Timeform UK SmartPlays: Saturday May 11

Sound Of Guns is fancied to go close at Nottingham.

Saturday's main action takes place at Ascot but Timeform's SmartPlays team have found bets on the card at Nottingham, Thirsk and Warwick...

The first of our SmartPlays goes in Nottingham's 15:55, a listed race for fillies staged over six furlongs. Restiadargent, formerly trained in France by Henri-Alex Pantall, makes her debut for William Haggas today and were she to reproduce her effort in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes last year, when she finished third to Black Caviar, she would have outstanding claims in this field. However her other efforts in 2012 were less inspiring and it may be best to side with the Ed Walker-trained Sound Of Guns, who endured a luckless passage on her reappearance in the Nell Gwyn. The three-year-old improved last term when chasing home Rosdhu Queen in a listed event at Newbury prior to backing up that progression when third in the Flying Childers. She possesses plenty of speed and is likely to prove best at sprint distances, so this return to six furlongs looks ideal, and it would come as a disappointment were she not to go close. 

Thirsk's 19:45, a handicap over a mile, looks a competitive event with the likes of Cruiser, It's A Mans World and Sardanapalus all of interest. The one that has caught our eye however is No Dominion, trained by James Given, who demonstrated that he is just as good on turf as the all-weather when finishing second at Haydock last month and he is expected to gain his first win on grass. The four-year-old was gelded over the winter, which may have had some impact on his improved performance as he travelled strongly for a long way on his return from a five month absence; he is not yet fully exposed, could prove capable of slightly better still and ought to be right in the firing line. 

Majestic Moon, a full brother to the smart Majestic Myles, heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings for Warwick's 20:05 and remains open to further improvement starting out in 2013, as indicated by his rating retaining the Timeform 'p'. The three-year-old got off the mark at the second attempt last season and it is easy to find excuses for his two most recent performances, rearing upon leaving the stalls at York and being left with a lot to do before encountering unsuitably testing conditions at Ayr in September. He has been gelded over the winter and is likely to make up into a superior performer this term so, with his yard firing on all cylinders at present, seems sure to put up a bold bid. 

Timeform UK SmartPlays:
Back Sound Of Guns @ 4.216/5 in the 15:55 at Nottingham
Back No Dominion @ 5.85/1 in the 19:45 at Thirsk
Back Majestic Moon @ 4.216/5 in the 20:05 at Warwick

It's French Guineas day at Longchamp on Sunday. Get a Timeform card covering all the big races for just 3.