Category: Horse racing

With Ascot already washed out I am hoping that Haydock’s card survives tomorrow morning’s inspection.

  

We will get a better idea of just how good Afsoun is tomorrow in the Champion Hurdle trial at 1.25. His future is over fences I would imagine but it is quite possible that he is not far off top class over the smaller obstacles.  Irish raider Mounthenry is a serious threat as he acts on the ground and actually stays further, which in the conditions is no bad thing.  Mister McGoldrick does most of his winning at Wetherby but deserves to win a prize like this.  He has been a grand servant to Sue Smith’s team and could just cause an upset.

  

Arcalis hasn’t won since taking the Fighting Fifth in 2005.  That was on soft ground but most of his form has been on a sound surface. I will side with Afsoun.

  

The Peter Marsh Chase looks an open contest. Wild Cane Ridge will appreciate this slog in the mud and if his jumping stands up he could be in the shake up.  Turpin Green is difficult to assess.  He ran no sort of race on his last outing but clearly has plenty of ability.  Like Wild Cane Ridge though he also has plenty of weight!

  

Old Truckers Tavern is a course and distance winner and goes on the ground.  He also has a low weight.  The grey Strong Resolve is another course and distance winner and seems to go on any ground.  He has a low weight and must be considered.  Apart from Turpin Green there are two other horses from our list to follow, Model Son and Snakebite. Model Son has a win in heavy ground at Carlisle on his CV but his recent form has not been encouraging.  Snakebite is a promising chaser and has won on heavy ground.  He looks a progressive type.  Irish Raptor has been in good form but I am not quite sure if he is good enough in this company.

  

This is a tricky race to assess but for my selection I am going for Leading Man.  A winner last time out all his career wins have come with plenty of give in the ground.

   

In the 2.20 our list to follow is represented by Astarador.  After winning a couple of small races by wide margins he was a very creditable 3^rd at Sandown behind Silverburn last time and should go well here.  He may have to give best to Amaretto Rose of Nicky Henderson’s.  This one was an impressive winner at Ascot and clearly revels in the mud.

  

My Way de Solzen should take the 3.20.  The Cool Guy reappears here after a 384 day absence having suffered ligament problems.

  

There are a couple of interesting runners in the 3.30.  Rood Report comes from an in form yard and has been second in bumpers at Chepstow and Hereford.  He is making his hurdles debut.  Hopkins is a half brother to chaser Billyvoddan.  He was 2^nd at Chepstow last time.

  

Lenny the Blade represents the list to follow in the 1.15 at Wincanton.  He was 11^th of 18 on his debut at Exeter.  He is a son of Derby runner up Master Willie out of a winning hurdler. He needs to find a bit to take a hand here but he should find a race or two eventually.

  

Grecian Groom has been one of the stars of my list to follow having come in at 33/1 at Lingfield. That was in heavy ground although he also acts on a sound surface.  I am hoping he will follow up in the 1.45 although there is a runner from Paul Nicholls stable, Breedsbreeze, that could present a problem.

  

Prince Azzurro was 2^nd at Ludlow last time on ground that was quicker than ideal.  He lines up for Henry Daly in the 2.15. Supreme Catch and Alphabetical both won last time out.  Although they have gone up the handicap as a result both are quite lightly raced and may still be competitive off their revised marks in the 2.50.

  

Ben’s Turn was almost certainly unsuited by the slow pace when beaten at Kempton last time and may get back to winning ways for Alan King in the 3.20.

  

Buster Collins won a novice hurdle at Plumpton before falling over fences.  He reverts to hurdles here and could go well at a decent price.  Another with an each way chance is Joli Classical.

  

We have a couple of list horses down to run in the 3.50.  Model Son is also entered up at Haydock.  I am just a bit unsure about him at the minute and prefer to keep a watching brief.  The other list runner is All in the Stars.  He seems to have lost his way of late after running some cracking races last season.  I tipped him last time he ran and he was well beaten so I am going top sidestep him here.  Irish Raptor could go well if taking up this engagement.

  

Amour Multiple is trained by Shaun Lycdett and is very much his stable star.  His win at Hereford last time out was a career best effort and he clearly handles soft ground well.  He seeks to follow up in the 4.25 and coming from a little know stable may start at a false price.  The Hairy Lemon, trained by Alan King is on an upward curve, will handle the ground and is ridden by a useful claimer.  He is the other one I like in this race.

  

I don’t have time to preview the meeting at Naas I am afraid.

 

Continue reading “Diary; January 20 2007” →

Racing was completely blown away today which was a shame as I was looking forward to old Dancing Bay making his chase debut at Ludlow.

  

The only jumps meeting tomorrow is at Musselburgh.  There are no runners from our list to follow on Friday but I will have a brief look at the races and see if I can spot anything of interest.

  

12.40 Knockara Luck won bumpers at Cheltenham and Punchestown and has run well enough in two efforts over hurdles to warrant favouritism here I would imagine. Nothing else really appeals.

  

1.10 Pevensey was a smart horse on the flat and has already got off the mark for John Quinn over hurdles.  His win over Christmas at Catterick was quite impressive and he looks the one to beat here.  He is not over big though and has to carry top weight.

  

Diktatorial won a Group 3 on the flat as a juvenile and has been snapped up by Howard Johnson.  Modicum was 2^nd here last time.  He had some fair bumper form and could well run into a place at least.

  

Neutron was pulled up last time out but is probably better than that.  Painted Sky was beaten a long way on his UK debut at Wetherby but has some form on the flat in France.  Pevensey sets the standard.

  

3.55 Mr Guppy’s 5^th behind Sir Boreus Hawk here makes him the obvious choice.  Theatrical Moment comes from a stable that do well in this type of event.

  

Let’s hope the weather improves.

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 19 2007” →

The jumps racing tomorrow comes from Ludlow and Taunton.  Taunton though must first pass a morning inspection. Nicky Henderson sends a couple of runners to the Shropshire venue, Dancing Bay and his younger half sister, Spanish Lace.  Henderson has a good record at Ludlow so the two are worth a closer look. Spanish Lace makes her hurdles debut in the 1.10.  To be honest her flat form is nothing out of the ordinary with her only win from 5 starts coming in a 9 furlong maiden on the sand at Wolverhampton. However given the stable form she may repay an each way interest. 

 

Dancing Bay is a bit long in the tooth for a horse making his chase debut.  He is 10 now and ahs been a great servant to connections but has not won since June 2004.  He is not over big but on his hurdles form he would certainly be in with a shout.  All depends on how he jumps really. 

 

The only runner from our list to follow is Wyldello in the 2.20  at Taunton.  Alan King’s horses have been going well and this one looks to have a good chance after running a very promising 2^nd at Warwick in heavy ground after a 38 week absence. 

 

Alan Swinbank is never afraid to run his horses in different parts of the world.  I see he has Hartshead in the 6.35 at Nad Al Sheba tomorrow.  I remember Hartshead winning the Carlisle Bell a few years ago and getting mugged on the line at Newcastle by old Uhoomagoo.   Wyldello woul be my best suggestion I think.

Continue reading “Diary: January 18 2007” →

I hope that Newbury goes ahead tomorrow as there is an excellent novice chase on the card at 1.30.  It could turn into a battle between Tony McCoy on Don’t Push It and Ruby Walsh on Opera Mundi.  Both won last time out and they are difficult to separate.  If I had to make a choice I would go for Don’t Push It.  He has run Denman close and Aztec Warrior, who was 4^th when he won at Cheltenham, has won since.

  

My main fancy at Newcastle is The Whisperer in the 1.10.  A former point to point winner, he won at Kelso on his hurdles bow and the 2 horses that beat him last time at Cheltenham have both won since.  Rose Davidson, who I think is the owner’s daughter, has the ride.

  

Bannow Strand has been pulled up on his last 3 starts.  They were over fences though and he runs over hurdles in the 3.40 at Newbury.  He is off a mark 31 lbs lower than his chase rating.

  

Good luck

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 17 2007” →

I was sad to hear that 1984 Grand National winner Hello Dandy had died last week. There is an interesting article about him on the link below.

http://www.mischiefblue.co.uk/dandy.html

  

Not a lot to report from today’s racing.  Dom D’Orgeval won on his chase debut while our other list runner, Ring Back was 2^nd at Plumpton. 

  

The only jumps meeting tomorrow is at Folkestone.  There are no runners from our list to follow.

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 16 2007” →

 

One of my horse racing links has some “sports simulation” games that you might like to have a look at.  They include “Two Furlongs From Home” a horse racing (flat) game which includes being able to re-run "big" races from the past, including Epsom Derbys from 1953.  The link is below.

  

http://www.freewebs.com/johnbowness/

  

1953 is a little before my time as I first got hooked on horse racing around 1960.  Thinking back, it was not long after that there was a spate of racecourse closures.  Alexandra Park or “Ally Pally” went in 1970.  The London Cup run there that year was won by a young 5 pound claimer – a certain Pat Eddery.   Another familiar name to current racing fans, George Duffield, rode the winner of the very last race at the track.  Duffield of course only retired quite recently.

  

Hurst Park was another track to close around this time.  They used to stage races named after Henry VIII’s 6 wives.  The Jane Seymour Stakes, the Catherine Parr handicap etc.

  

The name Hurst derives from "Hyrst", an Old English word for a small wood that presumably once stood there. The land was once used for other sporting activities -archery, cricket, pugilism, golf and occasionally for illicit duelling. The first game of cricket known to have taken place here was on 13th July, 1731, and the earliest recorded instance of a player being given out leg-before-wicket occurred here in 1795. Several bouts for the Prize Fighting Championship of England were fought on Molesey Hurst in the early part of the last century.  I think there is a Tesco store where the old racecourse used to be now.

  

Pass Me By, took the £30,000 Sussex National at Plumpton for Suzy Smith recently.  Ms Smith  trains at the defunct Lewes racecourse.  The Lewes track was another to bite the dust in the 60s. The great Fred Archer once rode 6 out of 7 winners at Lewes.  He also had his last rides there in November 1886 shortly before falling ill and committing suicide during a bout of delirium.  He was only 29.

   

Anyway, back to the present day I thought that Verasi was a game winner of the Lanzerote Hurdle.  He is one of those horses that always seems to win at a big price.  His 3 successes in handicap hurdles have come at 16/1, 12/1 and 20/1.

  

Although we have had a steady stream of winners from the list to follow they have been at skinny prices in the main.  There is only one lister in action tomorrow at Fakenham and that is Dom D’Orgeval in the 2.20.  He ran up a hat trick of hurdles wins last season and made a fine reappearance when 3^rd to Inglis Drever in a Grade 2 at Newbury.  He makes his chase bow here and if reproducing anything like his hurdles form he should win.  The fences at Fakenham are not difficult but the tight track does not suit every horse.

  

We also have one “lister” at Plumpton.  Ring Back runs in the 2.30.  She won a bumper at Warwick last March and has shown enough in novice hurdles to suggest she can land a small race.

  

Returning to the 60s nostalgia for a moment, I have been listening to a Nancy Sinatra CD whilst penning these notes.  The line from “These boots are made for walkin’” that goes “You keep losing when you ought to not bet” is perhaps one we should all take note of!

  

Take care.

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 15 2007” →

Gungadu and Madison du Berlais were winners for our list to follow today.

  

Of the other list horses Kinburn put up a good performance in the Warwick Classic.  His jumping wasn’t exactly fluent but it was still an improvement on some earlier efforts. Ladalko was a worthy winner of the race.  When his jumping holds together he has plenty of ability.  I wonder how he would take to the Grand National fences?

 Racing Demon made a mess of the first hurdle and ballooned the 2^nd but was creeping into the race when he crashed out in the handicap hurdle.  Verasi was a game winner for Gary Moore who trains near Brighton racecourse.

  

Royal Shakespeare got off the mark over hurdles in ground he wouldn’t have liked much while Secret Ploy won over hurdles for the first time.  He has only been out of the first 3 once in his career and that was at the Cheltenham Festival.

  

Romany Prince won the handicap hurdle at Kempton, albeit being helped by a bad blunder at the last by the then leader.  I remember following Romany Prince on the flat when he was trained by D Elsworth.  I quite fancied him for the Chester Cup in 2003 but he was drawn 16 of 16 and was never able to get into the race.  His dam is by Old Vic who is the dam of top chaser Our Vic.

  

List qualifiers tomorrow are as follows.  All at Leopardstown.

  

12.50 Ballytrim

 

1.50 Oulart

 

2.20 Ross River

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 14 2007” →

French Saulaie dotted up for our list to follow at Huntindon today.  Although he was 4/6, as the commentator said at the time “if all odds on favourites won like that the world would be a better place.”  Saulaie is French for willow plantation, I bet you didn’t know that! Cathedral Rock put in a pleasing effort in 3^rd in the same race.

  

Richard Johnson rode French Saulaie and completed a double later in the afternoon on board Chopneyev for Richard Phillips.  Chopneyev is a horse that I used to follow over hurdles.  He has had his injury problems but has now run 4 times in quick succession and is really making hay in the soft ground.  Can you make hay in the rain? Oh well you know what I mean. Chopneyev is certainly tough and showed far too much resolution for his rivals.

  With all the rain that has been falling some of tomorrow’s meetings hinge on inspections.  I will carry on with the usual preview in the hope that something goes ahead.

 

 

Sha Bihan won over 2 miles 6 last week at Fontwell and is raised 8 lbs in the weights as a result. The extra 2 furlongs of the 2.45 at Kempton should help him and he does handle soft ground. Alan King’s horses are in excellent form and I am hopeful of a big run from this one.

  

Henrietta Knight’s Racing Demon, 3^rd to Kauto Star in the King George is switched to hurdles for the 3.15.  He is well treated in comparison to his chase mark and ground, trip and track should all suit.

  

Gungadu found one too good for him at Warwick last time and looks to get back to winning ways in the 2.00 at Warwick.  He is related to The Tsarevich who was 2^nd in a Grand National.  He has never won in anything softer than good to soft.

  

Bleak House represents our list to follow in the 2.30.  He is a bumper winner and was 3^rd behind Kicks for Free at Haydock last time having won over hurdles at Aintree.  He is yet to race on soft ground but is likely to appreciate the trip.

  

Madison Du Berlais was 4^th at Chepstow in his last run.  He has gone down a couple of pounds in the weights, acts on soft and is probably running over his best trip in the 3.00.

  

Jumping errors are proving costly for Kinburn this season but if he can put in a good round of fencing he would have a chance ion the 3.30.  Ladalko is another win plenty of ability but can be an erratic jumper.  Either of these could win if on a good day.  Tana River is a thorough stayer who revels in the mud and has never fallen in his career.  He is on a hat trick and has to be respected here.  Tana River is an 11 year old, as is Robert Alner’s runner in this, Sir Rembrandt.  He was 2^nd in this race last season and showed he is no back number when runner up in the Rowland Meyrick on Boxing Day.  D’Argent defied a long lay off to win in the soft at Cheltenham last month and if in that sort of form again would be in the firing line here.

  

Another veteran, Jungle Jinks is a bit of a standing dish at Wetherby, having won there 5 times. On his last 4 visits to the Yorkshire track his form figures read 3133, he loves the mud and is entitled to be in the shake up in the 2.20.

  

The advance going at Punchestown is heavy which should suit recent Limerick winner You Sir in the 12.55.

  

Back tomorrow evening – see you then.

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 13 2007” →

As things turned out Classic Fiddle was the only runner from our list to follow today and he won at Hereford at 8/11.

 

 

It seems likely that the current monsoons will wash away some more meetings over the next few days but hopefully Huntingdon will go ahead.

 

 

Qualifiers from our list to follow tomorrow are as follows.

 

 

Huntingdon 1.50 French Saulaie and Cathedral Rock

 

 

Kelso 3.10 Troll

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 12 2007” →