Author: Martin

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.

 

Results went well for me today with 3 winners from 4 selections, including a couple at my lucky course Kempton at odds of 4/1 and 14/1.

There is plenty of racing up and down the country tomorrow. Starting at Bath Spoken has an each way chance in the 7.55 where the fast ground is likely to suit her.

At Doncaster Clinical certainly comes from a family of winners and is worth considering in the 7.00. On the basis that Solicitor’s run at Kempton was too bad to be true I will stick with him one more time in the 7.45 at Epsom.

Desert Myth won on his debut but was found wanting when running in more exalted company on his second start. He has his sights lowered a little in the 3.50 at Leicester and may be able to return to winning ways.

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

Allannah Abu was 2nmd at Brighton last time out and should go close in the Catterick 4.20. Paul Hannigan has the ride for trainer Sir Mark Prescott.

At Kempton Byrony showed he handles the all weather surface when 4^th over course and distance last time and has a leading chance in the nursery at 6.50. In the 7.20 there are good reports about the unraced Musharakaat.

My best bet of the day is Apace in the 4.00 at Lingfield. She looked a promising sort when 4^th on her debut at Newbury.

I don’t have too many words of wisdom to offer on tomorrow’s racing. The consistent Royal Trooper has an each way chance in the Beverley 3.30. While at Yarmouth the veteran Caribbean Coral is ridden by Jamie Spencer in the 7.30 and may be worth considering.

Course and distance winner Tarkheena Prince has a chance in the Group 3 at Hamburg. He was a winner 4 times in the UK when he was trained by Alan Swinbank.

At Ayr tomorrow Layla’s Dancer might be worth considering in the 4.00.He was 4^th at Doncaster last time out in a race that has worked out quite well. His only win to date was on soft ground so the predicted rain would be a help.

A change of jockey and quite possibly a change of tactics may help Cool Strike in the 3.50 at Ffos Las.

 

The big handicap today is the John Smith’s “Magnet” Cup at York. Wigmore Hall is perhaps the obvious choice as he is 7 lbs “well in” at the weights – 10 lbs if you include his rider’s claim. He is the Pricewise selection which means that the value has probably disappeared now. Forte Dei Marmi and Sweet Lightning were 1 and 2 in the Zetland Gold Cup and are worth considering, especially the latter who probably didn’t quite stay last time out over 12 furlongs but remains progressive. The ground will probably be riding a bit too quick for course winner Distant Memories and the same is true of Hillview Boy, although both look up to winning races before the season is out. Imposing, a fast finishing runner up in a big Royal Ascot handicap and Demolition, who beat all bar the runaway winner at Haydock are others to consider. At the current prices I would go for Demolition and Sweet Lightning who are both on offer at around 16/1.

In the 2.00 at York Harlech Castle is well handicapped but the fast ground is a concern so my tentative vote goes to Tiddliwinks. Webbow is difficult to win with as he needs to be held up and tends to run into traffic problems. He should be finishing well in the 2.30 where he has an each way chance.

Drunken Sailor, the Northumberland Plate winner is unlikely to be suited by the ground in the 3.40 and I am inclined to go with one of the beaten horses at Newcastle, Chiberta King, who will be suited by this drop back to 14 furlongs.

Looking for some value at Ascot I fancy Side Glance in the 1.45 while the lightly raced recent Salisbury winner Present Alchemy should go well in the 4.40. He is open to further improvement and will like the fast ground.

Veroon ran well to be 4^th in the Carlisle Bell and he could be in with a shout in the Chester 2.45 where he is a course and distance winner. In the 3.20, the City Wall Stakes, it is tempting to go with Star Rover and Hamish Macgonigall who are both course and distance winners. The classy Borderlescott also comes into that category though and looks the most likely winner, albeit at a skinny price. At Salisbury look out for Higgy’s Ragazzo (8.25) and in particular Field Day in the 8.55.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Margaret Barrett.

Good luck!

 

The Newmarket July meeting has not been a happy one for me thus far but at least Lang Shining ended something of a losing run for me when winning tonight at Epsom.

I will start tonight’s preview with a look at the Newmarket 2.35 which now has a silly name but always used to be called the Bunbury Cup. There are a few of our old favourites in this including Dubai Dynamo who has done well for us this season already. His 3 wins this season have probably put him a little too high in the handicap now though and it may pay to look elsewhere. There are a couple of runners from my list to follow, namely Palace Moon and Suruor. The latter was an excellent 3^rd to a handicap good thing in the Wokingham. The 6^th horse in that race has won since and the form looks rock solid. Tomorrow’s race is over an additional furlong but this should not be a problem and with K Fallon in the saddle he has a good chance. He is suited by fast ground. Suruor hasn’t run since the Chester May meeting when he was 3^rd in a mile handicap. He may need the race and I am more interested in Signor Peltro who has been a bit unlucky in his last couple of races and has course and distance from. Signor Peltro is the selection with Palace Moon the danger.

Starspangledbanner should win the July Cup with Fleeting Spirit the main danger. Those looking for something at a bigger price could take a look at Society Rock who looks as though he may have more improvement in him.

In the nursery at 4.20 I will go with John Gosden’s course and distance winner Liberty Cap.

Mistoffelees won nicely at Yarmough last week and clearly gets on well with his apprentice rider. I fancy him to follow up in the 5.20 at Ascot.

My best bet at York is La De Two, an unexposed type in the 3.55

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Karen Davies.