Category: Racing diary

 

After a poor day on Saturday things took a turn for the better this afternoon with all the horses mentioned in the Sunday preview performing well.

I will cover both Monday and Tuesday with tonight’s bulletin as the racing is mainly low key.

There are two runners from my list to follow in action at Bath. Blue Nymph has an obvious chance in the 4.10 after a run of seconds. Hillside Las goes in the seller at 3.10. He was last of 11 in a similar contest the other day so a bet is not recommended!

Hooligan Sean showed some promise on his racecourse debut at Newbury. He should learn from the experience and has an each way chance in the 2.50 at Folkestone.

Northside Prince remains a maiden after 8 starts but has not always had the rub of the green. He deserves to win a race and hopefully will break his duck in the 4.00 at Newcastle.

On Tuesday Aattash should be there or thereabouts in the Goodwood nursery at 3.10.

The weather has a distinct autumn feel to it at the moment and as a reminder that winter is just around the corner today’s picture is of Goodwood racecourse in the snow. My thanks to Mark Hackett for use of his excellent photo.

 

Not much to comment on tomorrow, although I see that Tom Tate introduces Walvis Bay, a half brother to 7 winners, in the 2.35 at York.

I wouldn’t rule out Virtual and Aqlaam in the Prix Du Moulin de Longchamp over in France.

 

Three year olds have supplied 5 out of the last 8 winners of the Haydock 2.55 tomorrow so it seems to be sensible to concentrate on that age band. Alanbrooke comes from a stable that has done well in this race in the past, he stays well and has won on soft ground. He is 10 lbs higher than his best winning mark however. King’s Destiny is untried at this trip but has looked progressive in winning twice this season and acts on soft ground. Chiberta King is another consistent sort whose only disappointing effort when not handling the track at Goodwood. His winning form is on quick ground though which a concern is. Alanbrooke and King’s Destiny are my 2 against the field.

My short list for the 3.30 consists of Finjaan, Corrybrough and Main Aim. Main Aim was disappointing on his latest start but previous form puts him bang in there and he is the selection.

Curtain Call was far from disgraced when 2nd to Casual Conquest at the Curragh and can gain compensation in the 2.40 at Kempton. Quadrille was an impressive winner at Newbury on his debut and looks set to follow up in the 3.45.

Up at Thirsk Invisible Man looks the one to beat in the 3.05. He has done nothing but improve and goes for a hat trick here.

In the 4.40 Woodsley House is well handicapped if he can finds his best form.

Today’s picture is courtesy of Ruth Buchanan.

 

I have hit a better run on the tipping front these last few days. Raine’s Cross was a successful tip, today and with the consistent Tropical Paradise coming in later on the card at rain lashed Salisbury trainer Peter Winkworth had a good day as well. I always think that Winkworth, who trains at Chiddingfold in Surrey, is an underrated trainer and one well worth following.

Northern Bolt hasn’t won for nearly 2 years but there are several factors that point to him having a chance in the Catterick 4.00 tomorrow. He will have his favoured ground for one thing and that has not often been the case recently. He has also come down a little in the weights, wears a first time visor and his last few runs have shown some encouraging signs.

At Chepstow Hillside Lad should be in the frame at least in the seller 2.40.

I will have to tip one of Mr Fallon’s rides on his return to the fold. He rides Wigan Lane in the 6.20 and this filly should benefit from this return to 6 furlongs.

My fancy in the 7.20 is Brian Meehan’s Pin Cushion. By Pivotal out of Frizzante she is certainly bred for the job and she ran well in third on her last stay at Newbury where the fast ground may not have been to her liking.

Charm School has failed to live up to expectations. He was a leading fancy for the Lincoln at the start of the campaign but has under achieved in his 4 outings. He is tried over a longer trip tomorrow in the 8.50 which probably makes sense as he has been staying on late in his races over shorter distances.

Street Power has been in fine form and goes for a 4 timer in the 3.50 at Lingfield. Despite going up in the weights he will be hard to beat.

Mutamaashi is only lightly raced and ran with plenty of promise when 3^rd at Newmarket last time. He is the selection in the 4.50.

As a reminder that the jumps season is not far away I have featured Emily Russell’s picture of Master Minded today.

 

We had a couple of winners yesterday, notably Distant Memories who scored his second successive win at Ripon.

Kona Coast looks the form pick in the Brighton 2.30 tomorrow but has not looked the most straightforward in his two outings so far. Walcott Square may have more to offer than he has shown in his first couple of runs and is put forward as an alternative.

In the 1.50 at Lingfield both Cherish the Moment and Spirit of Dubai have claims.

Moving on to Thursday at Epsom the consistent Air Maze should give a good account in the 4.35. Amno Dancer was 3^rd at Yarmouth in a race that has worked out quite well and may be worth considering in the Redcar 2.30.

Raine’s Cross has been running with credit in decent company and should go well in the 2.10 at Salisbury.

Ruthie Babe has not lived up to early expectations but may be worth another chance in the Wolverhampton 6.20 while in the 7.50 Classically takes a considerable drop in class.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Jane Dunn.

 

 

I was quite taken with the performance of Markazzi when second at Newbury on his debut and he should be able to go one better in the 2.20 at Leicester.

Dream of Gerontis has some ability and 20/1 about him in the seller at 2.35 is probably on the generous side if the first time blinkers do the trick.

There are two runners from my list to follow in action at Ripon, Hey Up Dad (2.30) and Distant Memories (3.30).

 

The following runners from my list to follow are entered tomorrow.

Epsom 5.30 Raaeidd

Ripon 4.45 Dark Lane

Epsom 5.20 Piquante and Speed Dating

Warwick 5.25 Bourne

Today’s picture is by kind permission of the artist Susan Shaw.

 

There is a good card at The Curragh tomorrow where the Group 1 Moyglare Stakes at 3.45 tops the bill. Sent From Heaven boosted the form of Long Lashes when winning today and I will take the Godolphin filly to upset the favourite,

Later on the card in the 5.15 English horses look set to dominate with both Look Busy and Judge ‘N Jury in with chances. Look Busy gets my vote but I would be tempted to have a small each way saver on Judge ‘N Jury.

My selections at Goodwood are Cat Junior (3.55) and Mabuya (4.30) July Jasmine also represents my list to follow in the 2.45.

At Yarmouth Decorative and Blue Lyric are interesting newcomers in the 2.20 while in the 4.40 Tiger Flash, second over course and distance last time looks to hold a good chance.

At Deauville Mark Johnston’s Jukebox Jury looks more likely to be a hit than a miss in the Group 2 at 3.30.

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

 

 

Saga de Tercey gave me a welcome winner today. He looks just the type of stayer that Alan Swinbank excels with and I will follow his progress with interest.

There is always a bit of a lull at this time of the flat season before the better quality action returns with the St Leger. There are plenty of meetings to go at over the weekend though and the quality of the racing isn’t bad after the modest fare served up midweek.

Starting at Beverley my old friend Dig Deep runs in the 2.30. I included him in my list to follow in the hope that things would drop right for him somewhere during the season and he would come in at a big price. He duly obliged last week at 16/1 although he probably isn’t the sort of animal that will necessarily follow up. He has been raised 4 lbs for his short head win and is still well handicapped on his best form. He has a chance but I don’t think the 5/1 currently quoted is value.

Goliath’s Boy has been running quite well without winning and has an each way chance in the 3.00.

The 3.35 is an interesting sprint. Some pundits fancied Invincible Lad at Chester last week but he had little chance from a poor draw and ran well in the circumstances. He should go well as should the Dandy Nicholls runner Masta Plasta.

Goodwood next and the 2.35 where the Godolphin runner Urban Poet is likely to be favourite. I am going to oppose him with John Dunlop’s King of Wands who has impressed me this season. There is perhaps a slight doubt about his ability to handle the track but he will do for me.

The form of the 2,000 Guineas this season has worked out remarkably well and on that basis you have to give Delegator a solid chance in the 2.35. Course and distance winner Zacinto is open to any amount of improvement after just 3 career starts and he could just be the danger.

The pair that make most appeal in the 3.45 are Sent From Heaven and Siyaadah. If pushed for a single selection it would be Sent From Heaven.

At Newmarket the Michael Jarvis pair of Noafal and Sard both hold group entries and any market support for them would be interesting while Palace Moon can bounce back to form in the 3.25 for the in form trainer Hughie Morrison.

Stoic has shown enough in his 2 outings to date to indicate he can win races and he is the selection in the 4.00.

There are two runners from my list to follow in the 5.05, Park Lane and Bullet Man. Now that Park Lane has got off the mark he may be able to build on that success and he is the tentative selection. Moheeb would come into the reckoning given plenty of rain.

At Windsor I will stick with Warringah in the 6.10 after his gallant effort in the Ebor.

Today’s picture is by kind permission of the artist Sarah Aspinall.

Winners have been thin on the ground of late but One Good Emperor (3^rd at 20/1) was a fair shout today. We live in hope!

I fancied Northside Prince on Tuesday when he found one too good for him at Ayr. Although his sire was a miler, winning the Irish Guineas, he has quite a strong influence for stamina on his dam’s side. She was a full sister to Ionian Spring who did his winning over 10 furlongs or more and a half sister to Conduit and Hard Top. I half expected to see him upped in trip in search of that elusive first win but he drops down to a mile in the Hamilton 7.00 tomorrow. Clearly one of those occasions when the trainer knows rather more than us amateurs! It is a weak race with the main threat coming from recent course and distance winner Mohawk Ridge. The latter didn’t beat much though and has a 6 lbs penalty whereas Northside Prince has a good apprentice on board claiming 3 lbs. On pedigree Northside Prince should handle soft ground and may be able to break his duck here.

At Newmarket Cactus Curtsey represents my list to follow in the 4.35.After an encouraging debut when 3^rd at Doncaster at July she has not really progressed and runs in a claimer tomorrow. Strictly on ratings she has a chance of making the frame but this is a poor race.

Another horse dropped in class is the frustrating Charles Parnell in the 2.00 at Thirsk. He did well on the all weather last winter winning a couple of times at Southwell. Although in theory he has been well treated on turf this year he has not been able to make it count and most recently was 3^rd to Turnkey at Carlisle. He runs in the claimer at Thirsk but has a bit to find with Mutamared who was once rated 104.

My main hope of a winner tomorrow is Saga de Tercey in the 4.15. A former bumper winner he has been running consistently and with few miles on the clock he should have more improvement in him. Runner up at York last week he can go one better tomorrow.

Baybshambles has done well for his small stable winning 6 races at the minimum trip. He has shown that he goes well for an apprentice as he has had a claimer on board for 4 of his wins. He runs in an apprentice handicap tomorrow in the 4.45 at Thirsk where he is a course and distance winner. He has won on soft but may prefer a sound surface.

Today’s pictures are courtesy of Katy Sodeau (top) and Ruth Buchanan.