I was heading for a blank day yesterday when Dvinski came to my rescue in the last race at Kempton, a track that has certainly been lucky for me of late. Dvinski is becoming quite a specialist there.
There is a mixture of all weather and national hunt racing tomorrow. I will start at Lingfield and the 6 runner conditions stakes at 4.00. I have been following the fortunes of the Jamie Osborne trained Blown It this season. He has been highly tried on a couple of his starts and is clearly well thought of by his connections. His only win came at Wolverhampton but he was out classed on his 2 ventures into Group company. I wouldn’t rule him out in this but the one to beat looks to be Calligrapher who beat Film Set at Pontefract with the front pair 7 lengths clear of the remainder. Film Set has since won at Newbury so the form looks OK.
Astrodome won twice at Hamilton in August but failed to make it 3 in a row when 5th of 7 at Wolverhampton. He runs in the 4.30 where the step up to 2 miles should suit him as he is a half brother to the useful stayer Alambic out of a middle distance winning half sister to Last Second. Incidentally, one of the oldest flat horses in training, Flame Creek, lines up in this race. He was once thought of as a very promising hurdler and won the Haydock Champion Hurdle Trial back in 2003. He is a 12 year old now and has 12 wins to his credit, on the flat, over both hurdles and fences and even once in a bumper.
Smarterthanuthink was a winner for my list to follow back in June at Hamilton but has been unable to score again in 3 subsequent runs and has not always looked a straightforward ride. He goes in the 5.00 at Lingfield tomorrow but there is no obvious reason to support him.
The jumping tomorrow comes from Uttoxeter and Wetherby. One of the more interesting runners is Diamond Harry in the Uttoxeter 3.05. This 5 year old has won the last two runnings of the Spring Sales bumper at Newbury, something of an unusual double, and now makes his hurdles debut. He must have a very good chance of making a winning start. The main danger is probably Keki Buku trained by Philip Hobbs.
My best bet at Wetherby is Marleybow trained by Howard Johnson who has his team in good form. A good looker, Marleybow has always given the impression that fences will be his game and he makes his debut over the larger obstacles in the 4.50 at Wetherby.
That is all for today. Diamond Harry and Marleybow will hopefully go close.
Today’s pictures are courtesy of Katy Sodeau (see links)
ahorse 