It was always a fair bet that one of the Dandy Nicholls team would win the Ayr Gold Cup but picking the right horse from the trainer’s multiple entries is never easy and I am afraid I got in wrong again! Still, Tajneed gave us a run for our money in second place. Overall Saturday was not the best of days on the tipping front with only Tarkheena Prince saving me from a complete whitewash. Of the rest the Clive Cox trained Electrolyser ran well at Newmarket after a long absence from the track and his turn may come before the end of the season, while Montbretia, another runner up at HQ, may also be able to pick up a race this autumn.
Tarkheena Prince won in a tight finish up at Ayr under a strong drive from Robert Winston who received a 3 day ban for a combination of careless riding and overuse of the whip. Tarkheena Prince has more than justified his place on my list to follow as this was his 3rd win of 2008.
I fared rather better with my preview of today’s action with a couple of winners. Knot in Wood had acquitted himself well in the Ayr Gold Cup yesterday finishing 4th and coming home the best of those drawn low but he went one better this afternoon running out a comfortable winner at Hamilton Park. Richard Fahey’s 6 year old has now won 4 times at Hamilton from his 5 visits to the track. Wyeth was my other winner coming in at 7/1 at Plumpton on his hurdles debut , which was not a bad price for a horse who is related to the classic winner George Washington!
Tomorrow Luca Cumani introduces an interesting 2 year old in the Kempton 3.30. Splashdown is by first season sire Falbrav and is a half sister to Cosmodrome. Unlikely to be rushed she could be one to note for the future. There is not much else to comment on tomorrow although there are a couple of runners from my list to follow in Moheeb (Hamilton 4.10) and Tiger Dream (Kempton 5.00) although neither have an obvious chance.
On Tuesday there is a decent sprint at 2.30, The Violet and Eddie Smith Memorial Conditions Stakes. Pawan was 4th today behind Knot in Wood after being tapped for toe in the early stages and is entered again at Beverley where he is a course and distance winner. Also in this race are Michael Bell’s four year old Hoh Mike and the half brothers Fire up the Band and Strike up the Band as well as the winner of last year’s Portland Handicap Fullandby. It is a competitive little race but I am hoping that Oldjoesaid can win it. He won his first start of the season but has not always had the rub of the green since. Dane O’Neill has the ride for trainer Henry Candy.
There are 2 other runners from my list to follow running on Tuesday, the disappointing General Tufto in the 3.30 at Beverley and Sortita at Folkestone in the 5.20. Sortita has only had 4 runs in her career and looks to have more scope for improvement than many of her rivals. She won at Doncaster last month and then ran badly when a beaten favourite on the all weather at Lingfield. If we ignore that last run and assume she either didn’t like the surface or there was something amiss she would have a chance. The oldest horse in the race is Bustan. This 9 year old was 4th in the Great Voltigeur back in 2002 when he was only half a length behind subsequent St Leger winner Bollin Eric and less than a length behind the winner Bandari. It is some years since he crossed swords with such rivals though. In fact he went nearly 5 years without a win between 2002 and 2007 but has had something of a resurgence of late winning at Sandown and Beverly this year. He is best on a sound surface.
Eddie Boy didn’t make much of an impact on his debut at Newbury last month but he should have come on for that run and is worth considering in the 4.00 at Beverley. He is a full brother to Sweet Lilly a filly that won times for Mick Channon as a juvenile. Eddie Boy may not want the ground too soft.
The next update will be on Tuesday evening.
My thanks to Sally Martin for today’s pictures. See links for more examples of this artists work.
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