Category: Horse racing

Invisible Man has been a beaten favourite on each of his 3 starts so far. He probably has the ability to win the opener at Newmarket but is obviously not one to be over confident about. The unraced Bourne looks interesting on pedigree and may repay a small each way investment.

The 2.55 looks a competitive handicap with several progressive types. The Mark Johnston trained Petrovsky has already run up a hat trick of wins on the all weather and has the scope to do even better in time. Chiberta King won on his handicap debut at Windsor and may be ahead of the handicapper. Both trainer and jockey are in fine form. Distant Memories won a heavy ground maiden at Ayr last season and with just 2 career starts to his name has the scope to improve and should be all the better for this step up in trip. Clowance House won a maiden at Salisbury over tomorrow’s trip and does not look on a bad mark. On fast ground I would go for Clowance House but if there is rain and it gets into the ground then I would switch my allegiance to Petrovsky. Really testing ground would bring in Distant Memories.

Twisted showed some promise on his only start as a juvenile and should be suited by some give in the ground. He would be my somewhat tentative selection for the Newbury 1.30.

Paco Boy is the obvious form pick in the Lockinge at 2.40. He accounted for two of his main rivals, Dream Eater and Virtual at Sandown over this trip at least partly dispelling fears that he doesn’t stay a mile. There are no stamina doubts where Twice Over is concerned as he stays further. On the best of his form he would be a big threat to Paco Boy but he has had a problem with a corn on his foot which may have held up his preparation. The lightly raced Aqlaam is not proven over a mile but there is sufficient stamina in his pedigree to suggest it will be within his compass. Paco Boy has to be the most likely winner although his price looks skinny. Virtual would benefit from any further rain as he has winning form on soft ground.

In the 3.10 I am going to rely on the recent Yarmouth maiden winner Holyrood who is lightly raced and is gaining experience all the time.

My selections for the remainder of the Newbury card are; Lovely Thought, danger Miss Eze (4.20); Euston Square (4.55) and Almuktahem (5.30).

Up at Thirsk my list to follow is represented by Shemoli in the 2.30. He has finished runner up on both his starts this season and has perhaps been a shade disappointing. The stable are perhaps not quite firing at present and I am going to bypass him this time.

Roman Republic can race a bit keenly but as long as he settles he looks the one to be on in the 3.40.

Dandy Nicholls has 4 of the 10 runners in the 4.15. Adele Mulrennan is worth her 7 lbs claim and I will tip her to give Cape Vale a winning ride.

There is an evening card at Doncaster where I like the look of Dig Deep and Carleton in the 7.40.Carleton is the more likely to handle the ground and he is the selection.

In the 8.10 Bravo Echo looks nicely in at the weights while Cook’s Endeavour could go well at a big price.

Today’s pictures are courtesy of the artist Ruth Buchanan.

Clive Cox, Sir Michael Stoute and Henry Cecil all have their horses in top form at the moment and I fancy their runners in the 2.10 at York tomorrow. Electrolyser, Warringah and Walking Talking represent the 3 trainers and I can see the winner coming from that trio. For my selection I have chosen Electrolyser who looks the value at 7/1.

The 2.20 at Newbury looks a competitive heat and with the trip on the short side for Border Patrol it looks to be between Run for the Hills, Elnawin and Triple Aspect. I am going to narrow it down and select two runners in this, Run for the Hills and Triple Aspect both of which have bags of potential.

In the 2.50 the two I like most are Apple Charlotte and Mooakada. Apple Charlotte gave the impression that she would come on for her run at Ascot and I will just give her the edge.

Alanbrooke holds a Group 2 entry at Royal Ascot and could be a lot better than his current handicap mark of 78. He looks the one to beat in the 4.00.

Today’s picture is by kind permission of the artist Jo Stockdale (see links)

The Dante Stakes (2.40) is the centrepiece of the York card tomorrow and presents a less than straightforward puzzle as a case can be made for all 10 participants.

J Murtagh has chosen to ride Freemantle rather than Black Bear Island and although jockeys get these things wrong sometimes, Chester being a case in point for Johnny Murtagh, I am inclined to favour Freemantle of the pair.

Freemantle was 3^rd on his debut in a maiden at The Curragh where Black Bear Island was runner up, and subsequent Guineas winner Sea the Stars 4^th. The trip should be within Freemantle’s compass and he looks a serious contender. Neeham could be an interesting outsider as he comes into the race with an unblemished 100% record. He defeated Monitor Closely at Newmarket and the runner up then finished 8^th in the Guineas. Neither are out of contention here with the longer trip likely to suit the Peter Chapple-Hyam colt. Kite Wood is reported to have done well over the winter. He won his last two races in 2008 and the trip shouldn’t prove a problem. Crowded House was a hugely impressive winner of the Racing Post Trophy and it is difficult to knock his credentials. He has shown a devastating turn of foot to win at Doncaster and if reproducing that sort of form he will take all the beating. He is the selection.

Selections at other meetings;

Newmarket 6.50 Twisted (ew); 8.00 Four Winds (danger – On Our Way); Salisbury 1.50 Aromatic (danger – You Say I Say); 4.00 Ben’s Dream (ew)

I am short of time tonight but I will try and find a winner or two at York and Naas.

Starting at the York where we have the opening day of the Dante meting there are a couple of horses I like in the 1.40. The giant Stone of Scone impressed when winning last time at Nottingham. He is lightly raced and open to further improvement and with Ryan Moore in the saddle he looks a reasonable choice. Another worth considering is Red Kestrel who won at Lingfield last season on only his second career start and is a half brother to a St Leger winner.

In the 2.40 Enticement makes most appeal on the basis of her win last year at Newmarket where she had Midday, an impressive winner of the Lingfield Oaks Trial, back in 4^th. Sariska ran better than her finishing position suggest at Newbury over an inadequate trip. She was slowly away and then got hampered. It was not bad form anyway as the runner up in that race has since finished 3^rd in the 1,000 Guineas.

My original fancies for the 3.10 were Utmost Respect and Captain Gerrard but both will need rain which they seem unlikely to get. In the circumstances I will go with Hitchens who will handle the ground and comes into the race on the back of a win.

My short list for the 4.55 consists of Union Island, Bin End, Raaeidd and Trumpstoo. I like all four to be honest but if pushed for a single selection I would choose Raaeidd.

I have two selections at Naas, both in the 7.20, Beauty O’Gwaun and Timabyira.

Today’s picture is by courtesy of the artist Katie Scorgie.

 

Yarmouth stages an interesting card tomorrow. In the 3.00 I am Gun For Sale may be worth a second look. He has been placed in his last couple of runs but in both he has raced too keenly. If he settles better tomorrow he would go close.

Ithbaat who runs in the 3.30 was 2^nd behind an odds on Henry Cecil favourite over course and distance on his last start and can go one better.

Hopefully we can ignore Cadre’s latest run when he finished last of 11 at Lingfield as he was found to be lame afterwards. He looked a progressive sort when winning at Kempton last September and is worth another chance in the 4.00.

The consistent Street Power has the benefit of Ryan Moore in the saddle and is my selection in the 4.30.

Falcativ won his final two starts last season and looked a horse very much on the upgrade. He can land the 5.00 for trainer Luca Cumani.

Bagber has been running well without being able to get his head in front. He should again give a good account in the 7.50 at Windsor.

Tuesday selections;

Beverley 4.00 – High Office

Lingfield 6.20 – Bennelong

Warwick 3.50 – Mirrored

Picture courtesy of the artist Katy Sodeau.

 

There is some top class racing in Ireland and France tomorrow.

Fame and Glory is likely to be all the rage in the Derby Trial at Leopardstown (3.35).  Mourayan didn’t get a clear run when the pair met over course and distance last month and he may be able to turn the tables.

In the 2.25 at Longchamp I will take Vocalised to maintain his winning sequence although Naaqoos is likely to pose a major threat.  Fantasia was such an impressive winner at Newmarket that she will take some stopping in the 3.00 while ace sprinter Marchand D’Or lines up in the 3.35 where he faces Benbaun, a course and distance winner and Inxile who won at Naas on his latest start.

The racing certainly has an international flavour tomorrow and in Cologne Michael Jarvis saddles Sri Putra in the German 2,000 Guineas.

The picture of Benbaun is by courtesy of the artist Karen Davies.

 

I am going to stick with Henry Cecil’s Father of Time in the Oak’s Trial at Lingfield.

Look Busy is on  my list to follow and goes in the 3.30 at Nottingham.  She has already chalked up a win for us but she looks a bit of a short price today given that she has not won over the distance.

Lastly Pterodactyl, Kingscape and Cockney Trucker make most appeal in the Haydock 1.55.  For my selection I am going for Pterodactyl who could go well at a big price.

There are quite a few meetings to go at tomorrow and I will tackle them in Alphabetical order.

At Ascot in the 1.40 I think that Trumpet Lily might be worth considering. She won at Windsor last month and has shown that she handles all types of ground.

The Victoria Cup (2.15) looks as competitive as ever. Zaahid, last season’s winner si 6 lbs higher in the handicap this time but is still one for the short list. Dhaular Dhar has run well on some of his previous visits to Ascot and seems to like these big field handicaps. He can get into the picture off his current mark. We’ll Come is admirably consistent which tends to count against him as he never gets any respite from the assessor. Even so he is another to consider. Opus Maximus ran a stormer from a poor draw at Chester today and if he lines up again he has to command respect. Lastly for my short list I like the look of Manjuro who was a fast finishing 4^th in the Thirsk Hunt Cup last Saturday after getting away to a tardy start.

My idea of the 1-2-3 4 would be Opus Maximus, Manjuro, Dhaular Dhar and We’ll Come.

In the 4.00 Jimmy Styles runs off a mark 5 lbs higher than when winning the race last season. He is lightly arced however and may be open to further improvement. Although he has not raced for some time he has gone well fresh in the past.

Up at Haydock Redford is an interesting runner in the 4.50. He has always given the impression that 6 furlongs could be his trip and he gets the chance to prove it tomorrow. If he gets the right ground, he wouldn’t want it too quick, he should go well.

Dark Lane could be well handicapped and I can see him running a big race in the 5.25.

Lingfield stage their classic trials with the Oaks race the first at 2.40. Anice Stellato won nicely on her only start last season which was in a Newmarket maiden. Her dam won over 6 furlongs but there is some stamina elsewhere in her pedigree. July Jasmine is a half sister to Rob Roy and won her maiden at Leicester last season in taking fashion. That was on soft ground but her pedigree suggests she may be best suited by a sound surface. Midday was runner up to Debussy in the Blue Riband Trial against the colts at Epsom. One possible dark horse is Spirit of Dubai who is well regarded by connections and expected to leave her 2 year old form behind this season.

Midday has the form in the book while Anice Stellato and July Jasmine could, as they say, be anything. If pushed for a selection I would go with Anice Stellato.

Only 5 line up for the Derby Trial at 3.15. Sumbe disappointed at Newmarket but it is too soon to be writing him off just yet. Father Time was 3^rd at Newbury and that form has been boosted by the 4^th and 5^th who have come out and run well since. Age of Aquarius must be respected on his 4^th in a Group 1 at Saint-Cloud while Alwaary was 3^rd to Crowded House on his racecourse debut before getting off the mark in a Yarmouth maiden. The Irish arider may well be top class but he looks likely to start at very cramped odds and I would be inclined to take him on with Father Time.

At Thirsk the lightly raced Atlantic Beach could well be ahead of the handicapper and is my fancy in the 6.40 while another that could be well handicapped is Sir Royal in the 7.10.

Today’s pictures are by kind permission of the artist Ruth Buchanan.

After such a successful day at Chester on Wednesday it was down to earth with a bump today!

The Roodeye card again looks tricky tomorrow and my best chance of a winner may come elsewhere. Still, I will begin at Chester with the 1.45 where previous course winner Celtic Sultan is of interest especially from stall 1. Off a mark of 90 he looks well handicapped too so he has to be my selection.

Libel Law only won a maiden at Windsor last time out but he did so in good style. He needs to improve again to take a hand in the 2.15 but he may well be capable of doing so and has shown that he handles fast ground. He is my selection at a value price.

You have to respect anything that Sir Mark Prescott sends up to Hamilton and his Royal Diamond with Seb Sanders on board should go well in the 7.15. I see that the horse is entered again in a few days so maybe Sir Mark already has his second win under a penalty mapped out!

In the 8.50 I would be interested in Woodsley House each way should all 8 runners stand their ground. Jamie Kyne is well worth the 7 lbs claim and at 12/1 the horse looks over priced. A drop of rain would aid his chance.

At Lingfield my only selection is Lochstar in the 3.10 although I see that none of the newspaper experts agree with me!

The pair I like in the Nottingham 3.00 are Favours Brave and Penang Princess. Both have stamina influences in their pedigrees and could improve for this step up in trip.

Say No Now has finished runner up on both her starts, the second of them from a poor draw. She is well thought of by connections and can break her duck in the 3.35.

Barter is related to numerous winners and makes a belated racecourse debut in the 4.10. Purely on pedigree she is interesting.

Aiden O’Brien’s Aristocrat should have too much class for the opposition in the 5.15 at Wexford.

Today’s picture is by courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller (see links)

 

I enjoyed quite a successful day at Chester with last night’s preview pointing the way to 3 winners as well as some placed horses at nice prices.

Lincoln winner Expresso Star tackles Group 3 company in Chester’s 2.15 tomorrow. The step up to 10 furlongs should be in his favour and he did show at Doncaster that he handles fast ground. He needs to step up on previous form but there is every chance that he wile b able to do so and he gest the nod here.

Saptapadi is related to several top class horses and has run so far as though he may be capable of considerable improvement. With the Sir Michael Stoute team in great form I would give this one a sporting each way chance in the 2.45.

I will also go with the same trainer in the 3.15. Resort impressed when winning at Newmarket on only her second career start and she looks handicapped to with this as long at Ryan Moore can overcome a poor draw. Goliath’s Boy could be her main danger.

In the Goodwood 2.00 In Secret could run well at a big price while The Tatling (pictured above) is back to a winnable mark in the 3.00 where Harlech Castle has an each way chance at a bigger price.

Picture by kind permission of the artist Lisa Miller.