Timeform UK SmartPlays: Friday June 7

Luca Cumani has some interesting runners on Friday

Timeform provide you with bets from Newmarket and Pontefract on Friday...

Our first SmartPlay runs in the 14:40 at Newmarket as we side with last-time-out winner Burning Dawn. The selection had shaped well as a two-year-old without quite being able to get off the mark; however, she produced a taking display on her seasonal return at Yarmouth, finding plenty for pressure and looking as if she was capable of progressing further. David Brown's filly still looks well treated and she should be capable of following up with the sound surface clearly in her favour.

The final race at Newmarket, the 17:30, doesn't look like a particularly strong contest and should provide Mankini with a good opportunity to register his first success. Mankini has been off the track for the best part of a year but there are a number of reasons to suggest that he may be capable of proving much better than his opening mark of 60. First of all, he is bred to be smart, his dam a winner of the Group 2 Oaks d'Italia. Secondly, the form of his third start has worked out very well and, in hindsight, he probably had little chance at that stage of his career against a group of horses that have proven to be at least 80-rated performers. A prolonged break, a gelding operation and a step up in trip could also lead to a better performance, while the fact his master trainer has persevered with him is arguably the biggest pointer of all. 

Duke of Perth possibly wasn't seen to best effect in a steadily-run affair last time and he can make a successful handicap debut in the 20:05 at Pontefract. Although the muddling pace in the minor event at Salisbury counted against Duke of Perth, it was arguably his best effort to date and he shaped extremely well, looking unlucky not to finish closer having suffered slight interference. We have yet to see the best of Luca Cumani's three-year-old and it would rank as little surprise were he to show significant improvement now entering handicap company and tackling quick ground.

Timeform UK SmartPlays:
Back Burning Dawn @ 5.85/1 in the 14:40 at Newmarket
Back Mankini @ 4.77/2 in the 17:30 at Newmarket
Back Duke of Perth @ 2.6613/8 in the 20:05 at Pontefract

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