Allmankind makes surprise return for new yard and Gavin Cromwell heads to Britain – punting pointers for Saturday's racing

Punting pointers from some of today's race meetings . . .

Chelmsford: can bargain buy strike again?

£1,000 does not get you far in the equine world, but Al Asayl Bloodstock may have a special bargain buy in Sapphire Valley.

Despite being by Blue Point and out of a Group 3-winning dam, he was bought cheaply at the ThoroughBid May sales and joined the George Boughey stable.

Months later, and after a gelding operation, he made a highly impressive debut at Wolverhampton when quickening clear of the 74-rated favourite Metro Dubai to win comfortably.

One week later he looks to add to his earnings of £3,402 under a penalty in the first division of the 7f novice (5.25), worth £4,187 to the winner, with 3lb claimer Grace McEntee back on board.

The sole previous winner in the line-up has to give upwards of 5lb to all 13 of his rivals including Marco Botti's Hyperchromatic, who makes his all-weather debut after making the frame at Yarmouth and Ripon.

Sapphire Valley17:25 Chelmsford (A.W)

View Racecard

Jky: Grace McEntee (3lb)Tnr: George Boughey

Chelmsford: marvellous McEntee

Phil McEntee has a tremendous record in the 6f handicap (7.30), training two winners from eight representatives in the last ten years. A £1 bet on all of his runners would have returned a profit of £21, which makes the out-of-form Global Effort of interest.

Global Effort19:30 Chelmsford (A.W)

View Racecard

Jky: Grace McEntee (3lb)Tnr: Phil McEntee

Haydock: great Gavin looks for more headlines

Flooring Porter's gutsy show in the Kerry National on Wednesday was the latest reminder of Gavin Cromwell's talents as a trainer and just a few days on he bids to land a completely different contest, a mile handicap (1.30) on the Flat.

Earls provided Cromwell with his first Flat winner at Haydock when scoring over 7f in April, and the seven-year-old is back for more off only 2lb higher.

Franny Norton, who bowed out with a treble at Chester last Saturday, was on board that day so Luke Morris takes the ride. The jockey has finished third on both of his previous rides for Cromwell.

Earls will be Cromwell's fourth Flat runner at Haydock, a track where he had a 100 per cent record during the 2023-24 jumps season. The trainer won the Grand National Trial with Yeah Man and a Grade 2 hurdle with Now Is The Hour on the same day in February.

Earls13:30 Haydock

View Racecard

Jky: Luke Morris Tnr: Gavin Cromwell

Haydock: Hughes hunts more winners

Richard Hughes is one of the country's most in-form trainers with eight winners in the last two weeks before racing on Friday, a strike-rate of 35 per cent. He has two decent chances at Haydock in Knebworth (2.40) and Notimeforchitchat (4.25), and also saddles The Thames Lady (6.00) and Nogo's Dream (7.00) at Chelmsford.

Listowel: harvest festival ends in style

The track's week-long harvest festival comes to an end with the highlight of the seventh and final day the €50,000 2m6f handicap chase (4.30).

Grade 3 winner Embittered, making his first start for Eric McNamara since joining from Gordon Elliott, and Law Ella, runner-up in a Grade 2 bumper at Aintree's Grand National meeting in 2022 and in a Listed contest at Thurles when last seen, are notable types in the 15-runner field.

Elliott, who won this race last year with Mars Harper, is represented by a stable debutant of his own as Flanking Maneuver bids to build on his third-placed effort for Noel Meade in the Galway Blazers Handicap Chase last time.

Walnut Beach attempts to defy an 8lb rise for last month's Listed win at Killarney, while the JP McManus-owned topweight Fighting Fit is the sole course winner in the line-up.

Good Time Jonny, the 2023 Pertemps Final winner, has been declared and would be interesting if turning up two days on from finishing third in a beginners' chase over this track and trip.

Market Rasen: Allmankind returns after 20 months

Grade 1 winner Allmankind has moved to James Owen and will make his debut for the yard in the 2m½f handicap hurdle (4.35).

The eight-year-old was last seen finishing down the field in handicap chases at Chepstow and Cheltenham for Dan Skelton in the 2022-23 season.

Allmankind achieved top-level success as a juvenile hurdler and runs here off lowly rating of 139.

"If he wasn't enjoying life and wasn't fit and healthy, then we obviously wouldn't consider it, but he was out in the field beating all the horses that were meant to be going back in this year, so I thought let's see how he goes," said owner Tim Gredley.

Allmankind16:35 Market Rasen

View Racecard

Jky: Mr Alex Chadwick (5lb)Tnr: James Owen

Ripon: Fahey takes familiar path

Richard Fahey won the Cathedral City of the Dales Handicap (3.20) in 2023 with Dare To Hope, who went on to land the £100,000 Great St Wilfrid at the track this season, and the trainer could be aiming to set out on the road to repeating that feat with Tropical Island.

Dare To Hope was the first three-year-old to win this race in a decade, and Tropical Island is one of just two Classic generation representatives in the line-up, along with Eye Of Dubai.

Tropical Island has a wealth of experience in big handicaps, notably running well at York and Newmarket this season, while she ran with credit when upped to seven furlongs at Thirsk last time. The daughter of Inns Of Court should be more comfortable back over a sprinting trip at this venue, given she made a successful debut over five furlongs here in July last year.

Fahey has had nine winners at Ripon this season, more there than any other track, for an impressive strike-rate of 20 per cent.