The main flat action tomorrow comes from Newbury so I will begin tonight’s preview at the Berkshire track.
My selection for the 2.10 is Henry Cecil’s Cloudy Start who got off the mark at the 4th time of asking last season but had shown promise on his earlier runs.
Crimson Fern is one of the runners in the 2.40 with the benefit of a recent outing. A winner of 6 races last year she is one for the short list. Chief Editor is another I like. Trained by Michael Jarvis he impressed when winning at Haydock last September and could well be better than a handicapper. Despite having to carry top weight this one should go well. These would be my two against the field with the main danger possibly coming from Oldjoesaid who is back to a fair mark and his trainer had a winner in a sprint yesterday.
The 3.15 looks competitive. The press keep telling me that Henry Cecil is in great form but I haven’t noticed as whenever I tip one of his horses they seem to get turned over! He has Father Time in this, a full brother to Passage of Time. Father Time won his maiden at Great Leighs and the runner up has already won this season. Four Winds won a maiden at Sandown as a juvenile and also finished 3rd behind both Delegator and Kite Wood. He holds a Derby entry. Palavicini was 2nd in that race won by Delegator and he went on to score in a decent Newbury maiden. The other one that I like in this is the once raced Your Old Pal who won his Newbury maiden by 6 lengths. That win was gained on very soft ground however. All these 4 look very promising and it should be an informative race. I would marginally favour Four Winds if pushed for a selection.
Moving on to the 4.25 the favourite is likely to be another Henry Cecil runner Hyades. This half brother to Light Shift showed a pleasing attitude when runner up on his only start at two which was over the Rowley Mile. Roger Charlton’s Clowance House had a couple of runs as a 2 year old finishing third to Your Old Pal in the second of them. He ran well that day on unsuitable ground and is one to keep an eye on this season. Saptapadi is related to some top class types such as Islington. He dead heated for second in a Wolverhampton maiden at the end of November and looks capable of improvement. This time I am going to go with Henry Cecil and Hyades.
My short list for the 4.55 consists of Hukba , Phillipina and Piquante. Again if I had to pick one I would go with Phillipina although Sir Michael Stoute’s runners have tended to need their initial outing.
Over the jumps at Ayr Raysrock represents my list to follow in the 2.50. His only win this season came in a race where he was the only finisher and although he is not without a chance here I could not support him with confidence.
Turning to the 4.00 Daldini has done these pages a couple of favours this season and after being pulled up at Aintree he has come down to a mark where he might be able to get competitive. Mister McGoldrick is almost certainly not the force of old but he has put in some decent efforts this season and there may have been excuses for some of his failures. At around 10/1 he gets my each way vote.
There is an evening meeting at Cheltenham where Bensalem looks to have an outstanding chance in the 5.35. He had to miss Cheltenham but his second to Diamond Harry reads well and he will take the beating.
Chapoturgeon will be odds on to win the 6.10 but he has fallen twice in his last 4 starts and I will oppose him with Gauvain who had a confidence boosting win at Plumpton recently and both his trainer and jockey are in great form.
Blazing Bailey has a good record at Cheltenham and may well return to form in the 6.45 but his recent efforts have not been encouraging. I suppose the same must be said of both Franchoek and Tazbar in what looks a trappy contest. I fully expected Tazbar to have a successful campaign but he really hasn’t shown much at all. I will stick with him one last time though.
In the last race on the card at 7.50 I will select Simply Blue who is the mount of AP McCoy which could be significant. Rockiteer also has possibilities.
Striking Article represents my list to follow in the 5.55 at Sedgefield which has the look of a two horse race. Role On is his chief rival in a race that does not look much of a betting proposition.
Today’s picture is of Redwood who gave Barry Hills his 300th Newmarket winner yesterday. The picture is by kind permission of British 2YO Racing.
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