite the fact that he was receiving a whopping 17lb from the runner-up.

A 7lb rise in the weights looks more than fair. His revised rating of 87 may well underestimate the ability of Favorite Moon as he is certainly berd to be better than it.

Fallon is also in the saddle once again and takes off a handy 3lb with his claim, so Favorite Moon looks to have lots going for him.

However, best odds of 15/4 with Betfair look plenty short enough in such a competitive 15-runner affair. For that reason alone, Favorite Moon is opposed on this occasion.

Coltrane appeals most each-way in Melrose Handicap

Trainer Andrew Balding has his team in fine form and saddles a fascinating contender in Coltrane , an improving three-year-old who comes into this race right at the top of his game.

This colt shaped with promise in his first two starts before getting off the mark in an 11-runner class 5 maiden over 1m 4f at Chepstow when scoring easily by 3 1/2 lengths.

Coltrane was allotted an opening handicap mark of 80 on the back of that. He scored in good style off it in a class 3 at Newmarket over the 1m 6f trip of this when backed as if defeat was out of the question and sent off 8/15 favourite

After tracking the leaders, Coltrane got pushed along two from home and picked up really well to take up the running at the furlong marker.

The son of Mastercraftsman then ran on strongly without being given an unduly hard time to beat Quloob going away by just under two lengths. He was well on top at the finish and value for more than the winning margin.

Coltrane now has to race in this much deeper class 2 affair off 6lb higher, but is clearly going the right way and looks the type to go on progressing in stamina tests like this.

He also has the services of the in-form Oisin Murphy in the saddle and hails from a yard operating at a strike rate of 23 per cent in the last 14 days at the time of writing.

At 12/1 with BetVictor who pay four places, Coltrane looks to have more going for him than his odds would suggest. He appeals most from an each-way betting perspective in the Melorse Handicap this year.