Month: June 2011

York’s meeting tomorrow opens at 2.10 with a handicap for lady amateur riders which not the most obvious betting medium. I will put up a tentative selection here in Defence of Duress, a son of Derby winner Motivator who has scope to improve after only 5 career starts and who is ridden by the winning jockey from the 2009 race.

Leviathan ran really well to finish 2^nd in a Sandown handicap last time out and has only gone up 2 lbs for that effort. He seems to act on any ground and should give us a run for our money in the 2.40.

In the 3.15 my two against the field are Desert Law, narrowly beaten in a Newmarket handicap last month and Seal Rock who is unbeaten after 3 starts.

Sea Moon is the selection in the 3.50 where you could also have a small each way saver on Mariachi Man.

At Chester in the 3.55 I fear I may have missed the boat (or should that be space ship) with Light From Mars who won the Newbury Spring Cup at 14/1 when I should have tipped him. He may be vulnerable at Chester off a higher handicap mark. Course and distance winners Jutland and Opera Gal are worth considering.

Good luck!

 

Selections for Friday

Sandown 4.35 Shallow Bay

5.05 Amerthyst

York 4.25 Captain Carey

 

We had a couple of winners today at 3/1 and 9/1.

I started off with a short list of 4 for tomorrow’s 2.30 at Newbury. El Wasmi, Levitate, Dysios and Hot Spice. Levitate would just about get the nod.

Other selections; Haydock 7.50 – Tasfeya; Nottingham 4.35 Lucy Limelights; Yarmouth 5.30 Invent.

 

Mosaicist put in a taking display to win at Yarmouth last month and should give a good account of herself at Kempton tomorrow in the 7.15.

I have had a couple of expensive failures following Sir Mark Prescott’s runners of late so my selection for Samarkand in the 7.45 is tinged with a note of caution.

Last season Mistoffelees won twice but gave the impression that he could have achieved even more with an experienced jockey on board. He has shown very little this season so far but I see that tomorrow in the Haydock 2.20 his usual inexperienced rider is replaced by Kieren Fallon. The horse will have to improve markedly on his recent efforts but the jockey change is an interesting one.

The 3.50 doesn’t look a strong race and Thubiaan should be in the shake up.

We had a 100/30 winner yesterday.

 

Rod Stewart’s Maggie May reached number 1 in October 1971 despite originally being released as the B side of the single Reason to Believe. None of which has anything to do with horse racing apart from the fact that Maggie Mey and Reason to Believe both line up in the 3.00 at Redcar! Both are in with a chance.

Continuing the interesting name theme Richard Hannon runs Mr Knightley in the 2.15 at Salisbury. Devotees of Jane Austen will appreciate the apt name – the horse is by Strategic Prince out of the mare Emma’s Surprise. The trainer has an outstanding record with his two year olds on their debuts and any market support for Mr Knightley would be interesting.

Trainer Ruth Carr has her horses in good form at present. She has a couple of runners in the Redcar 3.35, San Cassiano and Al Muheer. They are both well handicapped on the pick of their form.

That is about it for tonight.

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

 

There are several horses of interest in the 7.30 at Pontefract tomorrow.

Fieldgunner Kirkup was a course and distance winner last season and was only beaten a head on his return to action this term. King Ferdinand overcame an unfavourable draw to win at Chester last month while Jade, a course and distance winner last season has finished second on both his starts this time around. King Ferdinand comes from a stable in form and is marginally preferred to Fieldgunner Kirkup.

 Just a late thought.  Seville is over priced and looks the each way bet.

 

We have hit something of a losing run over the last couple of days with some very disappointing results. So, hoping for a change of fortune on Derby day let’s have a look at tomorrow’s racing.

Taking the meetings in alphabetical order my selection for the Doncaster 2.20 is the lightly raced Chef who should come on for his run at Newmarket where he finished 6^th of 14.

I am inclined to take on the likely favourite in the 3.25 where both Midsummer Fair and Alkimos look interesting. Although Alkimos has a bit to find on form with some of his rivals he could be capable of a fair amount of improvement and he gets the nod.

In the 4.30Correct looks the part on breeding and is a tentative selection.

At Epsom I give Sergeant Ablett an each way chance in the 1.40 while David Nicholls holds a strong hand in the sprint at 3.15. I will go for a small each way wager on Indian Trail.

The Dante at York is often a good guide to the Derby and Carlton House who won well at York will hopefully give the Queen and myself a winner tomorrow in the big race.

Bourne comes from a family that I have followed with some success over the years and he gets my support in the 4.50 where Fox Hunt is one that could go well at a bigger price.

Secret Witness was a good third at Newbury last month and looks quite reasonable value in the 5.25 where Esprit de Midas is better than his recent results suggest and could go well at a big price.

Jack Smudge shapes as though he will win a couple of races this season – hopefully one of them will be the 2.05 at Musselburgh. Other selections at the Scottish track are Namibian (32.20) and Striking Spirit and Courageous (3.40).

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

 

Selections for Friday;

Epsom 2.45 Midday

4.05 Misty for Me and Wonder of Wonders

5.25 Falmouth Bay (ew)

Musselburgh 4.25 Motivado

 

Trainer Sir Mark Prescott does well with the horses he sends up to Hamilton and his Fire Fighter looks worth an interest in the 4.40. He ran 3 times last season all over 7 furlongs without success but he is breed to appreciate further and gets into this handicap on a low mark.

Another bred to improve is Whispered. She ran once last season finishing 6^th of 11 at Kempton over a mile and showed some promise. Bred to be more of a stayer she will hopefully pay to follow in the 3.20 at Lingfield.

In the 4.20 there are a couple of interesting unraced 2 year olds. Purple ‘n Gold and Responsive.

Lastly, there are 2 runners I like at Sandown in the 7.05, Deny and Chill. Both come under the “dark horse” category and are by no means certs but they both look to have the scope to win races off their current handicap marks.

Picture courtesy of the artist Jane Dunn.