I hope you managed to find a winner or two last week without my expert guidance! I thought I would start today’s jottings with a look back at the racing scene since I have been away.
Last Friday Monte Alto only had to be shaken up to win on his reappearance at Lingfield in a 3 year old 7 furlong maiden. Luca Cumani’s colt is clearly going the right way and can rate higher, especially over further. Monte Alto was a very skinny price but we did have a winner at a nice price from our list to follow down at Nottingham on the same day. The stoutly bred Bollin Felix, blinkered for the first time appreciated a step up in trip and stayed on well under in form apprentice Duran Fentiman. At 10/1 Bollin Felix was a welcome winner for my somewhat flagging list to follow.
Winners from the list continued on Saturday, and Zidane, who has been a good servant to these pages scored in a competitive 6 furlong event at Ascot at 7/2. Zidane is a half brother to Frizzante and Firenze both of whom have featured on my list to follow.
There was also a big 6 furlong sprint at Haydock which featured a number of real old favourites. In teeming rain the red and white hoops of Sierra Vista made all in typically tough fashion into the teeth of a gale, with Borderlescott 2nd and Fonthill Road flashing home in 3rd. This was Sierra Vista’s 10th career win and at 8/1 she kept up her amazing record of winning at most attractive odds. Borderlescott of course won the Stewards Cup last season while Fonthill Road won the Ayr Gold Cup last season with Borderlescott runner up. Three cracking sprinters.
The Lingfield Derby Trial went to Marcus Tregoning’s Aqaleem while on the same Lingfield card Blue Ksar gave Godolphin a winner.
While Zidane was winning at Ascot his half sister Firenze was keeping up the family tradition winning a 6 furlong listed contest at Nottingham.
Staying with the sprinters I was interested to see old Trojan Flight get his head in front at Thirsk, as usual coming from well off the pace. This was his first run for Richard Fahey.
On Monday our list had a winner thanks to Leptis Magna at Windsor, another having a first run for a new trainer, in this case David Elsworth. Leptis Magna ran 3 times as a juvenile and showed some promise. He won this well going away from another of our list horses Rock Anthem. Both can win again.
At York on Wednesday Henry Cecil’s Passage of Time ran a satisfactory Oaks trial while Amadeus Wolf bounced back to form to power home in the Group 2 Duke of York Stakes. He threatens to take high order in the sprinting ranks.
The highlight on Thursday was the impressive performance of Authorized in the Dante. He looks a worthy Derby favourite.
Other notable efforts on Thursday were Terentia’s win in the sprint handicap and Blythe Knight’s success later in the afternoon. At 12/1 Terentia was a nice winner for our list to follow and there were encouraging performances from other “listers” Hogmaneigh, Knot in Wood and Pacific Pride. Corridor Creeper was a gallant runner up having filled the same position behind Caribbean Coral last week at Chester.
Blythe Knight is a tough individual and his success in the 1 mile Hambleton Handicap was the 7th of his career. He is of course a previous winner of the Lincoln.
Tim Easterby is enjoying a fine run of form at the moment and his Bollin Derek was a decisive winner of the 14 furlong handicap at York on Thursday. He is a half brother to Bollin Felix mentioned earlier.
Sir Michael Stoute’s Dance of Light only raced once as a two year old catching the eye in a Newmarket maiden. She won nicely on her reappearance at Salisbury on Thursday and should be able to go on to better things.
There was jumps action at Ludlow on Thursday evening where 3 races particularly took my eye. Mr Ed has been knocking at the door and he was 2nd in the handicap chase. This tall gelding ran well enough and should find a race before too long. Former flat winner Wooly Bully won the handicap hurdle for Evan Williams. He could well have a profitable summer jumps campaign. In the hunter chase Paul Nicholls’s Le Passing was all the rage and was clearly the best horse in the race on form. In the event though he was unable to quite get to the 15 year old Longstone Boy who won by a short head. In 3rd was Viscount Bankes who is something of a course specialist. This one is trainer in Oxfordshire by Rosemary Gasson and is described as “headstrong but harmless” by the trainer.
Friday produced 3 winners from our list to follow at Newbury, Sakhee’s Secret, Measured Tempo and Mujahaz, the latter at 15/2 for John Dunlop and jockey Steve Carson.
There was a very taking performance from Barry Hill’s juvenile Janina in the opener at York. She made it two wins from 2 starts and looks smart.
So much for the week just gone – let’s turn our attention to Saturday’s racing. Starting with the two year old maiden at 1.35 there are good reports about John Gosden’s Revivalism.
The showpiece of the Newbury card is of course the Lockinge Stakes, a Group 1 contest at 2.45. Secret World, a former winner of the Wood Ditton has had injury problems. He made no show on his return to the track last month but remains a horse with plenty of potential. Red Evie won a remarkable 7 times lasts season and cannot be ruled out but I will take a chance with the consistent Peeress for my selection.
Swinbrook is an interesting runner in the 3.50. He won at Leicester last April beating Zidane. He went up in the weights for that success but is creeping down to a more realistic mark and is one to keep an eye on. Hayley Turner rides him tomorrow.
My each way selection in the 4.25 is John Hill’s Diamond Diva. A winner at Lingfield last season she was a decent 3rd on her reappearance at Goodwood last week. Jamie Spencer will be in the plate.
Transcend was runner up in a Nottingham maiden last month and should go on better in the Newmarket 1.50. He is a half brother to the useful Suggestive.
In the 2.25 it could well be worth giving Acheekyone another chance to fulfil the promise of last month's good reappearance run at Newbury, a subsequent failure on the AW at Kempton excusable on account of his being trapped out wide. Plum Pudding has won twice over C&D and has enough going for him to be next best.
In the 3.00 Yossi looks the one to beat. He was 2nd at Haydock last month, should appreciate the going and his stable seem in good from.
The 3.35 looks a competitive staying handicap. There are 3 runners from our list to follow and they all have chances. The consistent Juniper Girl comes into the reckoning. She goes well for her apprentice rider and stays very well. Some more rain would aid her chances. Colloquial is a horse I particularly like but he may need the run so I will side with Finalmente for my selection. I was impressed with his 3rd at Newmarket earlier this month and the additional 2 furlongs here should not be a problem.
We have a list runner in the 4.05. Passion Fruit was 3rd at Hamilton over a mile on her last outing and this 7 furlongs should be more her bag of oats.
Kevin Ryan has his horses in good form and his Captain Jacksparra has an each way chance in the 3.40 at Thirsk.
Dig Deep has already won for our list to follow this season and looks to follow up in the 4.45. I certainly wouldn’t rule him out but hi best form has been reserved for the all weather.
River Thames ran a shocker last time at Goodwood and I am prepared to draw a line through that run. He looks well handicapped and I will give him another chance in the 5.20.
That is all for this evening.
ahorse 