Month: August 2009

Tomorrow’s main meeting is the Shergar Cup which is not to everyone’s taste but at least the entire card is on terrestrial TV – Unfortunately BBC TV!

In the first race, the 1.10, Judge n’ Jury has quite a bit going for him. He comes into the race on the back of a win, he is a course and distance winner and is ridden by one of the “home” jockeys who will be familiar with the track. Buachaill Dona was tipped by his trainer for the Stewards Cup last week on the Morning Line but finished down th field. He didn’t’ have th best of the draw at Goodwood though and may pose the greatest threat to my selection.

It is probably worth taking on the favourite in some of these Shergar Cup races as the jockeys will usually be riding horses they have never sat on before and some surprise results may well follow. Mark Johnston has 3 runners in the 1.45 and the best of them could be Alanbrooke with Daryll Holland on board. He has actually ridden the horse before and with horse, trainer and jockey all in decent form seems worth considering. It is difficult to know what to make of Braveheart Move. He won impressively at Chester in May before putting in a miserable performance at Goodwood last week. He may just have needed that Goodwood run although in truth he went well enough fresh at Chester as it was his first run of the season. Chiberta King did my list to follow a favour earlier in the season with a win at 20/1. It may be that the handicapper has caught up with him now though. Mabuya has been most consistent all season. He tries 12 furlongs for the first time tomorrow and may well be OK for stamina as his dam won over that trip. The other one to consider is Holyrood who won a Yarmouth maiden earlier in the season and would come into the reckoning if we ignore his most recent start.

Both Alanbrooke’s wins have come over further but on the assumption that he will be ridden positively he just gets my vote.

Run for the Hills seems to find trouble in running in his races. He is relatively unexposed and with Neil Callan riding he will hopefully avoid too many traffic problems in the 4.05. He is my selection although I will be worried about Proclaim. Tropical Paradise might be worth a small each way saver.

Up at Haydock the two I like in the 2.40 are Staying On and Jukebox Jury. At the prices both could be backed to small stakes but if pushed for a single selection I would go for the latter as he seemed to be going the right way when 6^th in The Eclipse on his last start after missing the early part of the season.

My short list for the 3.15 consists of Nanton, Libel Law and Dancourt. Dancourt gets in here off a light weight and could well be pattern class anyway. Libel Law represents a stable with a tremendous record at the track while Nanton looks a big price at around 20/1. It’s Dancourt for me but it would not surprise me to see the other two run well.

At Lingfield Hillside Lad, a winner at Salisbury a couple of runs ago might be worth another chance in the 6.10 as things didn’t go his way at Bath last time while Ataash has each way claims for Mick Channon in the 7.40.

At Newmarket Scuffle represents my list to follow in the 2.25 but there do seem to be others in the race with better claims so I will give him a miss this time.

In the 3.00 Chachamaidee and Sent From Heaven are the pair that interest me most. Barry Hills has won this race in 4 of the last 8 runnings which just tips the scales in favour of Sent From Heaven.

I am going to pick 2 in the 3.35, Splendorinthegrass and Al Khaleej. Both are lightly raced types, Tom Dascombe has been in the news this week as a result of his new venture with Michael Owen. Dascombe does really well with his 2 year olds and there are some good reports about his runner in the 4.10, Ruler of my Heart.

Ebiayn has a nice symmetrical record as he has run 3 times and finished 3^rd in each of his races. He has been racing over a mile but steps up to 12 furlongs in the 4.40 tomorrow, a trip that should suit him.

Emirates Sports was a beaten favourite over 7 furlongs on his last start and a return to a mile at Redcar in the 2.35 tomorrow will be to his benefit. Motafarred will be a danger.

I keep supporting Cooks Endeavour but he is proving expensive to follow. I will stick with him tomorrow in the 3.10 at Redcar.

There are a couple of runners on Sunday at Redcar that I am interested in. The well bred Siyaadah who makes his debut for Godolphin in the 2.10 and Northside Prince in the 4.40. The latter was brought down in that pile up at Ayr on his last start when favourite and holding very chance at the time of his mishap.

Today’s pictures are by kind permission of the artist Karen Davies.

Good luck

 

There are just three of qualifiers from my list to follow tomorrow.

Dannios runs in the Brighton 4.30 while Goliath’s Boy is entered in the Haydock 8.00 and Native Ruler goes in 7.50 at Newmarket.

 

Brighton 3.30 – Fleeting Star is well handicapped and trainer has a good record at the track.

Brighton 4.00 – Halfway House likes fast ground and is on a hat trick.

Sandown 5.40 – Ruthie Babe could go well on her racecourse debut.

 

 

My only selection from last night’s preview that actually ran today was Saga de Tercey who won well at Catterick given a fine ride by Neil Callan.

Sir Mark Prescott has a couple of runners with chances tomorrow and I am mainly relying on that pair to supply me with winners.

Sir Mark has Rock Relief in the Kempton 9.05. He was a beaten favourite at Lingfield last month but he had been off the track for a while and might have needed the run. I see that he is entered up on Sunday and Monday which could be a positive sign as connections may be planning to run him again under a penalty should he win tomorrow. There are others to consider in this contest notably the consistent Bagber and Scene Two who is visored for the first time. Scene Two could well be a big danger but I will stick with Rock Relief as the selection.

Sir Mark’s other runner is Royal Diamond in the 8.20 at Yarmouth. He won at Sandown last week and this looks a weaker race.

There are 3 other runners from my list to follow in action tomorrow. Woodsley House has an each way chance in the 5.20 at Newcastle. Trumpstoo goes in the 3.10 at Pontefract. He has been struggling this season but is creeping down the weights and of course his trainer Richard Fahey is in tremendous form. Lastly Tiger Flash runs in the 7.50 at Yarmouth. He wears blinkers for the first time and looks to have a favourites chance having been dropped in class.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Ruth S Harris.

 

Back in May I tipped Moheeb when he won at Haydock at 13/2. I have monitored his progress since and thought about supporting him at Thirsk on Saturday but I just wasn’t sure that he could win off a mark of 78. He duly won at 6/1. Out again today I reasoned that he would not be able to defy a penalty – needless to say he won again, this time at 7/1. He has certainly done well for his trainer Ruth Carr and connections must be delighted with him.

At Catterick tomorrow the unexposed Saga de Tercey is worth a second look in the 3.20. A former bumper winner he is the sort of horse that his trainer does particularly well with. At Chepstow I fancy Forest Crown (2.40) and Burma Rock (5.10).

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

 

There are 4 runners from my list to follow running on Monday but the quartet have not contributed much to my bank balance thus far so are probably best approached with caution. For the record these are the 4;

Carlisle 5.45 Know By Now, 7.15 Kammaan, Ripon 4.15 Cherish the Moment, Windsor 8.00 Bourne;

Of the rest Simple Rhythm is dropped in class in the Ripon 2.45 and is ridden by a leading apprentice. There are encouraging reports about Pin Cushion who makes his racecourse debut in the Windsor 6.30 although he may need this first run. At the other end of the age scale old Digital has an each way squeak in the 7.00 at Windsor.

Today’s picture is by kind permission of the artist Vicky Young.

 

Selections for tomorrow, all at Newbury;

2.10 Hooligan Sean

3.20 Phillipina

5.00 Air Maze