Month: July 2009

Not a vintage day at Goodwood this afternoon although Raines Cross 3^rd beaten two necks at 20/1 was a decent shout.

Anyway, tomorrow is another day and once again I will start at Goodwood. In the opener at 1.55 Lady Luachmahar is on a hat trick, comes from a stable in form and has a good draw so she gets the nod in front of Jedi who has solid handicap form based on his last start at Chester but is not done any favours by the draw.

In the 2.30 I am going to take a chance with Zacinto even though he is having his first run of the season. The 15/8 being quoted about him does look a bit skinny though and if you want something at a bigger price Four Winds has some high class form and looks over priced at 8/1.

There are plenty in with chances in the Nassau Stakes at 3.05. Midday, Spacious, Katiyra and Rainbow View all make some appeal. The trip of 10 furlongs looks to be spot on for Rainbow View and I would just give her the edge.

I don’t have a particularly strong view of the Stewards Cup but the Dandy Nicholls pair of Sonny Red and Buachaill Dona command respect

On to Doncaster next and the 3.15 where my each way selection is Adorn. Although she has not been firing so far this season I am hopeful that she will be able to return to the sort of form that saw her placed in a Group 1 last year.

Alcalde and Mr Freddy are the two I like in the 4.25. Both come from stables bang in form and at this distance I can’t really split the pair. The market should be a good indication of their respective chances, especially as Alcalde has been of the track for quite a while.

One of the more disappointing horses on my list to follow has been Falcativ who won a small race at Yarmouth but has not really progressed from there. He is dropped back from 12 to 10 furlongs tomorrow and it is not impossible that he will bounce back. At the 3/1 quoted though I think he is plenty short enough.

There are some interesting newcomers in the 3.55 and three that catch my eye are Quality Mover, Goolagong and Queen of Wands. Goolagong holds a Group 1 entry and comes from a stable that can get one ready first time out so I will take a chance with her.

Cadre represents my list to follow in the 4.30 but has a fair bit to find on the form book with some of his rivals. My other selections at Newmarket are Mubrook (5.05) and Jachol (5.40).

There is also racing at Thirsk where my only selection is Autocracy in the 1.45.

Today’s pictures are courtesy of the artist Margaret Barrett.

Be lucky

 

The opener at Goodwood tomorrow at 2.10 looks an open race. Warringah was only caught close home at York last time over 14 furlongs so he will have no stamina problems over a mile and a half tomorrow. With both trainer and jockey in top form he looks a reasonable bet.

Moving on to the 3.25 Cloudy Start has obvious claims. He has only been out of the first 3 in two of his 9 career starts and should handle the ground as long as it is not too soft. Course and distance winner Dubai’s Touch from the in form Mark Johnston yard is the other one I like.

In the 4.00 I will take a chance on the northern challenger Ghostwing each way at a really big price. He was flying at the finish in a decent Group 2 at Newmarket and looks to be going the right way.

Raines Cross was 3^rd behind Monsieur Chevalier on his second outing and although disappointing since he may benefit from the step up to 7 furlongs in the 4.35 and at 40/1 has an each way chance. Another outsider to consider is Imperial Warrior making his handicap debut . He is a half brother to Wyatt Earp.

There is also an afternoon card at Thirsk where Woodsley House runs in the 2.40. He did us a favour earlier in the season winning at 20/1 so as a horse to follow he has already done his job. He has an each way chance tomorrow at around 12/1.

Alicante goes for the hat trick in the 3.50 and will be hard to stop. Cape Vale broke a losing sequence when winning at Ffos Las recently and with that confidence booster behind him goes into the 4.25 with a good chance. He actually won over course and distance on his first run as a two year old.

There are two runners from my list to follow in the 7.50 at Haydock, Cook’s Endeavour and Ben’s Dream. Both come into the race with chances but my preference is for Cook’s Endeavour who looked to be coming back to form when 3^rd on Leicester on his latest outing.

Kona Coast appeared in my article of unraced 2 year olds to follow and makes his debut tomorrow in the 5.55 at Newmarket. I am going to stick with him but I am a bit concerned that he wears blinkers for his racecourse bow!

Poet’s Voice, a son of Dubawi should have learned plenty from his debut run and is my selection in the 7.00. Lastly, I am going to stick with Raaeidd in the 8.35 although he is starting to look exposed and has been a little disappointing.

Today’s pictures are courtesy of the artists Ruth Buchanan (top, Thirsk parade ring) and Katy Sodeau.

I was interested to see that Mark Johnston’s Drumfire took the opener at Goodwood yesterday. The horse featured in book on 2 year olds that Paul Lincoln used to publish. Sadly the last of these annual publications on 2 year olds to follow was in 2006 as lack of support led Paul to discontinue the books.

I was a great fan of these annuals that pointed to the way to numerous winners both in the horse’s 2 year old campaigns and in later years. For example the 2006 book featured Just Dust a winner of 5 races that season including at odds of 10s and 25s. Others to feature that year were Conquest (winner of the Gimcrack and Stewards Cup), English Ballet (Sweet Solera Stakes), Hoh Mike (Group 3 winner), Indian Ink (2 Group 1s), Malt or Mash (November Handicap), Miss Otis (20/1 winner on debut) and the high class sprinter Sakhee’s Secret to name just a few. Amazingly the sales of this gem of a book were disappointing and it no longer appears on the book shelves.

Anyway, rant over. I enjoyed a fairly successful day at Goodwood yesterday but this afternoon things did not go so well with only Beyond Desire saving me from a complete whitewash.

The fun starts at Goodwood tomorrow at 2.10 with a 3 year old handicap that looks difficult to solve. It does have a very good record for winning favourites with 5 out of the last 10 years. In fact the biggest priced winner was 9/1 during that period. Following that trend I would suggest that we concentrate on Mirrored, Roman Republic and Hyades. All 3 ran in the Britannia with Mirrored coming out best in 3^rd place. He has since finished 3^rd at Sandown with Roman Republic again behind him. Roman Republic has since run at Newmarket where he was runner up to Firebet, yesterday’s winner. Hyades was a winner at Yarmouth earlier in the season on fast ground. If pushed to narrow it down to a single selction I would go for Mirrored although with the stable in good form Roman Republic might be worth an interest as well.

I looked at 3 for the 2.45. Siren’s Gift has a poor strike rate but is over priced at 50/1. Inxile is useful over the minimum trip but the percentage call is probably our old favourite Borderlescott who rarely runs a bad race.

With Marcus Tregoning back in form I will take a chance with his Askar Tau in the Goodwood Cup at 3.25.

Dark Mischief represents my list to follow in the 4.35 but he does seem to have lost his way a bit since winning at Newmarket back in April and it may be that the handicapper has got his measure for the moment. The 5.45 looks about as tricky as it gets and with the help of my trusty pin I have selected Northern Bolt and Invincible Lad.

At Epsom I will take a chance with the outsider of 4, Kattar, in the 8.05.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Ruth Buchanan.

It will be an abbreviated preview tonight as I am off to the Moss Rose to see The Silkmen take on Huddersfield Town.

The big race at Goodwood is the Sussex Stakes at 3.25. Rip Van Winkle and Paco Boy are my two main fancies for this with the suspicion that Paco Boy will be better suited by the unusual track than his Irish trained rival.

I also narrowed the 4.00 down to a shortlist of two, Chiberta King and Braveheart Move. The latter comes from a stable in form and looks to have been laid out for this. He is the selection.

In the 4.35 Beyond Desire is rumoured to be a smart newcomer while I like Club Tahiti in the 5.10 after his eye-catching effort at Newbury last time out.

In the 7.10 at Leicester I like the chances of the Luca Cumani trained Nbhan who was second at Sandown on his last start. The trainer excels with this type of horse. Speed Dating won up at Carlisle on Sunday and is turned out quickly under a penalty in the 8.45.

Nothing really takes my eye at either Redcar or Sandown so I will leave it there for tonight.

Tonight’s picture, of the 2004 Susses Stakes winner Soviet Song, is courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller.

 

Glorious Goodwood starts tomorrow set on the beautiful Sussex Downs. The first race is at 2.10 and there are plenty in with chances. For my tip I am going for Royal Destination who I hope is still open to improvement after winning his last 2 races.

Although other horses have better form in the book than Harbinger the Sir Michael Stoute colt won with such authority a Chester on only his second outing that he may well have improved enough to land the 2.45.

Finjaan, Main Aim and Dream Eater represent my list to follow in the Lennox Stakes at 3.25. Finjaan had Rip Van Winkle and Delegator behind him in the Dewhurst last season but has since run behind those horses in the 2,000 Guineas. Tomorrow’s 7 furlongs is probably his best trip and the stable had a winner yesterday after having been beset with a virus. It is hard to get away from the chances of Main Aim though after his 2^nd in the July Cup and he looks the most likely winner.

Selections later on are Monsieur Chevalier (4.00) and One Good Emperor (5.45).

My suggestions at Beverley are Daneshillsundance (4.20) and Union Island (4.55).

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Sarah Aspinall.

Good luck

 

4 winners and a couple of 2nds from the eight horses featured last night so not a bad days work.

Charles Parnell has from figures that read 2112 when running at Southwell so should give a good account in the 3.15 there tomorrow.  Swinbrook is likely to give the selection most to do.

Block Party was only beaten a nose on his last run with the rest of the field in a different parish and he may be able to go one better in the Windsor 8.15.

Today’s picture is by courtesy of the artist Katy Sodeau.

 

 

Runners from my list to follow entered tomorrow;

Ascot 2.50 Cactus Curtsey; 3.25 Fleeting Star; 4.00 Shamali; 4.35 Hevelius; 5.10 Judge ‘n Jury.

Carlisle 3.35 Saga de Tercey; 4.45 Visite Royale; 5.20 Speed Dating.

The main meeting tomorrow is at Ascot where the big race is the Group 1 “King George” at 4.25. Sir Michael Stoute looks to hold the key to this race with Conduit and Taratn Bearer the two main fancies. In these cases the percentage call is usually to go with the choice of the stable jockey, he knows the horses far better than I do! Ryan Moore has gone for Conduit which is good enough for me. Alwaary, an unlucky 2^nd at Newmarket might be worth a small each way saver at a big price.

The 3.15 may also go to a Sir Michael trained runner. Desert Creek looked a progressive sort prior to a poor run in the Britannia last time out and is worth another chance. Espiritu, 4^th in the Britannia and with Johnny Murtagh booked to ride looks another worth considering.

Captain Brilliance, runner up in the Bunbury Cup looks sure to go well in the 3.50. Others I considered for this were Redford and Nanton. The latter may find the trip on the short side while Redford, although he clearly has ability is proving difficult to win with.

At Newmarket there are a couple of runners from my list to follow in the 2.50. There is not much to choose between Invisible Man and Sovereign Remedy. My slight preference is for the former.

Another lister contests the 4.35. I have pretty well given up on Moresco after a couple of tame efforts. He has been off the track for 3 months which does seem to suggest that there was a problem with him of some sort. He may come back rejuvenated and ready to run the race of his life but a fair degree of hope is involved in that theory.

York next where I fancy Aromatic to bounce back to form after having had a bit of a break to freshen him up while in the 3.10 both Curtain Call and Monitor Closely are worth considering. Monitor Closely has been performing consistently and looks worth an each way interest at around 13/2.

Hawk Mountain is the selection in the 4.50 where Red Fama could go well if you are looking for a sporting outsider.

Gun for Sale is aptly named as his sire was Quiet American. Both are names of Graham Greene novels. Gun for Sale is well drawn and although his form is a bit in and out he is worth an each way interest.

I was sorry to hear the news that the sprinter Utmost Respect had died earlier in the week after a problem had arisen following routine surgery on his foot. A winner at Group 2 and 3 level as well as a former winner of the Ayr Silver Cup, he will be sadly missed.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Jane Dunn.

 

I enjoyed a much more successful time of it today with 3 winners fom last night’s preview. Dancourt and King of Wands won their races at Sandown with some ease giving Ryan Moore a quick fire double. Halfway House was the other winner coming in at 4/1 at Folkestone.

There are just 3 runners from my list to follow entered tomorrow but all 3 have live chances. Two of them clash in the 4.25 at Ascot. Course and distance winner Alanbrooke is the obvious choice and I see that the majority of the newspaper tipsters have gone for him. He has certainly come on plenty now that he is tackling staying trips and the application of blinkers has also helped. Darley Sun is likely to prove the main danger. He won at Haydock a couple of starts ago before chasing home King of Wands who was a comfortable winner this afternoon.

The 6.10 at Newmarket doesn’t look the strongest of contests and John Gosden’s Bruton Street looks to have a fair opportunity of gaining his first win.

The 12 year old sprinter Digital has raced 143 times and won prize money of over £150,000 so has been a great servant to connections. He is owned by former trainer Bill Wightman and trained by the ever popular Mick Channon, ironically Wightman trained Mick’s first winner as an owner way back in 1972. Old Digital turns out again tomorrow in the 8.55 at Chepstow and it would be nice to see him notch another success.

On the subject of veteran sprinters, I see that The Tatling, now a 12 year old, won today at Bath. This grand old campaigner has now won 15 times in his career. That is about it for tonight.

My thanks to the artist Lisa Miller for the picture of The Tatling.

Not one of my better days today with all 4 selections going down.

There are 7 runners from my list to follow in action tomorrow and I will take a brief look at their chances.

At Bath in the 4.40 we have Hillside Lad who won at Salisbury last time out. He may have been a little flattered by the result that day but is not without a chance of following up.

At Doncaster in the 8.25 the lightly raced Scene Two was disappointing on his last start but may well be capable of better.

Spirit of Dubai (Epsom 7.40) was 4^th in the Lingfield Oaks Trial but has not been able to reproduce that form since. If back to her best she would not be far away.

Halfway House won on firm ground at Brighton and looks to follow up at Folkestone in the 8.05. 6 Lbs higher now which will make life more difficult but has a good attitude and is not without a chance.

The well bred Dancourt has a good chance at Sandown in the 4.30 while King of Wands is preferred to Clowance House in the 5.00.