Category: Racing diary

 

Seal Rock started the season really well but his form has tailed off alarmingly. At his best he would be worth considering in the Goodwood 2.35 tomorrow but he would be a risky selection. The same applies to another horse I have been following this season, Watch Amigo who runs in the 4.45 and is another without recent form to commend him. For my best bet at Goodwood I have chosen Aazif in the 4.10 who has a staying pedigree and should be suited by the trip.

At Ffos Las Minell For Party is well thought of by connections and is my tip for the bumper at 5.30.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Sarah Aspinall.

 

The big handicap tomorrow is the Cesarewitch, the 3.50 at Newmarket. There are plenty in with chances. I have been following Ashbrittle this season but he has been disappointing. He won at this time of year last season and a return to form couldn’t be ruled out. Irish Raider Buy Back Bob may well have been laid out for this by his shrewd trainer. 3^rd over hurdles at Cork in August he hung badly when down the field in a handicap on the flat at Gowran Park last time. An interesting runner.

Course and distance winner Bernie the Bolt is another I like. He has been off the course for over a year but if fully fit would have solid claims. Lastly Big Occasion, trained by David Pipe must be on any shortlist. A winner at Tipperary and The Curragh for his previous trainer he is very lightly raced and could well be better than his handicap mark. Another to consider is Keys who has won his last two races, stays and is certainly on the upgrade.

I am going to select 3 horses for this, all at big prices. Berrnie the Bolt 20/1, Buy Back Bob 16/1 and Big Occasion 33/1.

Elsewhere on the Newmarket card Strong Suit (2.05) and King Torus (5.35) are my main fancies.

My best bet at York is Internationaldebut in the sprint at 4.05. He has already won 3 on the bounce and there may well be further improvement to come. Another to consider is Oceanway in the 2.50.

There are only 4 runners in the 4.10 at Chepstow but it looks a very interesting contest. Former Cheltenham Champion Bumper winner Cue Card makes his chase debut on the back of some classy hurdles form. Silviniaco Conti won twice in Grade 2 hurdle races last season and is another with great expectation for a career over fences. This is not really a betting proposition but I would just prefer the Paul Nicholls trained runner.

Reve de Sivola didn’t quite live up to expectations over fences last season and was often let down by some untidy jumping. He has plenty of ability though and is worth sticking with. He runs in the 5.50.

Picture courtesy of the artist Katy Sodeau.

 

Thursday’s selection showed a profit thanks to Purple ‘n Gold a winner at Wolverhampton at 3/1. Shallow Bay was beaten into second place over the jumps.

The flat racing on Friday comes from York where the card looks tricky enough. Prime Exhibit doesn’t win very often but is potentially quite well treated in the York 3.05. Ground conditions will suit and he has an each way chance. He is yet to win over a mile but as horses get older their stamina can improve. He is a tentative choice on a difficult day at York.

Things look a bit more promising over the jumps at Carlisle. Donald McCain runs Loden in the 2.10. A winner on the flat for Luca Cumani. Tony McCoy has the ride and the horse looks an interesting recruit to the jumping ranks.

My main hopes at Carlisle both come from Charlie Longsden’s stable. In the 3.55 Time For Spring and Baseball Ted in the 4.30. Time For Spring has always looked a chaser in the making and with the stable in form he will hopefully go well.

Baseball Ted is a progressive type suited by a right handed track. Tom O’Brien rides and he has won 3 of his 7 rides on the horse.

A couple of others to consider over the jumps are Rival D’Estruval in the Carlisle 3.20 and King of the Night at Newtoon Abbot in the 3.30.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Alison Wilson

Good luck

 

The only selection yesterday won at 2/1 ending a sequence of seconds.

There are a couple of interest today. On the flat Purple n’ Gold made a promising debut at Lingfield last month and should go well in the 6.20 at Wolverhampton.

Over the jumps David Pipe saddles a newcomer to his stable in Shallow Bay, in the 2.20 at Exeter. A winner on the flat when trained by Walter Swinburn he looks the sort to win races over hurdles.

 

Hot Spice proved more of a korma than a vindaloo yesterday as our bout of seconditis continued.

My only selection for Wednesday is at Ludlow where quick ground specialist Mauritino looks the one to be on in the 3.40. He does need a sound surface though so I am hoping that the rain stays away.

One lighter moment from yesterday’s meetings came at Catterick in the nursery where Indepub won from Annie Walker!

 

Leicester 4.10 Hot Spice

 

Selections for Monday;

Pontefract 3.40 Fire Fighter; 5.10 Moonscape.

 

I don’t have a strong view on the Arc tomorrow. Serafina was my original idea of the winner and I will stick with her despite an unfavourable draw. Nakayama Festa is a big price and could run well.

In the Prix L’Abbaye Prohibit looks the one to beat while in the opener Gentoo is a tentative selection although he is best with give in the ground.

Back at home at Kelso Aikman will have his favoured ground in the 3.55. The long term plan is to send him novice chasing but he is up to winning over hurdles in the meantime. Arctic Court looks the main threat.

Lexi’s Boy is an interesting newcomer in the 2.40. He was a winner 4 times on the flat for Kevin Ryan.

At Tipperary the main interest is the chase debut of the Cheltenham Festival winner First Lieutenant in the 5.15.

 

I didn’t get the chance to look at the Ascot 3.50 when writing my preview last night.

Eton Forever gave us an early season tipping success at Doncaster in April and although raised 11 lbs for that success he has been running well since without notching another win. He was 5th in the Royal Hunt Cup and then ran well in second at Doncaster last time out. This drop back to 7 furlongs might suit him.  Nasri and Smarty Socks both come here on the back of a win.

Before Nasri’s recent win at Hamilton he had finished 5th in the Stewards Cup. Smarty Socks has been running well all season winning over course and distance last time out.  He has winning form on fast ground. One that could go well at a big price is Atlantic Sport trained by Mick Channon. Although he hasn’t won for 3 years he is potentially well handicapped and has an each way chance.

 

Having followed Thimaar all season with very limited success I finally gave up on him today and he won at 6/1. Sums up my flat season really.

Tomorrow’s fixtures don’t exactly get the pulse racing. At Ascot Desert Law and Astrophysical Jet are worth considering in the 4.25. Secret Witness has a fair bit to find on the rating but he was finishing like a train at Haydock last week after a tardy start and then finding trouble in running.

The consistent Mehdi has an each way chance in the Newmarket 3.00 while there might be more to come from the once raced Dance with me at a big price.

Bea Remembered was third at Taby in a listed race last week and reappears in the Newmarket 4.45. She should run well but the Henry Cecil runner will be hard to beat. Incidentally, Täby racecourse, located in the northern suburbs of Stockholm, is the premier track in the three Scandinavian countries where racing is run, Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

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