Month: July 2007

Today had its ups and downs on the tipping front.  I thought Aureate was a near cert in the 5.00 at Sandown but he wasn’t in the first four but the other horses mentioned in my preview gave a good account of themselves.

  

Harland and Tam Lin fought out the finish in the listed race.  Despite a high head carriage and much tail swishing Tam Lin put up a real battle and was only outdone close home by Harland.

  

In the race that followed Marriotto came off best in another driving finish and looks a progressive sort.

  

Feeling Wonderful, suggested each way, was third (6/1) at Wolverhampton.

  

Saturday’s cards have been decimated by the rain but Sandown looks sure to go ahead.

  

Reverence makes a belated reappearance in the opener (2.05).  He has to give weight away all round but is at his best with give in the ground and looks the likely winner.

  

The 2.35 looks a very competitive handicap.  Rio Riva, Ordnance Row and Unshakable all come into the race on the back of impressive wins and are worth consideration.  Plum Pudding represents our list to follow but his 3 career wins have all come at Newmarket.  Ordnance Row acts on the ground, was an impressive winner at Salisbury last time out and I will give him my tentative selection.

  

It is hard to fault anything that Authorized has done and he should win the Eclipse.  The only points against are the fact that only 2 favourites have won the Eclipse in the last 10 years and the horses finishing 2^nd and 4^th behind him in the Derby have both since been beaten.

  

Finalmente ran a cracker to finish 4^th in the Ascot Gold Cup.  Although he has a bit to find with The Geezer in the 4.20 he stays and has won on soft ground. 

  

Ravi River represents our list to follow in the 4.55.  He has been a beaten favourite on each of his last 3 starts so it is hard to get too enthusiastic about him.  If we exclude his last run there may have been excuses for the other defeats so he is worth watching. A small each way perhaps.

  

Monte Alto and Rock Anthem are our list runners in the 5.30.  Rock Anthem is no world beater but he showed a pleasing attitude to win a decent Goodwood handicap last time and acts on soft ground.  He has gone up 5 lbs but looks a decent bet to make the first 3. Monte Alto has finished 3^rd on his last 2 runs since winning at Lingfield.  There is not much to choose between these two but I will give a slight preference to Rock Anthem.

  

Bo McGinty is suited by tracks like Beverley and I would quite fancy him to run well in the 3.20 there tomorrow but the ground is a concern.  He has won on good to firm and I am not sure how he will handle heavy going.  Bond Boy ran How’s She Cuttin’ close at Thirsk in the week and looks in good nick.  Pawan was 2^nd at Warwick on Thursday and should be thereabouts.  Artie won the William Trophy as a 3 year old and was useful at his best.  He also likes soft ground and comes from an in form stable.  He should be fitter for a recent run so if he retains his old ability he would come into the picture.  A tricky handicap but Bond Boy looks the percentage call.

  

Handsome Falcon has done enough in his last 2 starts to warrant consideration in the 3.55.  I am not sure that soft ground will suit him though.

  

Staked a Claim is one of the “darker” horses on our list.  He showed some promise when 4^th to Deserted Dane on his only start last season and is speedily bred. Deserted Dane was a winner recently and Staked a Claim looks an interesting prospect for the 5.35.

   

If Carlisle goes ahead tomorrow evening Prince Evelith, 2^nd in the Carlisle Bell handicap recently, would be my selection.

  

Be lucky!

 

Continue reading “Diary: July 7 2007” →

Our list to follow has been ticking over during the week so far with one winner per day.

  

Tim Easterby has his horses in fine form and his Bollin Felix was Monday’s winner, relishing the soft ground at Pontefract under David Allan.

  

On Tuesday How’s She Cuttin’ notched her third win of the season in the 5 furlong handicap at Thirsk.  That makes it 6 wins from her last 9 starts.

  

On Wednesday evening Jimmy Fortune gave Brain Meehan’s stayer Junior a peach of a ride at Kempton.  He quickly established a 7 length lead.  Took a breather with about 6 to go and then kicked on again.  Second placed Whispering Death ran a decent race and looks one for the notebook.

  

In the best finish of the night, Furmigadelagiusta got the better of Loulwa by a short head in the mud at Newbury this evening.

  

I will start my look forward to Friday’s racing at Beverley but there is a precautionary inspection there in the morning.

  

Prince Evelith was 2^nd on the Carlisle Bell handicap last week and that form gives him a good chance in the 7.45.  His 3 wins to date have been on good to firm but the going at Carlisle was on the soft side.  He is also a course and distance winner at Beverley.

  

Over at Haydock Harrison’s Flyer has top weight in the 6.55. He has a 6 lbs penalty for his win 10 days ago when beating Gone ‘n Dunnett at Brighton.  That was his 3^rd win at the Sussex track and he obviously likes the place.  He is a horse I have always liked but top weight in heavy ground will make life difficult.  By the way Gone N’ Dunnett is trained by Christine Dunnett in Norfolk hence the name.

  

Gull Wing has been placed in 3 out of 4 starts this season and should not be far away in the 8.25.

  

Alleviate is a half sister to Allegretto and may well appreciate the step up for 14 furlongs in the 9.25.  Seb Sanders rides.

  

We have 2 list runners in the 3.50 at Sandown.  Tam Lin has the most obvious chance of the two. He is a quirky sort but won a Group 3 at Windsor last season.  He was disappointing last time at Sandown but if he puts his best foot forward he would be in the firing line.  Harland is difficult to assess.  He has only run 3 times winning the second of these in a maiden at Newcastle.  Made no show in a Group 2 at Ascot last time out.

  

Mariotto has an impressive pedigree and was an easy winner of a maiden last back end.   He looks an interesting prospect and should go well in the 4.25.  Brian Meehan’s string have not been in the best of form but he had a winner yesterday so may be turning the corner.  His Star of Light would have a good chance on his best form but will not get the ground he prefers.

  

Aureate galloped his 3 rivals into oblivion at Chester on Saturday and will take some stopping if repeating that sort of form in the 5.00.

  

Finally Feeling Wonderful looks to have an each way chance in the 5.20 at Wolverhampton.

  

Bye for now.

 

Continue reading “Diary: July 6 2007” →

There are a few runners from our list to follow at the various meeting tomorrow and some other runners of interest.

  

Spume runs in the 7.55 at Newbury. His last run was his best so far this season finishing 3^rd in heavy ground at Haydock.  He was a bit short of room on that occasion and has a chance here off the same mark.  He ran in a tongue tie at Haydock for the first time and that may have contributed to his improved form.

  

Furmigadelagiusta steps up to 12 furlongs for the first time in the 8.30 and the trip should suit him.  His sire was a Derby winner and on the dam’s side he is related to winners over middle distances in Italy and France. 

  

There are some interesting types in the 7.35 at Warwick.  Pacific Pride represents our list to follow.  He has been running better than the bare form figures suggest and should be suited by the flat track. Whether he will handle the ground is an unknown factor.

  

Angus Newz has a good record in soft ground and also appears to prefer small fields. She is a course and distance winner and has a big chance.  River Bravo has only run 5 times and he has won on heavy ground, although that was a 3 horse race.  He could well be better than his handicap mark and is a big danger. Pawan is one of those horses that crop up at big odds occasionally.  He has won 6 times, never by more than half a length and his winning odds include 33/1, 16/1 and 14/1 (twice).  He has won on soft but has never won off his current mark.

  

Sister Act is a full sister to multiple Group 1 winner Soviet Song and half sister to Triumph Hurdle winner Penzance.  She attempts to get off the mark at the third time of asking in the 3.30 at Yarmouth.

 

Continue reading “Diary: July 5 2007” →

_{I am writing these notes before this evening’s racing.  We had one winner from our list to follow yesterday thanks to Bollin Felix at Pontrefract. He clearly enjoyed the soft ground. Coup D’Etat is on a 17 race losing sequence.  He is tried in first time blinkers tomorrow in the 8.40 at Chepstow.  He has also been given a real chance by the handicapper so it could be now or never tomorrow. The well bred Thinking Positive has shown enough in a couple of runs to date to be in with a shout in the 7.20 at Kempton. Junior is already a winner on the all weather and stays well.  He has an each way chance in the Kempton 8.20 where Whispering Death looks the main danger.}

Continue reading “Diary: July 4 2007” →