Month: October 2010

 

I am going to start with a real outsider tonight. Glan Y Mor runs in the 2.40 at Leicester and has a better chance than his 50/1 price would suggest.

Staying with the outsiders theme Muffraaj is my pick in the 3.10. He is well bred, his trainer is in good form and he will have benefitted from his initial run at Haydock last month.

A little less fanciful is Decorative in the 4.40. Very highly rated after winning his first two starts he disappointed badly on his third run when last of 6 at Sandown. That may have been a blip and it would not surprise me if he came back to form tomorrow.

Swincombe Rock won on his chase debut at Perth and should be able to follow up in the 3.50 at Huntingdon.

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

 

Low key racing on Monday. The Andrew Balding pair of Balducci (4.00) and Final Victory (5.20) might be worth considering.

Our old friend Higgy’s Ragazzo goes in the 4.10 at Windsor where he is a course and distance winner. He has an each way chance.

Today’s picture is by kind permission of the artist Katy Sodeau (see links for further details of this artist’s work)

 

We Have a Dream looks to have conditions in his favour in the Goodwood 2.35.

Sunday selections;

Bath 3.00 Inimitable Romanee

5.20 Raktiman

Ffos Las 3.20 Bens Moor

Goodwood 3.10 Sleeping Wolf

 

The well regarded Masked Marvel impressed when winning on his debut at Sandown. He looked capable of going on to better things and hopefully he can take a step in that direction tomorrow in the 4.15 at Ascot.

When Brick Red won at Ascot last month he had the subsequent Cambridgeshire winner Credit Swap back in third. The form looks solid and Brick Red will handle the ground at York where he looks to hold every chance in the 2.15.

I am going to take a chance with Bollin Judith at a big price in the 2.45. Although her wins have come on quick ground she does handle some cut and connections wouldn’t be running her over this marathon trip if they didn’t think she would stay.

The 3.55 is an open race. Poet’s Place had looked a most progressive horse until being beaten in the Ayr Gold Cup where he was not favoured by the draw. Much the same could be said of Hawkeyethenoo and this is another one for the short list. Trainer Richard Fahey has a good record in this race and his stable jockey Paul Hannigan has chosen to ride Irish Heartbeat who will be at home on the ground. One that could go well at a much bigger price than the other two is Gramercy. If pushed for selections I would choose Poet’s Place and Hawkeyethenoo.

There are 3 horses in the 4.30 that I had on my list to follow at the start of the season, Layla’s Dancer, Ejteyaaz and Think It’s All Over. It is hard to fancy any of the trio here though.

In the 5.05 Beat the Rush looks a bit over priced at 12/1.

There is some decent jumps racing at Bangor where Tara Royal (5.15) and Fiddlededee(5.50) look the pick. At Chepstow Olofi looks well treated in the 4.00. The bumper that rounds off the Chepstow card at 5.45 could go to Merehead trained by Paul Nicholls.

I am hoping we have to wait a long time for our final winner of the day. Honoured should do the honours in the 9.10 at Wolverhampton.

My selection in the 5.00 at San Siro is Sajjhaa.

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

The main meeting tomorrow is at York where 20 runners will line up for the 7 furlong handicap at 3.20. Kaptain Kirkup, owned by osteopath Kevin Kirkup won on his last visit to York. He is 6 lbs higher in the ratings now but has a chance for in form trainer Michael Dods. Another to look out for is Mastership who is partly owned by racing journalist Marten Julian. Mastership is a bit of a tricky customer but is well handicapped on his best form and ran well on his last start when 3^rd to the in form Cheverton.

There is also a big field for the 4.30. Both Walvis Bay and Oldjoesaid run in this and my regulars will know that I have been following this pair all season (with limited success!). Oldjoesaid is very well handicapped and has been threatening to win one of these for a while. In the 5.00 Red Jade will be suited by trip and going.

There is jumping at Carlisle where Recession Proof can make a winning debut over hurdles. He won 4 times on the flat for Simon Callaghan. The other runner to note in this is Ebony River who was 3^rd in a Carlisle bumper last season and is the mount of AP McCoy.

Rock’N Royal is my each way selection in the 5.10 at Musselburgh.

Today’s picture is courtesy of Katy Sodeau.

 

Double Trigger was a very popular stayer in the mid 90s winning both the Goodwood and Doncaster Cups three times as well as recording victories in the Ascot Gold Cup and the Italian St Leger. Two of his progeny are in action over the jumps tomorrow at Exeter and both have winning chances. Triggernometry runs in the 3.35 and Triggerman in the 4.10. My bet of the day at Exeter though is Restezen D’Armor in the 3.00 from a stable in excellent form at present.

On the flat John Dunlop has his team in good order. We had a winner from this yard the other day with Hajjaan and I am hoping that Zahoo will follow suit in the Newbury 3.35. Elsewhere on the Newbury card Towbaat has an each way chance in the 4.30. Staying with the flat I am quite keen on the chances of Shooting Gallery in the 1.40 at Saint-cloud. He impressed when winning on his debut at Sandown and looks capable of further improvement.

I thought Yachtmaster ran a promising race last time out at Newcastle and he could come in at a nice price in the 5.40 at Wolverhampton. Lastly, Qrocktou looks the likely winner of the 2.00 at Worcester.

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

Selections for Wednesday

Kempton 6.00 Manoori

7.00 Lombok

Nottingham 2.10 Sleeping Wolf

Navan 3.15 Hidden Universe

A losing run has developed over the last few days so let’s see if we can break it.

At Catterick tomorrow Escape Artist is in with a chance in the 4.30. He won at Beverley on fast ground but given his pedigree he should handle some cut OK. The lightly raced Royal Swain has a similar chance in the 5.30.

My bet of the day is in the Leicester 3.40 where a 6 lbs penalty seems unlikely to stop the fast improving Harlestone Times. Another John Dunlop runner in with a live chance is Hajjaan in the 4.10. He has only had 2 runs in his life and is open to bags of improvement. In the 5.10 my selection is Lordship who gets on well with his apprentice rider.

Godolphin traditionally does well at this time of year and are also adept at getting a horse fit after a lengthy absence. The unbeaten Sahara Kingdom looks likely to continue his winning sequence in the 2.50. Star Rover has an each way chance in the 4.50.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Jo Stockdale.

 

After the heroics of Workforce in Paris we are back with more mundane action tomorrow.

At Pontefract Darley Sun is dropped in class in the 3.40 and should win although the starting price is likely to be short.

Palawi put up an encouraging performance when 3^rd at Hamilton last month after a lengthy lay off and is worth considering in the 4.40.

There are good reports about Glass Mountain who runs in the Warwick 2.50. He has a staying pedigree so this 6 furlongs may well prove too sharp but I will be watching his progress with interest. Lordship will appreciate the ground in the 4.20 and I am hoping that Affinity, a half sister to top class Soviet Song (pictured below) and follow up her recent Wolverhampton success in the 5.20.

The picture of Soviet Song is courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller.