Month: July 2010

Having spent the last week away in Italy I will take a look back at the highlights of the racing over the last week.

The long awaited clash between Harbinger and Workforce was turned into a rout by the older horse who won by a street. There is no obvious reason to doubt the strength of the from as the Derby winners Workforce and Cape Blanco finished close together as they had at York and the presence of Youmzain, placed several times in the Arc gives further credence to the form. If you followed my selections last Saturday you would have done Ok with wins from San Cassiano (15/2) and Hawkeyethenoo at 7/1. Ruth Carr is fast establishing a reputation for working wonders with horses that have failed to produce their form at other yards. Her horses often go off at inflated prices and San Cassiano has certainly been good for yours truly this season. Hawkeyethenoo as his trainer put it has “a substantial turn of foot” and he showed just that under a confident Kieren Fallonm ride at York to record his third win of the campaign. Jim Goldie’s charge had banged his head in the stalls in the Scottish Stewards Cup eight days earlier, but he was back to his best at the Knavesmire

Rebel Soldier took the step up in class in the Group 3 Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood in his stride under Ryan Moore. He quickened up inside the final 2 furlongs and held the late challenge of the fast finishing Dandino.

Richard Hannon and Richard Hughes dominated the week at Goodwood with Canford Cliffs producing another devastating performance in the Sussex Stakes to defeat his elders.

Tuscan Gold was a winner waiting to happen after a couple of seconds and he duly justified favouritism at Sandown and may well go in again.

A couple of old favourites of mine returned to winning ways. The splendid old Borderlescott won at Goodwood to land the 13^th success of his career with again K Fallon in the saddle. The underrated Tropical Paradise was another Goodwood winner. He has a tremendous strike rate with this beiung his 5^th win in 13 starts and he always seems to come in at big odds, 16/1 on this occasion.

Midday won the Nassau Stakes for the second successive year for Henry Cecil despite giving her supporters a few anxious moments as she seemed to lose concentration in the closing stages.

Spoken is a horse I have been following this season and he won at Nottingham but my biggest success of the week was Evens and Odds who I tipped for the Stewards Cup and he landed the annual cavalry charge at 20/1 running down Jonny Mudball close home.

There is racing at Chester and Newbury tomorrow. At the Roodeye Our Jonathon, a winner of 4 of his 7 starts is interesting in the 3.30. One that could go well at a big price is Star Rover who has been showing signs of a return to form in recent runs.

In the 5.10 the Richard Fahey pair of Cosmic Sun and Layla’s Dancver are the two I would concentrate on. My only selection at Newbury is Pipette in the listed race at 4.30. She is a three year old in a race that has tended to favour that age group in the past.

At Deauville Goldikova should add to her Group 1 tally at the main expense of Mick Channon’s Music Show.

My thanks to the artist Sarah Aspinall for today’s picture of “The start at Goodwood.”

 

I expect Derby winner Workforce to prove too good for Harbinger in the King George at Ascot tomorrow, although the form of the stable is a slight concern.

The key to the 3.15 may lie with a race run over a furlong shorter at the same track earlier this month. The race was won by Side Glance with Haatheq in 3^rd and they are handicapped to finish close again. These would be my main fancies for the race.

In the Heritage Handicap at 3.50 Suruor has a lot going for him and should be in the shake up. The lightly raced Poet’s Place, second behind Jonny Mudball on his last start is the other one I like in this.

Walvis Bay had something of a troubled passage at Haydock a week ago and comes into the 3.30 at Newcastle with an each way chance.

Primaeval looks a progressive sort and can with the 4.15 while Roker Park does well at this time of the year and has slipped down the weights enough to make him interesting in the 4.40.

San Cassiano showed much improved form to win for his new trainer Ruth Carr at Ripon and can follow up in the Newmarket 2.45.

At Salisbury there have been good reports about Codemaster who runs in the 7.05.

Monitor Closely has been off the course for a while but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him make a winning return in the 3.05 at York. The 3.40 is a tight handicap and a case could be made for Hawkeyethenoo, Hitchens, Tiddliwinks, Baldemar and Star Rover. Hawkeyethenoo has been running well and he gets the nod.

Hawk Mountain is well enough handicapped if he can recapture his best form in the 4.45. My other selection at York is Antoniola each way in the 5.20.

Selections for Sunday; Ascot3.25 Dungannon; 4.35 High Office. Carlisle 3.35 Oneofapear. Pontefarct 3.50 Zacinto.

Long range prediction – how about Evens and Odds for the Stewards Cup?

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

Not quite such a good day today but at the time of writing we have had a few successes.

Looking forward to tomorrow Alsace Lorraine looks a good bet in the Ascot 3.20 from a stable bang in form. Field Day is unexposed and could give the favourite most to do.

Hanoverian Baron started the season in great form and although beaten last time out there may have been excuses for him on that occasion. He is worth another chance in the 4.30 where Kieren Fallon rides him for the first time.

In the nursery at Newmarket (6.40) I fancy last time out winner Byrony to give us a run for our money while in the 7.10 Excelebration looks the one to beat. He won well at Doncaster on his latest start and the form of that race is working out well.

James Fanshawe has his horses in very good form and his Deacon Blues can return to winning ways in the 7.40

My selections at York are in the 6.00 Kenyan Cat and Nouriya in the 7.30.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller.

Well the last two days have both been profitable ones with a couple of winners from the Sir Mark Prescott stable coming in at surprisingly generous odds.

Some racehorses are more appropriately named than others and one of the current crop I particularly like is Sandy Shaw, who is by Footstepsinthesand out of Susi Wong. You may need to have been around in the 60s to make the necessary connections! Anyway Sandy Shaw is yet to win a race after 7 attempts but her last effort, when runner up at Chester was encouraging and she may be able to break her duck at Bath in the 4.40.

Wooden King has put in a couple of decent runs recently and his trainer does well at Bath. He might be worth an each way interest in the 5.10.

Cape Royal is 10 now and not the force of old but he has a good record at Epsom and could well make the frame in the 6.40.

Dandarrell is no world beater but has shown signs of ability and may be open to some improvement. He looks each way value at around 10/1 in the 8.30 at Doncaster. My other selection at the Yorkshire venue is Molon Labe in the 9.00.

Allannah Abu goes for the hat trick in the 8.10 at Folkestone where she will be ridden by the capable claimer Rosie Jessop who rode the stable’s Aleatricis to victory in 2008 in the same race. She is hard to oppose.

The frustrating Mata Keranjang is perhaps worth one last chance in the 4.30 at Sandown while Harlestone Times can run well at a big price in the 3.55.

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

Selections for Wednesday:

Leicester 9.00 Aestival

Lingfield 4.30 Longliner

Lingfield 5.00 Mme De Stael

Sandown 6.35 Swiss Dream

We had a couple of winners today, both improving 3 year olds that may well win again before the handicapper has a chance to reassess them. Allannah Abu incidentally is a half sister to Alambic who won 6 times during the months of July and August back in 2006.

Looking forward to tomorrow the Kempton 8.20 looks to be between High Ransom and Tuscan Gold. Both come into the race on the back of taking the runners up spot on their latest starts. High Ransom was second at Haydock at the start of this month and the winner has since won again. Tuscan Gold was second at Haydock in May in another race where the form has worked out well. This is quite a tough call but Tuscan Gold is a good looking sort and may have the greater scope for improvement. In the 8.50 I am interested in Tomintoul Singer a filly that has dropped a few pounds in the ratings and may benefit from being ridden with a bit more restraint than on her last start.

At Yarmouth the Sir Mark Prescott 3 year old Albacocca looks worth an interest in the 3.15. She is a half sister to Coat of Honour who had a varied career landing a Heritage Handicap at Goodwood, the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock and a hunter chase at Fakenham!

Lastly I like the look of the Barry Hills runner, Esaar, in the 4.45.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Sally Martin.

 

Saturday wasn’t a bad day on the tipping front with a couple of notable winners. I managed to tip the winner of the Super Sprint for the first time thanks to Temple Meads who naturally finished like a train! Just looking at his entry in that excellent book Two Year Olds of 2010 the comment from the trainer was “He’ll be going places this year” and the horse was named as the trainer’s bargain buy. If you don’t buy Steve Taplin’s excellent publication every year you are missing out. It really is the best guide to backing two year olds.

We also has a 25/1 winner with San Cassiano who clearly benefitted from a move to Ruth Carr who often works wonders with horses that she takes over from other yards. She is a trainer to follow.

There are 4 flat meetings tomorrow and I will try to come up with some hints for each meeting.

Cheverton has not shown much in his races so far this season but he has not encountered his favoured soft ground. With heavy rain forecast up at Ayr he could run well at a big price in the 4.30. He is not badly handicapped although the stable form would be a concern. In the 5.00 Turnkey is worth considering. He is a course and distance winner and jockey Adrian Nicholls is 2 from 4 when riding the horse.

Solicitor was runner up at Epsom 4 days ago and is turned out again quickly in the Beverley 7.00 while at Windsor Planet Red could go well at decent odds in the 7.40.

Recent Catterick winner Allannah Abu should be able to follow up in the 4.15 at Yarmouth while Azaday will be suited by a longer trip in the 4.45.

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

Good luck!

This weekend is not one of my favourites on the racing calendar. I can’t say that the Super Sprint or the Summer Plate really appeal but there are plenty of meeting round and about so we will endeavour to dig out a winner or two.

High Standing could get us off to a good start in the 2.15 at Newbury. The race he won at Haydock has worked out quite well and he seems to act on any ground. I will have to come up with a selection in the Super Sprint I suppose. This is not a particularly original selection but Temple Meads looks as god as anything. He impressed when winning on his only start to date and he could be well drawn.

In the 3.55 Distant Memories is one to consider. Well thought of by his trainer he won a handicap at York in the middle of June and has been very consistent in his career so far. The secret to him may well be the ground as he probably doesn’t want it too quick. He is certainly one for any short list. Kingdom of Fife has some very solid form. He was third in a listed race at Ascot behind a very useful sort in Rainbow Peak. The runner up in that race has since been beaten a short head in the Magnet Cup so Kingdom of Fife is another to put a tick beside. Stimulation is the other one I like. He is yet to win at this trip but ran well enough in 4^th in Group 1 company at Ascot on his latest start. I think that the winner will come from these 3. Softer ground would suit Distant Memories while Stimulation might not want too much give.

Looking for some value in the 4.30 I wonder if either Dafeef or Rodrigo de Torres could upset the more fancied pair. Dafeef has scope to improve and should be suited by the slightly easier ground. He is a tentative choice.

Ryan Moore sides Mykingdomforahorse in the 5.05. He won on the only other occasion he partnered the horse and the combination should again go well.

My only selection at Newmarket is Flambeau in the 3.30.

Bollin Judith has not yet shown her form of last season but she is worth persevering with. Paul Hannigan rides her tomorrow and with the stable going well she has an each way chance in the Haydock 7.40.

I was impressed with Kaptain Kirkup when he won at York earlier in the season. He is a course winner at Haydock and seems to handle any ground. He looks worth a punt in the 8.10

Think it’s All Over is one of my favourite horses – mainly because of the clever name – he is by the sire Tiznow! Anyway he shapes as though 10 furlongs could be right for him and he comes into the 9.10 with a chance.

At Lingfield I am going for a bit of an outsider in the 7.20. Tullius is by Le Vie Dei Colori, a tough miler in Italy and the Uk who sadly died quite soon after starting his stud career. Tullius is related to a number of winners and I always think his trainer is underrated.

Mushreq is a winner last time out and is ridden by a useful claimer in the Ripon 3.25. In the 4.00 I like the course and distance winner Beat the Rush while in the 4.35 I wonder if a chance of stable will help San Cassiano. Lastly, I note that Jukebox Jury runs at Hamburg in the Group 1 over 12 furlongs there. He won on his only previous visit to Germany.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller.

Our god run continues with two winners and a couple of seconds from yesterday’s 4 selections.

The big race at Hamilton tomorrow night is the sprint handicap at 7.45. Hawkeyethenoo is my main fancy for this. He has been in splendid form all season winning twice and finishing in the frame on his other two starts. He does look sure to start favourite and if you want something at a bigger price you could consider the Kevin Ryan pair of Redford and Oldjoesaid. The enigmatic Redford gets little respite from the assessor but should at least get his favoured ground while Oldjoesaid is potentially well handicapped and is another that will handle the going.

At Haydock Walvis Bay has an each way chance in the 3.30 where ground conditions should be right for him. He has also come down a couple of pounds in the weights since his last run. Others worth considering at Haydock are Comedy Act (4.05) and Arabian Spirit (4.40).

At Newbury the unraced Sadafiya is one to note. She is bred to win as a 2 year old and the stable have had a couple of recent juvenile winners.

At Newmarket Sour Mash looks interesting in the 7.55. He is the selection but there is some doubt about his participation. If he is missing my money will go on Munsarim. My other selection at Newmarket is Warm Memories in the 8.30.

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