Month: September 2008

{The 2 photographs on the site today are by courtesy of British 2YO Racing}

{The 2 paintings are by kind permission of the artist Maura Clarke.  See links for more examples of this artists work}

Looking though the results for the last week I was pleased to see that my last preview yielded a few winners. Perks and African Rose were both winning tips and my 3 against the field in the St Leger gave the winner and the third.

Perks has been a profitable horse to follow and there could well be more to come, especially on his favoured soft ground. Conduit gave Sir Michael Stoute his long awaited first success in the St Leger while the filly Look Here ran a cracker in third, especially as she came into the race having had an interrupted preparation.

I left you with a small list of 2 year olds to look out for while I was away and I was delighted to see that 3 of them won, a couple at 8/1 as well. Mafaaz (pictured below), a good looking chestnut son of Medicean out of a Danehill mare won on his debut at Kempton and looks to have improvement in him so he is one to look out for in the future.

Awinnersgame (pictured below) , a March foal, is a half brother to an Irish 1,000 Guineas winner and like Mafaaz is out of a Danehill mare. He won the most valuable juvenile race in Europe at Doncaster ridden by Frankie Dettori and looks a colt with a future for trainer Jeremy Noseda. The popular Italian jockey had a good week at Doncaster as he also had the ride on Conduit in the St Leger, Ryan Moore having decided to ride another Stoute horse. The third juvenile winner was Cool Art, who is by One Cool Cat. He won a Lingfield nursery for trainer Simon Callaghan.

Staying with the two year olds I hope you noticed that Battle of Hastings was running while I was away. If his name doesn’t ring a bell you haven’t been concentrating as I have been going on about him all season. He got his name as he was number 1066 in the sales catalogue! Anyway he won a competitive nursery at Doncaster last week ridden by Jamie Spencer and he clearly acts on soft ground. Given his pedigree he should make a 3 year old, so one for next season’s list to follow perhaps.

There were a few winners for my list to follow while I was on holiday. Spacious and Royal Confidence were winners at the Doncaster meeting while Atlantic Sport won for Mick Channon at Sandown. The ex Southampton striker has always been a popular figure but I think anyone connected with racing will be pleased to see the Channon horses winning at the moment. The fact that Eddie Creighton came into the winners enclosure on Atlantic Sport wearing a black armband was a stark reminder of the death of the trainer’s friend Tim Corby in the recent car accident.

Another Atlantic, Mick Easterby’s Atlantic Story ran with promise in a 6 furlong at Doncaster. He had been off the track for 118 days and was carrying top weight so looks one to consider next time. Another winner for the “list” was Cape Amber in a listed race at Yarmouth.

The Ballydoyle bandwagon continues to roll on with Septimus adding the Irish St Leger to the remarkable number of Group 1 winners for Aiden O’Brien this season. Septimus is an out and out galloper and put his rivals to the sword winning by 13 lengths. Over in France Zarkava was an impressive winner in the Group 1 Prix Vermeille at Longchamp. The daughter of Zamindar stood still as the stalls opened, losing about eight lengths, but it made no difference as she came with a smooth run on the outside to win cosily, eased down, by two lengths from John Gosden’s Dar Re Mi.

This was Zarkava’s sixth consecutive victory following the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, where she beat subsequent Group 1 winner Goldikova, and the Prix de Diane. She will take some beating in the Arc next month.

At a rather more modest level Rossini’s Dancer finally got off the mark at the 15^th time of asking in a pretty poor contest at Beverley. Richard Fahey’s 3 year old certainly does not do anything very quickly and Barry McHugh did well on him as he was hard at work fully half a mile from home.

Well, that just about rounds off the highlights for the past week, so let’s have a look at the racing around the country tomorrow. I have been featuring Charles Parnell on a regular basis throughout the season but although he has not been running badly he is yet to find his way to the winner’s enclosure. He runs up at Ayr in the 2.55 tomorrow. He has won on heavy going, last season at Beverly, but that was off a lower mark. It could be that he needs to come down a few pounds in the weights before he can win again. Another of the less successful horses from my list to follow, Moheeb, runs later at Ayr, in the 5.15. He has been frustrating to follow as he has finished in the frame several times this season but that win continues to prove elusive. He is 3 lbs higher in the weights than when 2^nd over course and distance last month so he may have to settle for the minor honours once again.

The Ayr Silver Cup at 4.40 is as tricky a sprint as you could hope to find. Dandy Nicholls has won this several times in the recent past and has 5 runners in the race, while Richard Fahey, the trainer of last season’s winner, is also represented with 5 horses. It is tempting to go for the recent Chester winner Green Park. He has won twice on heavy ground and although carrying a 6 lbs penalty for that win he is ridden by Barry McHugh, an apprentice taking 7 lbs off. Green Park is yet to win over 6 furlongs though which makes me a bit wary of him. Paul Hannigan presumably had the choice of rides on the Fahey runners and has opted for Harrison George which is something of a tip in itself I suppose. Harrison George has only been out of the first 4 once in his career and comes out of stall 1 which could turn out to be a plum draw. The handicapper knows all about Joseph Henry but he is consistent and looks a possible each way choice of those drawn high. Northern Dare is a possible to come in at a big price but for my selection I will go with Burning Incense who was 3^rd to the speedy Valery Borzov at Haydock on his latest start.

Almajd went on my list to follow on the basis of some encouraging runs last season. After winning a maiden he ran 5^th in the Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury. He is back at the Berkshire track tomorrow for the listed race at 2.10 where he has something to prove after failing when odds on favourite at Kempton last time. We may be able to forgive him that run as he might not have liked the surface or the track.

There was plenty to like about the winning display from Mick Channon’s Silver Games at Folkestone at the end of August. That success came on good to firm going and providing she can handle the ground in the Newbury 3.55 tomorrow she sets the standard. Of the others that have had a run I like the Godolphin filly Suba. She is related to the high class Dubawi and made an eyecatching start to her career when 3^rd over 6 furlongs at Newbury. This extra distance should definitely benefit her and she looks a very promising sort.

In the 4.30 Hughie Morrison introduces an interesting newcomer in Battle, a half sister to the prolific winning sprinter The Trader. He may of course need this first run but he is one to watch out for over sprint distances. Stow, also trained by Hughie Morrison, represents my list to follow in the 5.05. A winner at Bath on good to firm back in May he has an each way chance.

The Newmarket card opens with a 2 year old maiden at 1.55. The James Fanshawe trained Margarita has her first run in this race. She is a full sister to the high class multiple Group 1 winner Soviet Song and a half sister to Triumph Hurdle winner Penzance. She won’t be rushed and will most likely benefit from this run and looks one to follow over the longer term. Of those that have already run Archie Rice should come on for his debut at York where he was 5^th of 10.

In the 3.05 Cornish Rose could make the frame at a big price while the 2 that interest me in the 4.15 are Alhaque and North East Corner, both making their racecourse debuts. The former was quite an expensive purchase and is by Galileo. North East Corner is related to the Oaks winner Alexandrova.

In the nursery at 5.25 I would be inclined to go for the two top weights. Jazacosta has been busy, running 7 times. He is a half brother to 5 winners and got off the mark himself when landing the odds in a little race at Leicester. Two of his runs since then have been at Goodwood, a track that probably doesn’t play to his strengths and he should give us a run for our money at Newmarket, where he was 3^rd last month. Oasis Knight was a rather distant 3^rd behind a decent type on his last run which qualified him for handicaps. He is stepped up in trip here which is interested given his pedigree. He is by a sprinter but there is plenty of stamina in the dam’s side of the family so we will see!

The first and last races at Wolverhampton caught my eye. Cool Art won for this column last week and runs in the 6.20 with a 6 lbs penalty. The very talented apprentice David Probert has been booked to ride though and is well worth his 5 lbs claim so I will stick with Cool Art once more.

In the final race on the card at 8.50 Astrodome goes for a hat trick after a couple of wins at Hamilton. A half brother to the multiple winner Alambic he might take some pegging back in this and I would fancy his chances.

That is all for tonight.  I will be back tomorrow evening for a look at the racing over the weekend.

 

The main action this week takes place at Doncaster, culminating in the St Leger, the oldest of the English Classics, first run in 1776.

The 2.00 at Doncaster tomorrow only has 4 runners but is quite a puzzle to solve nonetheless, as a case could be made for all of them. Flying Clarets clearly appreciated the heavy going when landing the valuable John Smith’s Cup at York. She seems versatile when it comes to going as she has also won twice on good to firm in her career but I feel that she is best with some ease in the ground. She is very consistent, has winning form in small fields and looks sure to run well. The lightly raced With Interest represents connections that have won this race 4 times in the last 10 years, and with 4 wins from his 6 career starts he clearly warrants plenty of respect.

Docofthebay has run particularly well in big field handicaps finishing runner up in both the Cambridgeshire last season and this year’s Royal Hunt Cup. He can produce a telling turn of foot at the end of his races but has never won with an “s” in the going description. He has never actually won beyond a mile either although he was a close up 4^th in the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar over 10 furlongs so I don’t think stamina is an issue. The fourth runner, Perks has no stamina doubts. He has won a couple of handicaps this season and is clearly on the upgrade but need to improve to win here. His most recent success at Haydock proves that he handles soft ground particularly well.

I can’t really avoid making a selection in a 4 runner race, much as I am tempted to sit on the fence!. Strictly on form Flying Clarets is the pick at the weights but I will take a chance with the 3 year old Perks.

The 2.35 is a listed sprint where Galeota attempts to win the race for the second year running. The remarkable Benbaun will be one of his rivals. This horse is something of a specialist at The Curragh where his form figures read 2112211112. Perhaps it is time they named a race after him. All his best form has been on fast ground so he looks an unlikely winner tomorrow given the recent rains.

Down at Kempton Mafaaz is well regarded by connections and could go well on his debut in the 6.50, while in the 7.50 Game Park represents my list to follow. I had marked him down as a potentially well handicapped horse this season but he has been frustrating to follow. On the basis of his 3^rd at Newmarket back in May he would be well up to winning this but he has tended to flatter only to deceive. A mark of 73 does not look over harsh and he is well drawn so here’s hoping that he can deliver what he has sometimes promised. Eddie Ahern rides him for the first time. He has an each way chance at around 10/1.

Moving on to Thursday,the  Doncaster 2.35 looks an open race and in the past it has thrown up some big priced winners. The Jeremy Noseda trained Awinnersgame would be my tentative suggestion. He has won a couple of times this season, most recently over 7 furlongs at Newmarket. The trip should suit him although his ability to handle soft ground would have to be taken on trust.

Rose Diamond has been running well in Group 3 company and tackles a Group 2 race for the first time in the May Hill Stakes at 2.10. She is up in trip to a mile here which should not pose a problem and I can certainly see her getting into the first 3.

There are 3 runners from my list to follow in the 3.45, Royal Confidence, Floristry and Festoso. Royal Confidence won a nursery handicap over course and distance last season but has not won in 5 starts as a 3 year old, although to be fair 4 of those races were in Group company. She was 7^th in the 1,000 Guineas and is probably up to winning at this level. Floristry had a most progressive profile last season winning 3 times all over 6 furlongs. She has struggled to make an impact in her 2 starts this season and tries 7 furlongs for the first time here. Her ability to handle soft ground would be a doubt. Festoso hasn’t run for nearly a year when finishing 3^rd in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket. The first and second that day have gone on to win big races and if Festoso is fully wound up after a lengthy absence she would be a major contender.

I will put forward a couple of possibles for the 4.50. Northern Dare is yet to win this season but he is suited by plenty of give in the ground and if he gets his conditions he could come in at a nice price. The top weight Atlantic Story has been a revelation on the all weather with 4 wins in handicaps and he is well treated here on that form.

Impressible is a half sister to Reverence and I was quite hopeful of a good run from her last time at Beverley on ground that I felt would suit. She could only finish 5^th of 10 though so I would recommend a watching brief on her reappearance in the 7.50 at Great Leighs.

A couple of runners caught my eye in the line up for the maiden at 8.20. Dream Date was 4^th at Kempton the other day. That was her second run and she seems to be getting the hang of things. Brian Meehan introduces a filly called Honestly who is a half sister to a useful horse called Sweet Band.

Atlantic Sport looked to be in for a successful campaign when a well backed winner at Newbury in July but has been a bit disappointing since. The trip and ground should suit and I am hoping he can bounce back to form in the Sandown 3.30.

When Infallible won her maiden at Newmarket last season I made a note of the Barry Hills trained Basanti who showed some promise in 7^th place. Three runs later she is still looking for her first win having been tried at both 10 and 14 furlongs. She could be up to winning in the Brighton 3.55 on Thursday where the main threat will probably come from John Gosden’s recent Salisbury runner up Star Rocker.

The big race on Friday is the Group 2 Doncaster Cup. The magnificent Yeats has already mopped up the cup races at Ascot and Goodwood and would be hard to oppose if taking his place in the line up. Royal and Regal was only narrowly beaten in both the Yorkshire Cup and the Henry II Stakes and surely it is only a matter of time before he wins one of these. I suspect that he needed the race when 7^th at Deauville recently and he could go well at Doncaster.

The picture below is of Canon Can who won a strong renewal of the Yorkshire Cup back in 1997. The legendary Persian Punch was 2^nd and Double Trigger 4^th. Canon Can was trained by Henry Cecil and Kieren Fallon was the jockey that day at Doncaster.

The mention of Double Trigger gives me the chance to trot out a piece of turf trivia. When he won the Goodwood Cup in 1995 his full brother was runner up. I think this is probably the only instance of full brothers finishing 1^st and 2^nd in a Group race.

I am now off for a few days in the sun so I will be away for the St Leger on Saturday. At the moment I would put forward a short list of 3. The O’Brien team have won just about everything else so it would be foolhardy not to include at least one runner from Ballydoyle. The trainer seems to be playing down the chance of Frozen Fire the Irish Derby winner. If he gets the trip OK he would be in with a big chance in my view.

It is a well publicised statistic that Sir Michael Stoute is yet to train the St Leger winner. I am not sure that we should avoid his runners for that reason though, quite the opposite in fact. Trends can be misleading as Katchit showed in the Champion Hurdle. Sir Michael’s Conduit won the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood last time out and that race has been a fair guide to the St Leger in the past. For my third suggestion I will choose the Oaks winner Look Here. Fillies do not often line up for this race but those that do tend to figure prominently.

I will leave you with a few other horses to look out for. The following 2 year olds are all entered over the next week; Almiqdaad, Cool Art, Himalya, Majestic Lady, Mrs Kipling, Ouqba and Tropical Paradise.

I have also had a good report about the 6 year old Cupid’s Glory who won at Great Leigh’s last week and looks one to keep on the right side.

Next update will be 18 September.

The pictures today are by kind permission of the artist Margaret Barrett (see links for more examples of this artists work)

 

 

In between the York Ebor meeting being washed out and rerouted and the Haydock sprint having similar problems with the weather the 3.30 at Brighton may have escaped your notice. The Ian Carnaby Selling Stakes at the seaside track is a race I always look out for though as it is sponsored by one of my favourite racing journalists. Mr Carnaby writes with a great deal of humour and good nature and knows a thing or two about horse racing as well. If you get the chance to read his book “Not minding that it hurts” I would strongly recommend it.

The draw at Brighton over 6 furlongs goes a long way towards settling the result and in this year’s race the front 3 came from stalls 3, 1 and 4. The sponsor’s own fancy for the race, Caustic Wit, was drawn 16 of 16 so had little chance.

Brighton racecourse has a bit of a literary heritage as Graham Greene’s rather bleak tale of gangland warfare in “Brighton Rock” was set partly around the races. The nearest thing to a literary connection in this race was the runner up, the Dandy Nicholls trained Trinculo, named after a character in The Tempest.

At the moment the wish expressed in the Tempest “Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground,” seems quite apt, in fact 5 furlongs of decent ground would be a good start! At least we have the all weather to keep us going, where Kempton has staged some quality racing over the last couple of days. My analysis of the mile handicap yesterday was pretty well spot on (for once!) – “The London Mile handicap at 3.25 has attracted a competitive field, and I have come up with a short list of 3, Formation, The Fifth Member and Premio Loco. For my selection I am going with Premio Loco who was a winner over course and distance at the end of July in a race where the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th have all won since.” Premio Loco won with the other two finishing 3^rd and 4^th. Just to prove that I do get it right sometimes.

On the subject of mile handicaps I see there is talk of reopening the old racecourse at Lincoln where the Lincoln handicap used to be based, which gives me the perfect lead in to a bit of “turf trivia.” Ron Sheather, who later went on to be a trainer, holds the unenviable record of the only man to finish 58^th in a horse race! He finished plumb last in the 1948 Lincolnshire Handicap on the old course when the contest attracted the biggest field ever for a flat race. His horse was Lucose, clearly lacking some ade!

There is racing at Bath and Folkestone tomorrow, weather permitting.

Tudor Prince doesn’t boast the greatest strike rate in the world with just 2 wins from 23 attempts. I get the feeling he might just be approaching win number 3. He runs in the 4.40 at Bath and will appreciate the soft ground. There are a couple of old favourites of mine in opposition. The former trainer Bill Wightman is well into his 90s now. Mick Channon used to have horses with him but the roles have been reversed and the ex Saints striker now trains Digital, who is owned by Mr Wightman. Digital is an 11 year old now but has won 3 times at Bath and it would not be a huge surprise if he were to run well tomorrow. Harrison’s Flyer is on a 23 run losing streak and is not the force he was when he won 9 races. Anything like his form of old would see him in the shakeup though.

Wyeth runs in the 5.10. He is a half brother to George Washington but has rather let the family honour down thus far and is still a maiden after 8 tries.

There is one runner from my list to follow in action at Folkestone. Recent course and distance winner Fearless Warrior has a 6 lbs penalty which would not necessarily stop him. More of a concern would be the ground, it was good to firm when he won last time, and there is also the worry that the blinkers may not work a second time. Fingers crossed he will go in again.

There is nothing that really catches my eye in any of the races scheduled for Tuesday.

Today’s pictures are by kind permission of the artist Jo Stockdale (see links).

 

 

It will be a short bulletin tonight as I am a bit pushed for time.

Thirsk is subject to a morning inspection but if the meeting does go ahead there are 3 runners that interest me in the 4.00.  Both Bollin Felix and Dr Sharp are confirmed mudlarks while Squirtle is a dual course and distance winner and has won on soft ground.

Baybshambles has been a good friend to this column with 3 wins, including one over course and distance.  If he has not gone over the top he would be in with a shout of at least a place in the 4.30 while Blazing Heights looks on a fair mark and is due a win.

Bye for now.

 

I am penning these notes on Friday afternoon on the assumption that the meetings scheduled for the weekend go ahead. With heavy rain forecast in the north I would imagine that Haydock, and possibly Thirsk as well may be in doubt. Anyway, here’s hoping. When trying to find winners we will clearly need to look at horses that don’t mind the mud.

Starting at Haydock there are 3 that I fancy for the sprint handicap at 2.35. Quiet Elegance is a half sister to the high class sprinter Reverence. She has only had 4 runs in her life, winning the first 2 before being tried at Group and Listed level without success. She is lightly raced and should be suited by the conditions. Regal Royale has won 4 races this year, the last 2 of these coming in soft ground. He has winning form over 6 furlongs which could be significant tomorrow in such testing conditions. My selection though is Green Park who has slipped to a winnable mark, has won twice in heavy ground and comes here on the back of an encouraging run at Beverly where he was 2^nd from a bad draw.

The big race of the day is the Betfred Sprint Cup at 3.10. Reverence won this two years ago and has a record of 2 wins from 3 runs at Haydock Park. He has not maintained his form since his very successful period a couple of years ago but showed distinct signs of a return to his best when a strong finishing 3^rd to Green Manalishi at Chester last month.

There are 3 runners from my list to follow and they all come into the race with some sort of chance. Knot in Wood is a decent handicapper and won well at Hamilton earlier in the season edging out Baby Strange and he put in a fine effort when 4^th in the Wokingham. He has come up short in Group company in the past though and may not be up to this standard. Utmost Respect is a proven mudlark and recorded his first win in Group company at Newcastle this year when getting his favoured conditions. He had Reverence back in 5^th that day. The 3 year old Corrybrough has only raced 7 times in his career and has only finished out of the first 2 once, and that was on his latest run at Deauville where he was ridden at the back and given too much to do. He sometimes gets caught for early pace but is a strong finisher and he likes soft ground.

The other runner I like in this is Al Qasi who returned to something like his best form on rain softened ground at Newbury when 2^nd in the Hungerford Stakes. I have concentrated on the home contenders but there is a strong overseas challenge. The French Raider African Rose is strongly fancied on the basis of her second to Marchand D’or at Deauville in the Prix Maurice de Gheest last month. Utmost Respect and US Ranger were 4^th and 5^th respectively in that race. The ex Spanish Equiano won the King’s Stand at Ascot but that was on fast ground. Based on his running when 2^nd to Marchand D’or at Chantilly he has a bit to find with African Rose. If pushed for a selection African Rose would probably be my choice.

The 3.40 is a competitive handicap over 14 furlongs which will take some getting in the ground. Tim Easterby has Bollin Felix in this, a course and distance winner in heavy ground. Pippa Green is a 4 year old without too many miles on the clock and he has won on soft ground. Carrying top weight over a trip he has not tackled before just makes me a bit cautious about his chances though. The other one I like is Peter Bowen’s hurdler Souffleur whose mark of 82 may well underestimate his ability given the improved form he has shown since running over hurdles. He stays and does not have much weight. The booking of Jamie Spencer to ride also looks promising.

Tarkheena Prince and Trip the Light have both more than justified their places on my list to follow. Tarkheena Prince has won at 7/1 and 6/1 while Trip the Light has recorded 3 wins. Tarkheena Prince is more likely to be suited by the testing conditions tomorrow in the 5.15.

We should at least be sure of some racing at Kempton Park tomorrow. The London Mile handicap at 3.25 has attracted a competitive field, and I have come up with a short list of 3, Formation, The Fifth Member and Premio Loco. Formation undoubtedly has plenty of talent but does give the impression that he is a bit of a quirky character. He has been running mainly over 10 furlongs but drops back in distance tomorrow. He was 3^rd at Great Leighs on his most recent outing, and while I would certainly not rule him out, the other two are more reliable. The Fifth Member has had a most consistent season and has not been out of the first 4 on his last 6 runs. He was runner up to confirmed mud lover Zero Tolerance in heavy ground at Haydock last month and had earlier won twice on the all weather. He should again give a good account of himself but for my selection I am going with Premio Loco who was a winner over course and distance at the end of July in a race where the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th have all won since.

Rhuepunzel  is out of a mare called Fairy Story, hence the name presumably. She won 3 times last year but has been off the track for a while and has moved stables in the meantime. I think she will be worth keeping an eye on for the remainder of the season but she may need her run in the Kempton 4.30. It is also worth noting that her wins all came in small fields, which may or may not be significant.

There are two runners from my list to follow in action at Thirsk. Inspector Clouseau, who runs in the 3.30 has not lived up to the promise he showed last season. He is without a win in 4 attempts in 2008 and has something to prove now. He has run well at Thirsk before though, albeit on fast ground and he has dropped a couple of pounds in the weights since his last run. Paul Mulrennan rides him for the first time.

Moheeb is trained by Ruth Carr who took over the trainer’s license from her grandfather David Chapman earlier this year. Moheeb probably qualifies as the least successful horse on my list having failed to win in 14 starts in 2008! He has finished 2^nd or 3^rd 5 times though, and most recently was runner up to Handsome Falcon at Ayr, only beaten a neck. He likes soft ground and deserves to get his head in front.

Dan Chillingworth, who runs in the 9.20 at Wolverhampton is named after a footballer who used to play for Cambridge United – I am not sure who is current club is. Dan Chillingworth the horse has been knocking on the door, with form figures of 232 on his last 3 starts. He did well from a bad draw last time at Kempton and is another deserving of a change of fortune.

That is about it for now. Today’s paintings are by kind permission of the artist Ruth Buchanan (see links for other examples of this artists work)

 

 

Since the all weather track was installed at Kempton Park it has been quite a lucky course for me with Cadre the latest winning tip there yesterday. He confirmed the promise shown on his solitary start last season and outclassed the opposition. He had been off the track for some while so may have had some sort of physical problem but if he keeps sound he should be up to winning at a higher level. A handicap over a mile or 10 furlongs perhaps?

John Gosden trains Cadre and he could well have another success with an unraced 2 year old at Kempton tomorrow evening in the maiden at 6.50. Alwaary is up against rivals with the benefit of a previous run but looks interesting nonetheless. His dam is an unraced sister to a 1,000 Guineas winner. Of those with previous experience Zaloof is the form pick while Hesketh may be capable of better than he has shown up to now.

I used to know a chap called Albert who backed any horse with an Italian sounding name; something to do with a romantic liaison in Tuscany I believe. Anyway, if you are a follower of names (not recommended really) you could take an interest in the 7.20. The winner of the race last season was Dream Day and tomorrow, we have Dream Date, Dream of Mine and Stylish Dream in the line up. Bit of a nightmare picking the right one!

Stylish Dream was staying on in the closing stages on her debut at Newmarket and may well start favourite. She is a half sister to the classy Echoes in Eternity who won a couple of Group races for Godolphin back in 2004. Dream of Mine is a half sister to the grey Rosa Grace and is another having their second run. She didn’t show a lot at Yarmouth last month. Dream Date was 12^th of 15 at Windsor on her debut last month. She got a good write up from her trainer at the start of the season and may be open to improvement. Of the three “Dreams” Stylish Dream looks the one to be on based on their respective debut runs. I would be quite interested in Dream Date at a bigger price.

There are 3 runners from my list to follow in the last race on the Kempton card at 9.20. Ascot Lime has been improving with his races and won a handicap at Sandown last month. He stayed on well enough that day and should be OK over the extra furlong tomorrow. William Blake has form on the all weather having won at Southwell and Lingfield earlier in the year. He followed up these successes by completing his hat trick in a Beverley handicap. He has been a bit in and out since then and was tailed off when a beaten favourite on his latest appearance. I am not too sure what to make of him at present. Ajhar’s first 6 runs yielded one win and 5 seconds. The win came at the expense of Jalali who went on to hit the heights abroad. Ajhar made no show on his seasonal reappearance in the Group 3 John Porter Stakes at Newbury. That was back in April so maybe he has had some sort of a setback in the meantime. I wouldn’t rule him out here and he is likely to start at a fair price.

I made a note of a horse called Konka at the start of the season based on pedigree and trainer comments. In her 2 runs so far though she has only beaten 1 of her 28 rivals so I am not going to be pushing her claims in the Catterick 2.30!

Smarterthanuthink won a handicap at Hamilton in June and was then 2^nd in a four runner handicap at Ripon. Made favourite on his last start at Doncaster he finished last of the 8 runners. He hasn’t always looked a straightforward ride and might be best watched for the time being. He represents my list to follow in the 3.30.

Charles Parnell is another qualifier from my list at Catterick and runs in the 4.00. He has proved expensive to follow of late and has been tried unsuccessfully over 7 furlongs. Back to 6 furlongs tomorrow at Catterick where he is a course and distance winner he may just be a little high in the weights at present.

My best offering at Catterick is probably Mr Crystal in the 5.00. He was runner up to Let it Be at the Yorkshire track 9 days ago but now meets that rival on better terms. He is consistent and should go close.

Film Maker has done well for my list to follow with 2 wins so far. His last success was at Great Leighs where he won well and he should have a fair chance of following up under a penalty in the 3.50 at Lingfield tomorrow.

There are a couple of runners from my list in the 4.20, Navajo Joe and Sortita. Navajo Joe won a Lingfield maiden over a mile in June, justifying favouritism to beat Visions of Johanna. He then finished last of 11 runners in a valuable Ascot handicap. Sortita has only run 3 times and is yet to finish out of the first 3. She won her last start, a Doncaster maiden and she is my selection here.

Albarouche, a Sadler’s Wells filly and sister to Derby runner up Dragon Dancer runs in the 5.20. She won over tomorrow’s trip at Kempton earlier in the season and put up a creditable display when runner up at Sandown on her most recent appearance. She looks to have a decent chance tomorrow.

That is about it for today. Just one word on a 2 year old to follow when she runs next time. I was quite impressed with Suba (pictured above), a Godolphin filly when she was 3^rd behind more experienced rivals on her debut at Newbury. She is a half sister to the high class Dubawi.

My thanks to David Hebb for allowing me to use his photo of Catterick racecourse. The picture of Suba is by courtesy of British 2YO Racing.

Be lucky!

 

 

Hurlingham kept things ticking over for me with a win at Hamilton yesterday under a good ride from Paul Mulrennan. He has proved a profitable horse to follow with wins at 10/1 and 11/4.

Tomorrow racing is very much low key stuff but there are a couple runners from my list to follow so I will have a look at their prospects.

Cadre went into a few notebooks after his debut run in a Newmarket maiden last October and he makes a belated reappearance tomorrow in the 7.50 at Kempton. He has been off the track for some time and may have had some sort of problem but if he is fully recovered he could be an interesting prospect.

Houghton remains a maiden after 3 runs and this half brother to the classy Yellowstone has not lived up to expectations. He is dropped in class in the 2.20 at Lingfield tomorrow where he will wear a first time visor.

Moving on to Thursday, there are some old favourites in the sprint handicap at Warwick at 2.50. The Tatling (pictured below) and Corridor Creeper are both 11 year olds. The former has run a couple of decent races recently but he is probably best on fast ground. Tudor Prince represents my list to follow in this race. He has come down 10 lbs in the weights since the start of the season and he has won on soft ground.

In the 7.50 at Great Leighs, Florentia could be the one to be on. She has run with promise on both her starts and comes from a winning family.

French Riviera has been a short priced beaten favourite on 2 of his 4 starts to date and is clearly not one of his stable’s stars. He tries again to break his maiden tag in the 8.50 at Great Leighs.

Hawk Mountain has been raised 10 lbs by the assessor for his comfortable victory at Nottingham last month. He looks a progressive type though and may well be able to defy the rise in the weights in the Redcar 4.40.

Regal Flush represents my list to follow in the 5.20 at Salisbury. After finishing 4^th in the St Leger last season he has failed to sparkle this time round. He appeared not to stay over 2 miles in the Goodwood Cup and returns to 14 furlongs. He would need to improve on recent efforts if he is to take a hand in the finish.

My thanks to the artists Lisa Miller, for her painting of the Tatling, and Katy Sodeau for “Racing at Warwick”. See my links for more information about these artists.

 

 

My list to follow had been enduring something of a lean time so I was glad to see Fearless Warrior come in at 9/1 on Sunday. First time blinkers and a drop in the weights probably contributed to the horse’s improved form. This win at Folkestone was over 12 furlongs but he may be worth trying over further again as his sister Queen of Iceni won over a mile and six, and there are a number of staying types in the family.

The other race that caught my eye on Sunday was at Newton Abbot where Contact Dancer won the novice chase. He is a member of that reasonably exclusive club of horses that have won on the flat, over hurdles and fences. The biggest win of his career was in the 2004 Cesarewitch where he beat another member of that club Mr Ed. That gives me an excuse to include a photo of Mr Ed a tall, good looking “flashy” chestnut. This photo is courtesy of Tracy Roberts (Turfpix).

Following horses merely because of their name is unlikely to show much of a profit but in the case of Battle of Hastings I couldn’t resist! He got his name because he was number 1066 in the sales catalogue. After 3 fairly uninspiring efforts he won a Newmarket nursery over 7 furlongs, having been backed down from 11s in to 7/1. He has only gone up 3 lbs for that win and tomorrow in the 3.10 at Goodwood he runs over a mile. Now although he is by the sprinter Royal Applause there is stamina on the dam’s side and the way he picked up late on for Hayley Turner at Newmarket a mile should be within his compass. Obviously Goodwood is a vastly different track to Newmarket but he is on the small side and should handle it.  (Photo of Battle of Hastings is courtesy of British 2YO Racing)

Course form at Goodwood is always an important consideration and in the 3.45 the Eve Johnson Houghton trained Beaver Patrol is the only previous course winner in the field. A decent 6 furlong handicapper he excelled himself in Group 2 company on his last run when 3^rd in the 7 furlong Hungerford Stakes at Newbury. He has run well at this time of year but his chances may be dependent on the ground as his last 6 wins have all come on good to firm.

John Dunlop had a winner with Fearless Warrior yesterday and I am hoping that his Duncan can oblige in the 4.20. He has finished 2^nd on both his starts so far. He was beaten by a useful type in Island Vista last time and he can get off the mark here.

Tathkaar represents my list to follow in the 5.30. Since winning at Kempton early in the season she has been quite highly tried. It is difficult to gauge her chance but she may be a bit high in the weights.

Another horse from the list, Iron Cross, goes in the 3.55 at Southwell. I included him as part of the theory of following lightly raced Sir Mark Prescott 3 year olds, but like all good theories this one comes unstuck sometimes. Iron Cross has done precious little as a 3 year old and the only thing in his favour is that he is dropping down the weights. In the absence of the injured Seb Sanders Paul Hanagan gets a rare ride for this stable.

That is about it for today. The picture above is by kind permission of the artist Alison Wilson. If you would like to see more of her work, please follow the link below.

http://www.alisonwilson.co.uk/

Bye for now.