April 15, 2009

Here is the list of horses I will be following over the 2009 flat season. As usual the list is large as I feel it helps to have a ‘core’ of horses to keep an eye on. I will be monitoring the fortunes of this “stable” over the coming months and hopefully giving a few pointers as to their chances in my daily diary.

WHY SUCH A LARGE LIST?

The list is really intended to cover the full season. I find it pays to start off with a central ‘core’ of horses to watch out for, rather than having to try and remember how a horse has performed.

Most of the horses are from the more successful larger stables. This seems to make sense as they have the majority of the winners! I have also included a smattering of horses from some of the smaller stables. I will be adding to the list from time to time during the season.

The list is set out in alphabetical order of trainer.

Alston

Invincible Lad

Balding

Ben’s Dream

Chiburta King

Dream Eater

Lochstar

Siren’s Gift

Tasman Gold

Barons

Dark Lane

Hitchens

Bastiman

Borderlescott

Beckett

Anice Stellato

Bennelong

Blue Nymph

Crackentorp

Hillside Lad

Penang Princess

Bell

Bin End

Four Winds

Halfway House

Orbitor

Piquante

Redford

Sariska

The Carlton Cannes

Berry

Look Busy

Best

Great Bounder

Mount Benger

Three Thieves

Brotherton

War of the Roses

Bycroft

Red Fama

Candy

Amour Propre

Corrybrough

Dark Mischief

Cecil

Apple Charlotte

Cloudy Start

Father Time

Honest Quality

Hyades

Khandahar Run

Midday

Native Ruler

On Our Way

Samara Valley

Twice Over

Walking Talking

Channon

Pearl of Manacor

Chapple-Hyam

Mishrif

Monitor Closely

Charlton

All About You

Block Party

Brunston

Cityscape

Classically

Clowance House

Prime Exhibit

Scuffle

Zero Money

Cox

Electrolyser

Cumani

Barter

Bourne

Bullet Man

Burma Rock

Cascata

Curtain Call

Cygnet

Dannios

Falkativ

Fantasia

Forte Dei Marmi

Free Falling

Kazbow

Leverage

Monaco

Mubrook

Nbhan

Riggins

Scene Two

Splashdown

Venture Capitalist

Wing Express

Dods

Charles Parnell

Hey Up Lad

E Dunlop

Hukba

Stone of Scone

H Dunlop

Bagber

J Dunlop

In Secret

King of Wands

Palavicini

M Easterby

Elliwan

Elsworth

Ouster

Play to Win

Fahey

Atlantic Beach

Brandane

Goliath’s Boy

High Office

More Than Many

Mr Freddy

Pedregal

Resounding Glory

Sioux Rising

Trumpstoo

Utmost Respect

Fanshawe

Cactus Curtsey

Spacious

Foster

Lucky Dance

Woodsley House

Gask

Street Power

Given

Tricky Situation

Godolphin

Bab Al Salam

Balqees

Chock a Block

Emirates Champion

Emirates Sports

Hajoum

In Footlights

Kite Wood

Mahyoub

Mawazim

My Vision

Naseehah

Panther Lily

Peligroso

Silk Trail

Sovereign Remedy

Tynedale

Goldie

Nanton

Gosden

Alwaary

Aromatic

Brave Echo

Cadre

Charm School

Expresso Star

Favours Brave

Invisible Man

Ithbaat

Lively Fling

London Bridge

Mooakada

Nehaam

Pipedreamer

Queen Eleanor

Rainbow View

Run for the Hills

Twisted

Virtual

Haggas

Aqlaam

Cape Quarter

Choral Service

Jachol

Musaalem

Mutamaashi

Prohibition

Shamali

Tiger Flash

Triple Aspect

Hannon

Elnawin

Formula

Minor Vamp

Paco Boy

Harris

Judge ‘N Jury

Henderson

Ainama

French Opera

Optimus Maximus

Tasheba

Hills

Cherish the Moment

Daraahem

La de Two

Park Lane

Redwood

Jarvis

All Guns Firing

Chief Editor

Ebiayn

Hidden Brief

Kammaan

Kings Destiny

Libel Law

Opinion Poll

Otaared

Putra One

Rawaaj

Secrecy

Shemoli

Jefferson

Cape Tribulation

Johnston

Alanbrooke

Alcalde

Jukebox Jury

St Moritz

Petrovsky

Roman Republic

Takaatuf

Knight

King of Dixie

Lanagan

Say no Now

Lungo

Against the Grain

Magnusson

Spring of Fame

Makin

Cool Hand Jake

Gun For Sale

Fabreze

Mabuya

Tubby Isaacs

Meehan

Cat Junior

Crowded House

Delegator

Nasri

Moore

Love and Glory

Morrison

Mountain Forest

Palace Moon

Stimulation

Wave Aside

Nicholls

Cape Vale

Inxile

Northern Bolt

Noseda

Adorn

Espiritu

Fleeting Star

Laddies Poker Two

Maverin

Muzo

Plymouth Rock

Sans Frontieres

Secret Life

Stoic

Syrinx

War Native

Your Old Pal

Zip Lock

O’Neill

Times Vital

Prescott

Aestival

Alicante

Braveheart Move

Casual Garcia

Fortuni

Rock Relief

Royal Diamond

Speed Dating

Quinn

Dig Deep

Fantasy Explorer

Hawk Mountain

Surprise Pension

Ryan

Cook’s Endeavour

Red Kestrel

Union Island

Saunders

Crimson Fern

Semple

Prince Rhyddarch

Simcock

Dance the Star

Darley Sun

Kattar

Spirit of Dubai

Smart

Captain Gerrard

Wells Lyrical

Stoute

Catigo

Conduit

Dancourt

Desert Creek

Dream Win

Evasive

Enticement

Glass Harmonium

Harbinger

Holyrood

Imposing

Jedi

July Jasmine

King’s Song

Leocorno

Main Aim

Mirrored

Patkai

Phillipina

Purissima

Rawaaj

Resort

Saptapadi

Visite Royale

Tajaaweed

Tartan Bearer

The Fonz

Thespis of Icaria

Warringah

You Say I Say

Zacinto

Swinbank

Full Speed

Northside Prince

Prince Kalamoun

Sir Royal

Swinburn

Antinori

Carniolan

Hevelius

Moresco

Mrs Beeton

Saga de Tercey

Tate

Distant Memories

Know by Now

Thornton

Petella

Tregoning

Askar Tau

Finjaan

Khan Tengri

Mawatheeq

Sumbe

Vaughan

Fulham Broadway

Wall

Sunspear

For my preview of Thursday’s action I will start with the jumpers. Although we are in the last few days of the national hunt season there are still some decent prizes to be won and Cheltenham have a card with plenty of quality.

Gold Award, trained by Nicky Henderson, was a dual bumper winner last season and came 9^th behind Cousin Vinny at Cheltenham. He won on his hurdling debut but was then beaten into second at Warwick last time. At around 12/1 I think he is worth a small each way interest in the 2.10.

Nicky Henderson’s runner in the 3.20 is Hora. This mare won over 2 miles on the flat and has plenty of stamina as shown when she won over an extended 3 miles over hurdles at Aintree. She has always been consistent and will certainly have no problem seeing out this shorter trip. Alan King’s Over Sixty looks quite well treated on her 4^th behind the runaway winner Quevega at Cheltenham in the mare’s race at the Festival. How’s Business won at Exeter off a mark of 113 on New Year’s Day and is on a mark of 127 now. She did run well in that race won by Quevega though. The grey Argento Luna has not finished out of the first 2 this season. She is not an easy ride but possesses a turn of foot and something like Hora could set this up for her. One of the keys to this horse may be the ground as she has a particularly good record on decent ground and has won on good to firm. For my selection I will side with Argento Luna.

In races such as the 3.55 I like to try and find a bit of an outsider and there are 4 runners that I have looked at. Heathcliff won 3 times earlier in the season but unseated when beaten in the Pertemps Final at the Festival. He is a chaser in the making but I wouldn’t rule him out here. Ringaroses was 11^th in that Cheltenham race and has in truth been disappointing. He acts on good ground though and has been given a chance by the handicapper. In addition Tom Scudamore rides and he was second on her on the only other occasion he has ridden the horse.

The Old Pretender has finished 2^nd on all 3 starts this season. He doesn’t look badly off at the weights and Tony McCoy rides for the first time. The other one I like is Sarde. Kim Bailey had a winner the other day with Max Bygraves and he saddles Sarde in this. At around 20/1 I will go with Ringaroses each way.

The Newmarket card opens with the Wood Ditton Stakes at 1.50 which is always a bit of a lottery as it is for horses that have not run before. There are good reports about Harbinger and he would be my token selection.

In the 3.00 I see that Redford has been dropped back to 6 furlongs. I wouldn’t rule him out in a strongly run race but I see that his usual jockey, Jamie Spencer rides Zidane. In the Craven Stakes at 3.35 my short list consists of Delegator, Sans Frontieres and Glass Harmonium. Delegator warrants plenty of respect but at evens he looks too short a price. Glass Harmonium represents a viable alternative at a better price while, if 8 runners go to post I like the look of Sans Frontieres of Jeremy Noseda’s with the eyecatching jockey booking of J Murtagh.

Twice Over and Virtual both come from stables that are bang in form and they look the pair most likely in the 4.10. For the last two races on the card I am going to follow Sir Michael Stoute with Resort (4.45) and Imposing (5.20).

Up at Ripon the most interesting race of the day looks to be the 3.45 where there are a number of potentially smart 3 year olds in opposition. Mutamaashi only had to be pushed out to score on his debut at Lingfield in February. He gets in here on a mark of 85 which could just be on the lenient side. Roman Republic was a disappointing beaten favourite on his racecourse debut last season but made amends next time up winning at Doncaster. Trumpstoo represents Richard Fahey and the trainer speaks very highly of this strapping colt. Finally Cook’s Endeavour has some useful looking 2 year old form and is another for the shortlist. Mutamaashi gets the nod for me with Roman Republic next best.

Cascata holds an Oaks entry and looks the one to be on in the Wolverhampton 7.15.

Today’s pictures are by courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller.

Day: April 15, 2009

Horses to follow 2009 flat season

Diary: April 16 2009