Category: Horse racing

 

I had a really poor day on the tipping front with Jukebox Jury a lone hit amidst a plethora of misses!

On the basis that things can hardly get any worse here goes with a preview of Sunday’s action.

Starting at Newmarket I have a list of 4 probables for the handicap at 2.05. Jim Goldie sends down Hillview Boy from his Glasgow base. Although a 6 year old he does not have many miles on the clock, handles any ground and looks a major player. Chiberta King has a good record at this trip and although given no favours by the handicapper may still have scope for improvement. Tinaar is a lightly raced filly who has been in the first two in over 50% of her starts. She should be suited by Newmarket and is one for any shortlist. Dangerous Midge has been raised 11 lbs for his win at Doncaster last month but may well have further improvement in him, especially now that he tackles 12 furlongs for the first time. Dangerous Midge gets my selection with Tinaar the main danger.

Sariska is a top class filly but it might be worth taking her on, especially if the ground is riding on the quick side in the 2.40. Strawberrydaiquery comes from a stable that has won this race for the last 3 years and this filly has done nothing but improve so far. She could well come out on top here. Spacious should not be written off running over what might well be her optimum trip. The Sir Michael Stoute filly is the selection though.

Special Duty can make it a memorable weekend for the French in the 1,000 Guineas. There are plenty of others with chances and a case could be made for Music Show, Seta, Pipette, Rumoush and Pollenator. Music Show would be my reserve choice.

Jonny Mudball is a potential improver in the 3.55 and should strip fitter for his recent run at Doncaster. Of the others Hawkeyethenoo comes here on the back of a win and although he is yet to win at 6 furlongs the trip will not be a problem for him. Hitchens runs well fresh and is another to consider.

Principal Role looks the form pick in the 5.05, while in the 5.40 I am torn between London Stripe and Tajaarub.

Dungannon was an eye catching 5^th on his only start as a 2 year old and if he can carry that promise forward he should figure prominently in the Salisbury 1.50.

Dafeef won well at Newmarket on his second start as a juvenile. While not looking entirely straightforward he clearly has ability. He is my selection in the Salisbury 2.20. Sticking with the lightly raced 3 year olds Roger Charlton has an interesting runner with Spoken in the 3.30. A course winner over a mile last season he will have no trouble with the extra 2 furlongs here.

Up at Hamilton Hawk Mountain has quite a bit going for him in the 4.15.

My thanks to the artist Jane Dunn for today’s picture.

Good luck

 

The Newmarket Guineas meeting kicks off tomorrow with a competitive handicap at 1.55. Top weight Distant Memories has only been out of the first 2 twice in his 8 race career. He comes here on the back of a second at Pontefract and with Jamie Spencer riding he has to be given a live chance. The negative factor could be the ground as he appears to need going on the soft side. Significant rain would aid his chance. Shamali is a lightly raced 5 year old who was most progressive last season and could be better than handicap class. He seems to handle any going. Brunston won the Newbury Spring Cup last week and has gone up 5 lbs as a result. The extra furlong will suit him and he goes well on fast ground. My selection is Shamali with a saver on Distant Memories if there is an “S” in the going description or Brunston on quicker ground.

Jukebox Jury enjoys fast ground and looks the form pick in the 2.25.

In the 2,000 Guineas it is hard to oppose St Nicholas Abbey after his impressive display in the Racing Post Trophy. He could well be a class apart but his price certainly reflects that. Elusive Pimpernel was runner up to the O’Brien horse at Doncaster but has since won the Craven and it is hard to see him being out of the frame. Of those at bigger prices Fencing Master, Xtension and Awzaan look the pick. St Nicholas Abbey is the rather boring selection.

Total Gallery and Amour Propre do battle in the 3.40. Total Gallery may just be better over 6 furlongs and as long as the ground rides on the fast side I fancy Amour Propre to win this race for the second consecutive season.

Racy made a pleasing reappearance at Newmarket last month and looks competitive off a mark of 87 in the 4.15. The other one I really like in this is Swilly Ferry and this pair would be my two against the field. Anhar only ran twice last season but looked a nice prospect. He should be suited by fast ground and I am hoping for a big run form him in the 4.50.

I was impressed with Hynotized’s win at Kempton last month and he looks the type to stay one step ahead of the handicapper. He looks sure to go well in the 5.25. The other one I like is Balducci who won at Newmarket in April. These would be my two against the field.

My only selection at Goodwood is Mykingdomforahorse each way in the 2.15.

At Doncaster keep an eye on Dandarell in the 6.10. This gelding did enough in two runs as a juvenile to suggest that there are races to be won with him.

Citrus Star did little wrong last season and showed a good attitude in his races. An improving sort he could surprise the favourite in the 7.15. In the same race I would not discount Rodrigo de Torres.

Trainer James Given had a winner today with Dandino and I quiet like the chances of his Royal Trooper in the 8.20. Heavy rain is forecast for Doncaster and some give in the ground will suit this one.

Up at Thirsk Bosses Destination may find the trip on the short side in the 2.55 but he is one to watch out for when he gets a handicap rating.

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

 

There are a few potential improvers in the 4.45 at Doncaster. Dandino won quite nicely at Redcar last month and should run well but my preference is for the Henry Cecil runner Rigidity. He has only had two career starts, winning the second of them at Yarmouth last September. His handicap mark of 77 looks potentially lenient.

Layla’s Dancer was a disappointing beaten favourite last time out but is worth another chance in the 5.15.

Down at Lingfield The Scorching Wind has been a bit unlucky of late and could bounce back to form in the 3.15.

My only election at Musselburgh is Rebel Duke in the 4.00.

At the time of penning these notes, with one result still to come, we have had a good day with 4 winners from 7 selections.

Just a couple of selections tomorrow. Azaday in the Folkestone 4.10 and up at Redcar Haigh Hall in the 4.00.

Selections for Wednesday;

Ascot 2.45 – Aviate

Ascot 3.20 Citytscape

Ascot 3.55 Askar Tau

Ascot 4.30 Mon Cadeaux

Pontefract 4.40 Beat The Rush

Pontefract 5.15 Mr Freddy

Kempton 7.05 Towbaat

Kempton 9.10 Primaeval

 

At the start of the flat season I introduced a new feature called “handicap hints” with which I will be trying to pinpoint future handicap winners.

The first three to go on the list were all taken from the Lincoln Handicap, Harrison George, Mia’s Boy and Mull of Killough. They have all run since with Harrison George winning at 11/2. I am working on the basis that HG has done his job and have decided to remove him from the list. Mia’s Boy was runner up in a listed race at Doncaster only beaten a head. Even so I have also removed him from the list as I am afraid he may become something of a “twilight” horse and be difficult to place. Mull of Killough could only finish 21^st of 23 at Newbury but he met trouble in running and he stays on the list. Cityscape ran well in 4^th in that Newbury race and he has been added. I have also added Hamish McGonigall who was 3^rd at Beverley recently from a bad draw. He failed to win last season and has come down in the weights as a result.

I have added a couple more. Roker Park who ran today at Newcastle. I have a feeling that he could come in at a big price at some stage of the season. It is worth noting that he has won 3 times in the month of June! Lastly, I have included Hanoverian Baron to the list. He was second at Epsom last week despite not having conditions to suit.

Looking back to Saturday’s racing I was pleased to see that my selection for the “Whitbread” Tamarinbleu was also the Pricewise pick. The horse also got a pretty confident vote from trainer David Pipe on the Morning Line so I was feeling pretty smug about my 16/1 ticket. In the race though he was soon behind and never jumped with any fluency.

The one that got away on Saturday was Haatheq who won at Leicester for John Dunlop. He is a horse I had been waiting for as he looked on a lenient handicap mark. He duly won at 7/2 but I missed him!

We had one winner today thanks to Contredanse at Windsor.

Turning our attention to tomorrow Cygnet represents the same trainer/jockey combination as Contredanse in the Nottingham 7.05. A lightly raced, well bred 4 year old he is a course winner and should go well. Cygnet would have to be the selection but one that has an each way chance at a bigger price is Veroon who I think may pick up a decent race or two this season and will appreciate both trip and ground.

Rainbow Six represents the in form trainer Marco Botti in the 8.05 and the Italian also has a fancied runner at Lingfield with Mount Juliet, formerly trained by Simon Callaghan, in the 4.00. They are a couple to look out for.

Today’s pictures are by kind permission of the artist Susan Shaw.

 

Master Rooney ran quite well at Beverley recently despite not being well drawn. He could go close in the Newcastle 4.10 tomorrow where Rebel Duke and Roker Park are others to consider.

At Windsor my selections are Pekan Three (7.10) and Contredanse (7.40).

 

There are a couple of decent races at Bath tomorrow.  Anglezarke has a good record first time out and looks the one they all have to beat in the 4.25.  he Henry Cecil runner Tomintoul Singer looks the main threat.

Cool strike has shown marked improvement since being fitted with a visor.  The firm ground at Bath should suit him and he is the selection in the 3.50.

The curtain comes down on another jumps season tomorrow with the mixed card at Sandown. The last big handicap pf the season, which I still think of as the Whitbread Gold Cup has been a bad race for favourites in recent years and it may pay to look for a bigger priced selection. Tamarinbleu has possibilities. He looks as though he may have been laid out for this by trainer David Pipe, he is a course winner, he will handle the ground and he was second on his last run and the winner and the third that day have both won since. At around 14/1 he looks a fair each way bet.

Twist Magic should be too good for his rivals in the Celebration Chase at 2.30 but he refused to race just 4 days ago in Ireland and could be something of a risky proposition. Oh Crick returns to 2 miles here which looks his best trip and he has form on good ground. If Twist Magic fails to fire he could be the one to capitalise.

Paco Boy is the class act in the 3.40, a race he won last season and his stable have won 4 times in the last 6 years. He is a short price though and it could be worth looking for an each way alternative. Border Patrol is a course and distance winner and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see him in the first 3. For my selection though I am inclined to side with Confront who was progressive last season and should come on for his seasonal reappearance last month.

A case could be made for most of the runners in the 4.15. Crowded House and Glass Harmonium make most appeal, with slight preference for the former.

Up at Haydock the cleverly named Think it’s all Over looks the one to be on in the 7.35 where the booking of Jamie Spencer to ride looks interesting.

The 3.00 at Leicester is a trappy little race even though there are only 5 runners. Mark Johnston runs two in Exemplary and Green Lightning. The latter won at Nottingham last season but was a beaten favourite at Doncaster last month when only 4^th of 6. It is too early to write him off yet though. A winner at Bath on fast ground last season Exemplary was 3^rd at Ffos Las 18 days ago. The tough and consistent Aquarian Spirit comes from a stable in good from and is narrowly preferred to the Johnston pair.

At Ripon I like the chances of King of Wands in the 5.45. He has his first run for his new trainer John Gosden who had a winner today at Sandown.

Today’s pictures are courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller.

 

The big race tomorrow is the Irish Champion Hurdle. Solwhit, Medermit and Punjabi all try their luck after finishing down the field in the Cheltenham version while Dunguib, beaten when an apparent “certainty” at Cheltenham and Hurricane Fly returning from injury are other fascinating contenders. If Hurricane Fly is back to his best he would take some beating while Punjabi is proven on both the track and the going.

The Punchestown 4.55 looks ultra competitive. Quiscover Fontaine looks the pick of the home team although the ground may not be ideal for him. The British challenge comes from Kangaroo Court who was a first fence faller last week and Cheltenham winner Copper Bleu. I fancy this pair to go well.

I have been following Luska Lad this season with some success. He comes into the 6.05 on the back of a hat trick of wins. His most recent success was at Fairyhouse and the form of the race was boosted this week when the runner up won. Whether the ground will suit Luska Lad may be questionable but he is a serious contender. Reve de Sivola was runner up to Peddler’s Cross and Cheltenham and that horse has since won well at Aintree. Quantativeasing and Fionnegas are others to consider but Luska Lad and Reve de Sivola would be my main fancies.

The 6.40 could go to Arvika Ligeonniere from a stable very much in form.

At Sandown Invincible Soul looks well handicapped in the 1.10 while Simenon looks over priced in the 1.45. I would be inclined to look for some value in the 3.55 where Zahoo, Rock a Doodle Doo and Higgy’s Ragazzo all make some appeal.

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