Category: Horse racing

We have had a smattering of winners this week not least Sour Mash at 25/1 today.

The main meeting tomorrow is again at York. I will ignore the listed contest that starts off the card and move on to the handicap at 2.10. Dangerous Midge was a winning tip for me when he landed a Doncaster handicap last month. He has been raised 11 lbs for that win but there should be more to come from him as he is lightly raced and the step up to 12 furlongs should also be in his favour. Cool Strike is another to consider for this race. He is very much at home on quick ground, has won over this trip twice and comes here on the back of a decent effort when runner up at Bath. The third horse on my list for this race is Hanoverian Baron who ran a blinder when 2^nd at Epsom last time out despite not being suited by the track. York should be more to his liking but ideally he would prefer some give in the ground. Dangerous Midge is the selection with Cool Strike next best.

Manifest put in a pleasing effort when 2^nd to Harbinger at Newbury and the winner has since gone in again. If he handles the quick ground he could be the one to be on in the Yorkshire Cup at 2.40.

Trainer Michael Jarvis and jockey Philip Robinson are in red hot form at the moment and can take the 3.10 with Decorative who was an impressive winner of a Yarmouth maiden last season. The main danger could come from another in form trainer, Sir Michael Stoute who saddles Muwakaba winner of a Kempton maiden last September.

It is a while since Oldjoesaid showed his best form but he has slipped down the weights and is worth considering from a decent draw in the 4.20. Finally at York I was impressed with Beat the Rush when he won at Pontefract and he can follow up in the 4.55.

Inler was a leading fancy for the 2,000 Guineas but ruined his chance when pulling much too hard. If he settles better he would be in with a shout at Newbury in the 2.20.

The 2.55 is an interesting contest. Pollenator was down the field in the 1,000 Guineas but should be much better suited by the faster ground at Newbury. Principal Role is another that may benefit from quicker ground. The once raced Desert Sage is well regarded by connection, will get the trip with no bother and will relish the ground. As a bit of an outsider she has possibilities. Face the Problem is bred to win at 2 and is my tentative selection for the 3.25.

Trainer Richard Hannon has a good record in the 4.00 and can again supply the answer with Strong Suit while in the 4.35 I am going to go for an outsider, also trained by Richard Hannon, Higgy’s Ragazzo.

At Newmarket Sweetie Time is said to be a sharp sort and could go well in the 2.00. Burghley ran well in 3^rd at Chester last time and is my selection in the 3.00.

There are two evening meetings. Up at Newcastle course and distance winner The Osteopath comes from a stable in good dorm and should run well. I also like the chance of Ruth Carr’s runner Dubai Dynamo.

In the 8.00 at Hamilton Trip the Light is a consistent sort but is on a career high mark. Hillview Boy made a very promising seasonal reappearance at Newmarket when 4^th to the progressive Tinaar. Tinaar only has a 3 lbs penalty for that win and may be able to confirm the placings.

The picture today is courtesy of the artist Jo Stockdale.

 

The 1.40 at York looks a tricky handicap. Rebel Duke is well fancied but may want more give in the ground. Johannes is yet to win at 5 furlongs but will appreciate the fast ground and is worth considering. Judge ‘N Jury likes these big field handicaps and is always likely to come in at a decent price if things drop right for him.

The 2.10 is a fascinating clash between old rivals Midday and Sariska. The latter should win at the weights but this is more a race to watch and enjoy rather than a betting proposition.

Chabal has obvious claims in the 2.40 but I will side with Workforce from a stable that can do no wrong at present.

I have been waiting for Mull of Killough since his unlucky last run and I will stick with him as my selection in the 3.10. The unbeaten Rainbow Peak is an obvious threat.

I am hoping that Tamintoul Singer can bounce back from a slightly disappointing seasonal reappearance in the 3.45 where Ejteyaaz could run well at a big price. In the 4.20 there is a good word for the newcomer Alzaam. In the 4.55 my each way selection is Royal Trooper.

At Salisbury I would like to find one to take on the favourite. Zahoo, Contredanse and Addahab were the trio that I originally picked out. At odds of 14/1 in the RP Zahoo, a bit unlucky at Sandown last time, looks the value. My other selections at the Wiltshire track are Mi Regalo (2.30) and Mujdeya (4.10).

There is an evening meeting at Newmarket where the once raced Sour Mash is one to look out for in the 6.50. The same stable have Cygnet in the 7.25. His last run was surely too bad to be true and he is worth another chance here. In the 8.00 I am going for another outsider in the shape of Mufarrh for trainer John Dunlop.

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

Luca Cumani and Kieren Fallon narrowly failed to land the Victoria Cup with a well fancied runner on Saturday but can rectify that with Forte Dei Marmi in the 1.40 at York tomorrow. He is a lightly arced sort with only 6 starts to his name and was an impressive winner at Newbury on his latest run.

Michael Dods has had 4 winners this month after making a slow start to the season. He runs Kaptain Kirkup in the 2.10. The step up to 7 furlongs will suit him but he will not want the ground too firm. Light showers are forecast and they have been watering so Kaptain Kirkup is worth considering at 10/1. Business as Usual comes from a stable in very good form. He won on his debut last season and then disappointed at Lingfield where the track may not have suited him. York should play to his strengths and he is a contender. The third horse I like in this is Rock ‘N Royal who won at Pontefract on his only start as a juvenile.

Aviate is a sister to Wingwalker who died from a heart attack as a 2 year old. She has shown a taking turn of foot when winning both her starts thus far. She is not guaranteed to stay this 10 furlongs but if she does he would be hard to beat.

In the 3.10 Showcasing and Anglezarke make most appeal. If pushed for a single selection I would go for course and distance winner Showcasing.

I have narrowed the 4.55 down to a short list of 4. Official Style, Think it’s all Over, Rigidity and Boss’s Destination. I could make a case for all 4 but at odds of 20/1 I see Boss’s Destination as fair value given that he is tackling a distance that suits his pedigree for the first time.

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

Good luck.

 

Just one selection today.  House Point in the 4.10 at Warwick.

There some interesting 2 year olds making their debuts in the 5.40 at Windsor tomorrow. The Richard Hannon pair of Byrony and Brandy Snap look potentially sharp sorts and market confidence behind either would be noteworthy. The well related Swiss Dream with Ryan Moore on board is another to consider.

At Redcar the 10 year old Raccoon likes fast ground and should go close in the 2.50 while Azaday looks well handicapped in the 5.20.

The big handicap at Ascot tomorrow is the Victoria Cup at 3.25. There are a few that I fancy. Starting with Dhaular Dhar who was 3^rd last season. He has often run well at Ascot and likes these big field handicaps. He has not shown his best form for a while but if back to something like his best he is definitely on a winnable mark. Prime Exhibit was runner up in the Lincoln and although he has gone up in the weights as a result he is a lightly raced sort that may have further improvement in him. Mabait has won his last four races but has gone up sharply in the weights since his last success. The runner up has since come out and won at Newmarket so the form looks really solid. Course and distance winner Castles in the Air is another progressive sort and given his favoured fast ground he would be one for the shortlist. Prolific all weather winner Street Power is another to consider. He is a course winner and may be well drawn. It is a wide open race with Mabait, Castles in the Air and Prime Exhibit the obvious ones to consider. Dhaular Dhar and Street Power look the pick of the outsiders.

In the 4.35 Lombok, a half brother to Asian Heights should appreciate the step up to 2 miles and is my main hope from the Ascot card.

Timepiece was not disgraced when 4^th at Newmarket last time (the 3^rd horse has won since) and will be more at home over this longer trip in the oaks Trail at Lingfield. Ceilidh House has only run once, winning in very impressive style in a Nottingham maiden last October. It is impossible to tell just how good Ralph Beckett’s filly is so the percentage call must be for Timepiece. Apparently Ceilidh House needs some give in the ground so any rain would improve her chance.

In the Derby Trial at 3.10 Bullet Train, Captain James Cook and Desert Myth look the trio most likely to win. Bullet Train was runner up on his reappearance in a race where the 4^th Rasmy ran well enough at Chester today. He probably sets the standard and with the O’Brien horses generally running a bit below par Desert Myth could represent the main danger.

The progressive Alainmaar made a big impression when winning at Epsom recently and he is my selection in the 3.45. In the 4.55 I fancy San Cassiano although given the pedigree I am slightly afraid that the trip may be on the sharp side.

Three of the horses I have been waiting for all appear in the Nottingham 2.55 which makes the selection process a tricky one! Walvis Bay ran well in his races as a juvenile last season winning at the third attempt over this trip at York. London Gold had one less run that Walvis Bay but also won at the third time of asking, this time at Doncaster. Like the other pair Deacon Blues has one win under his belt but he also has the benefit of a run this season when he was a promising 3^rd and the runner up has won twice since. Deacon Blues may have the edge on fitness and he is the selection. Some ease in the ground would help his cause. Both Walvis Bay and London Gold are respected.

At Thirsk Veroon has an each way chance in the 7.05 while the track should suit Taste the Victory in the 8.05.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Ruth Buchanan.

Today had its pros and cons. Things got off to a good start at Chester and our only selection at Goodwood was a winner.

Day 3 at Chester starts with a 7.5 furlong handicap at 1.45. There are a few with chances including course and distance winner Celtic Sultan. He won at this meeting in 2008 off a mark of 100 and now races off 87 so is ridiculously well handicapped on his best form. Suruor and Webbow are others of interest. The former is having his first run of the season and he normally takes a run or two to get going . Webbow normally runs well in big field handicaps and has the plum number 1 stall. In his case though it might not be such an advantage as he is normally held up in his races. Dubai Dynamo is on my “handicap hints” list to follow on the back of his excellent run in the Thirsk Hunt Cup on Saturday. He comes from a stable in form but is drawn in the car park and it would be some effort if he is able to win from such a hopeless looking draw. Most of the horses that I would normally support have negatives that put me off and more in hope than anything else I am going to put up Extraterrestrial as my tip. He has plenty of weight but is useful on his day, is quite well drawn for a horse that does best coming off a strong pace, he has run well at Chester before and handles some cut in the ground.

In the 2.15 I am going to take a chance with a couple of outsiders in Rasmy and Tamaathul.

The 2.45 looks to be between Age of Aquarius and Harbinger. The latter has the benefit of a previous run and a winning one at that and he is a course winner which is always an important factor at Chester. In the 3.15 Star Rover and Archers Road would have chances based on their 2 year old form. Neither has won with an “S” in the going description however so we will need to keep an eye on the conditions between now and the race. Fastish ground could see either of these run well at decent prices.

Safina, whose dam was the brilliant Russian Rhythm runs in the 3.55 where she will take some beating. Her 4^th at Newmarket last month reads well in the context of this race and with only a couple of starts thus far she is open to plenty of improvement. In the 4.30 Lucky Numbers looks the percentage call. He comes here with good recent form, he handles the ground, has a very good draw and Ryan Moore is in the saddle.

The two that interest me most in the 5.05 are Embsay Crag and Jedi. The former has won 3 times at Chester winning twice. He has finished runner up on his last two starts and shapes as though this trip will suit. There may be more to come from Jedi. He will handle both track and ground and if Ryan Moore can overcome the outside draw he would be in with a shout.

Many of Mick Channon’s horses, unsurprisingly have names connected to football. He runs Alfraamsey in the 2.05 at Lingfield. The sire was Raam so it is quite a clever name. The horse has a chance as well!

At Nottingham the lightly raced Bourne and the well handicapped Hurlinghham catch the eye in the 4.10.

Good luck

Thanks to Mamlook in the Chester Cup we came away from Chester with a nice profit today.

Tomorrow’s card opens with a tricky handicap at 1.45. Cairnsmore was an impressive winner at Kempton back in January and a repeat of that form would make him an interesting contender. Another to consider is Last Three Minutes having has changed stables since his last run and is now with Sir Michael Stoute. He is not the easiest of rides as he has to be produced late but he has plenty of ability and should win races this season. Sweet Lightning is trained by Michael Dods whose horses have made a slow start to the season. However Osteopathic Remedy won the Thirsk Hunt Cup on Saturday and this may signal a return to form for the yard. Sweet Lightning ran some good races last season and was placed in 3 heritage handicaps. I do not have a very strong view on this race but I do like the chances of Last Three Minutes and Sweet Lightning.

Moving on to the 2.15 I am not convinced that the sharp turns at Chester will suit Kingdom of Fife so I will look elsewhere. Redwood has an obvious chance for Barry Hills on the strength of his narrow defeat by Glass Harmonium last moth. The course and distance winner Stotsfold could be his main danger.

Rocket Man comes from a stable with a good record in the Chester Vase (2.45). He basically could be anything and a significant market move for him would be worth noting. For my selection though I am going with Morana who was 5^th in the Craven and should be suited the extra distance here.

In the 3.15 my original fancies were Old Joe Mac and Burghley but they are both drawn badly so I think I will give this race a miss. Fastnet Storm is a horse to keep an eye on this season. He runs in the 5.05 where he has an each way chance. Regardless of the result tomorrow I will continue to keep tabs on him. Softer ground and a stiffer track might see him in a better light.

At Goodwood Total Command looks the one to be on in the 3.35 with Regal Park the probable danger.

Picture courtesy of the artist Jo Stockdale.

This season I have introduced a new feature, handicap hints, aimed at producing a list of horses to follow. Having watched the video of the Thirsk Hunt Cup a few times I have added Dubai Dynamo to the list, on the strength of his fast finishing 5^th in that race. He joins Mull of Killough, Roker Park, Hamish McGonagall, Cityscape and Hanoverian Baron.

Tomorrow sees the start of the May meeting at Chester where we may see some pointers for the Derby and the Oaks. My original selection for the Chester Cup (2.45) was going to be the progressive Bernie the Bolt but he has an unfavourable draw. I wouldn’t rule him out altogether but I am going to switch my allegiance to the David Pipe runner Mamlook. He is a very solid stayer and will handle the ground.

The 3.15 is a tricky sprint handicap. Dandy Nicholls always has to be respected in these races but his 2 runners are both drawn badly. Look Busy is drawn 1 but she is usually held up so in this instance the plum draw may not be such an advantage. Green Manalishi has a good record at Chester with form figures at the track of 20311100. He also has a good draw and is well handicapped. He is the one I fear most but for my selection I will stick with one from my list to follow, Hamish McGonagall. Although he has not won for some time he has come down the ratings as a result. He is a course and distance winner and has the benefit of a recent run when he shaped well in third at Beverley.

Longliner has been expensive to follow but I will give him one more chance in the 4.35 where I feel that Pekan Three may run well at a decent price.

Not much else on the card makes much appeal although I am tempted to go for the outsider Miss Miracle in the 2.15.

Good luck!

After death by a thousand losers on Saturday things were a little chirpier today with a number of winners highlighted in last night’s preview including 10/1 and 8/1 winners.

Selections for Monday:

Kempton 3.30 Udabaa; 5.00 Latansaa

Windsor 2.55 split stake between Centigrade and Invincible Soul.

Picture courtesy of the artist Katy Sodeau.