I will not be available to update the site this week. I will be back with the next bulletin on Saturday evening, May 13.
The flat season steps up a gear this weekend with the first of the English Classics at Newmarket.
There are runners from our list to follow in all the races on Newmarket’s Saturday card. Thunder Rock and Coup D’Etat are our representatives in the handicap at 2.00. Coup D’Etat has not found his form as yet this season. He is stepped up to 10 furlongs for the first time which may well suit him. My preference is for Thunder Rock, who although a 4 year old has only run three times. He was a very expensive purchase at 775,000 gns but so far has only won a maiden. I fancy that he will start to repay some of that purchase price sooner rather than later. He looks on a fair mark and comes from a stable that does well with its older horses and has won this race for the last 2 seasons. I would respect both Crow Wood and Go Tech if the going is on the fast side of good.
2.35 Moss Vale, Reverence and Tax Free are the runners from the list to follow. Moss Vale has changed stables and is now with Sprint King Dandy Nicholls. His last 3 wins have come at 6 furlongs rather than the 5 he races over here and I am not sure that Newmarket will be his kind of track. Tax Free won 4 out of 5 last season and looks a horse with a future but this 5 furlongs could be on the sharp side for him. Reverence is the most likely of the 3 to be suited by the trip. My concern with him is that he has looked to be best with some give in the ground. Of the remainder it is good to see Pivotal Point returning after a lengthy lay off. He would have a squeak if back to his best form of a couple of seasons ago.
And so to the 2,000 guineas at 3.15. There is plenty of interest from our horses to follow and the Ballydoyle contingent will be many people’s selections. Kieren Fallon rides the unbeaten George Washington while Mick Kinane rides Horatio Nelson. Of the 2 George Washington looks the more likely over this trip. He is obviously very highly rated and looks the obvious choice. Olympian Odyssey, Opera Cape and Sir Percy are our other 3 listers. Olympian Odyssey was probably unlucky when beaten by Atlantic Waves in a blanket finish here in a listed race last month. Good solid type who should have no difficulty in winning races but this might be a bit beyond him. Sir Percy, Horatio Nelson and Opera Cape were 1,2 and 3 in the Dewhurst Stakes last season. Sir Percy got first run that day and may not be able to confirm the form with Horatio Nelson. As I said at the start the Ballydoyle pair look the most likely to me.
1. George Washington
2. Horation Nelson
3. Sir Percy
4. Olympian Oddyssy
3.50 We have 6 in this, Kings Gait, Ice Planet, Zowington, Kenmore, High Reach and Banjo Patterson. King’s Gait has run well without winning this season. His liking for give in the ground puts me off him today, and I have the same problem with Ice Planet and Kenmore. Kenmore won for me last season at 20/1 and stays on the list to follow for a 2nd season. The lightly raced Banjo Patterson should be all the better for his first run of the season last week. High Reach could have conditions to suit and his 4th behind Zomerlust at Pontefact recently shows that he is in good nick. Zowington has already won for us at a good price but has gone up 6 lbs for that. By no means out of this though. If I had to pick one it would be High Reach who looks each way value at 12/1.
4.20 Morghim made quite a pleasing return when 6 of 8 in a listed race at the Craven meeting and I think he could go well here at a fair price.
4.55 Blythe Knight won the Lincoln at Redcar. That was over a mile of course but I think that this 10 furlongs will suit him fine. There was plenty of give in the ground at Redcar and conditions will be rather different at Newmarket. Has a bit to find in order to figure here at level weights.
5.25 Regal Royale was a bit disappointing when down the field here on his seasonal reappearance and has something to prove.
Leaving the list horses for the moment I could drum up a fair case for Royal Challenge in the 3.25 at Goodwood. The only thing that worries me is that the horse is best held up and can run into traffic problems. Given that this is a 15 runner field I am just a little worried that he might get boxed in. He has the ideal partner though in D Holland.
I am not going to go into detail on the jumps races. There is a cracking hurdle race at Haydock however in the Swinton at 1.55. There are 4 runners form our jumps list from last season in Into the Shadows, Carracciola, United and Senorita Rumbalita. Into the Shadows and Senorita Rumbalita in that order would be my tentative each way picks.
2.25 My Paris represents the list to follow. Major’s Cast will take the beating here with conditions very much in his favour.
Alfie Flits makes his flat debut in the 3.05 at Thirsk. He has some very good bumper form and may be too good for the fairly modest opposition as long as he handles the faster ground OK.
4.50 Rio Riva, Minority Report and Game Lad run for the list to follow and there are a couple of old pals in Uhoogagoo and Hartshead. Rio Riva is unlikely to be suited by the going, while Game Lad seems to come to his best later in the season. Minority Report has ticks in most of the right boxes and gets the selection. Ground and trip will suit, the stable are in form and he looks reasonably treated by the handicapper. Uhoomagoo and Hartshead are very closely handicapped based on their meeting at Newcastle last season when Uhoomagoo mugged his rival right on the line. Minority Report is the selection.
Sunday
Newmarket 2.50 Shirocco is the best horse in the race and should win if he handles the ground. The going is a concern though as his best form has been with give in the ground. Hard Top could benefit if Shirocco misfires. Hard Top has very few miles on the clock for a 4 year old and some improvement on last season’s form would give him a chance in all the top staying races.
3.30 Flashy Wings, Nanina, Reach for the Star’s, Rumplestiltskin and Silca’s Sister run for the list. I would love to see Flashy Wings win for Mick Channon who I used to watch at The Dell way back in the 60s. My concern is that she has lost on her last 2 starts and although arguably a bit unlucky it is not the usual profile of a classic winner. There is not much wrong with Nannina’s form but she looks more workmanlike than anything else and may just lack the class. A boring choice I am afraid but it is hard to fault Rumplestiltskin’s form with 5 wins last season. Speciosa is an interesting one from outside the list to follow. If she can steer a straight course she may well worry some of her more illustrious rivals. Just have a look at her last run on the Racing Post video and you will see what I mean about the steering.
4.05 Sindirana should have learned from her two runs last season. She is entered in the Oaks and is one to keep a close eye on.
4.40 Winning Spirit, The Illies, Conquest and Silver Hotspur are all of interest here. All 4 are worth putting in your notebook but in particular Winning Spirit for this race.
Hamilton 4.25 Accordello is the sort of dual purpose horse that the Reveley stable place well.
Salisbury 3.05 Greek Renaissance is a full brother to the sprinter Machinist. Made his debut over a mile but is back to 6 furlongs here.
4.50 Degas Art has finished 2nd on his last 2 outings. Stepped up in trip and in with a good chance.
The list of horses to follow is under Special Features on the main menu, and hopefully a few of them will find their way into the winner’s enclosure before I resume next Saturday evening. See you then.
ahorse 