Category: Racing diary

Saturday saw an excellent haul of 5 winners from our list to follow headed by Kevin Ryan’s Advanced in the Ayr Gold Cup, with Jamie Spender in the saddle.

Best ride of the day came from Johnny Murtagh who waited at the back with Monte Alto before producing him late to win the 10 furlong handicap at Newbury. This was Monte Alto’s 3^rd success of the season. Another to claim his third win of the campaign was Black Rock in a competitive handicap at Ayr where he stayed on well under Philip Robinson.

Henry Cecil has enjoyed something of resurgence this season and he brought back Multidimensional to win at Newbury where jockey Ted Durcan rode a particularly well judged race.

Our 5^th winner was Vanquisher who finally got off the mark at the 11^th time of asking in a poor race at Newmarket. Fittingly, on a day to honour Lester Piggott, Vanquisher is trained by Willie Haggas, the great man’s son-in-law.

Moving on to Monday, there are 3 meetings on the flat. Big Timer won his first 3 starts on turf last season and was sent over to the USA for a Grade 1 event on dirt at Belmont Park but was tailed off. He runs in the 2.40 at Hamilton tomorrow, his first race since finishing out of the money at Lingfield back in March. He has a bit to find with the likes of Welsh Emperor, who won this race in 2004, but as a lightly raced 3 year old may have scope for improvement. Tom Eaves, his usual pilot, has the ride.

The other runner from our list to follow is Strike up the Band. His last win came nearly a year ago in a listed race on soft ground at Chantilly. He finished last of 12 in a listed race at Beverley on his most recent start last month but he had been of the track for a while before and we can perhaps ignore that run. He seems to handle any ground.

After 3 runs as a juvenile Robbie Scott looked a likely type for handicaps this season but he cut no ice on his return to the track 43 days ago when beaten 32 lengths. That was not a promising effort but there are two things that might just give a glimmer of hope. First of all the ground for that last race was firm, which may not have suited. Secondly, Robbie Scott is related to Bosham Mill who actually won a hunter chase over 4 miles plus, so maybe the extra distance of tomorrow’s race will bring out some improvement when he runs in the 4.10.

For those that are interested in such things Robbie Scott’s half brother Doctor Scott runs in the following race, the 4.10. His 4 career wins have all come on fast ground which rather calls into question my earlier theory. Oh Well!

Perfect Stride, a son of Oassis Dream should collect in the 4.30 at Leicester but looks likely to be a very short price.

Coup D’Etat represents our list to follow in the 5.30 at Leicester. He is a course and distance winner but has a poor strike rate and although he has ability he is not an easy one to predict.

There are also 3 meetings on Tuesday. Spume has recorded 1 win from his 9 starts this season and as that was at 8/1 you are about to go into the red if you are backing him every time he runs and he loses in the 3.30 at Beverley. He has come down the ratings and races off a mark lower than his last win. No 3 year old has won this race in the last 10 years though so the portents don’t look good.

In the 3.10 at Brighton I thought about the once raced Wannarock who is quite well related.

Sir Mark Prescott has not enjoyed quite his usual level of success with his 3 year old handicappers. His View from the Top has won once, with that success coming on the all weather at Wolverhampton. He tackles 12 furlongs for the first time in the 4.10 at Brighton and is not absolutely guaranteed to get the trip on pedigree as he is by a miler. Seb Sanders will be keen enough to get a win here in his quest for the jockey’s title.

Salsa Steps has shown enough in a couple of runs this season to put her in with a chance in the 3.20 at Folkestone.

Northern Jem, a half brother to Polar Jem and Polar Red, is very well thought of by his trainer. He seems to have been found a winning opportunity in the 5.20 at Folkestone.

Continue reading “Diary: Sept 24” →

We had a couple of excellent winners from our list to follow this afternoon.  Utmost Respect landed a huge gamble in the Ayr Silver Cup and won with the minimum of fuss.  Earlier Halicarnassus had narrowly prevailed in the Group 3 race at Newbury.  He is often scrubbed along during the race but can produce a very strong finish.  He has done our list to follow proud with 3 wins now.

The Ayr Gold Cup is one of the big sprint handicaps of the season and always a difficult puzzle to solve with two 33/1 winners in the last 10 years.

Borderlescott carries top weight and would certainly not be winning out of turn.  Runner up to Fonthill Road in this race last season he was just collared on the line by Zidane in the Stewards Cup and has since gone down by a short head at Beverley.  He has a potentially favourable draw and seems to hand le any ground but the weight might just prove to be an anchor.

Advanced was 3^rd in last season’s race and showed he retains his ability when 2^nd at York a couple of starts ago in listed company.  He has form over 7 furlongs which could be a plus on testing ground and he also has the benefit of Jamie Spencer in the saddle.  Like Borderlescott he has his share of weight.

Knot in Wood has been in good form this season and after an effortless victory at Hamilton he was a close up 3^rd in the Stewards Cup.  Talented apprentice Jamie Moriaty takes 3 lbs off and out of stall 3 he has to be one for the short list.  You have to respect any Dandy Nicholls runners in this type of race, and he is well represented.  His son Adrian, who has ridden the winner twice in the last 10 years, rides Buachaill Dona this time.  He carries a 5 lbs penalty for a win over 5 furlongs at Musselburgh, in fact his last 3 wins have come at 5 furlongs.  Another Nicholls runner, Turnkey, will like thje ground but is not well drawn.  I will burden Knot in Wood with my selection with Fullandby a possible main danger.

In the 2.20 I see that Mick Channon’s Dellini wears a first time visor.  She won well at Chester a couple of starts ago.

Mutajarred has won all his 3 starts this season, by a total of 17 lengths.  He relishes soft ground and even though he has risen sharply in the weights he must be given a chance in the 2.50.  The other runner from our list to follow in this race is Proponent who has been largely disappointing this term.  Drops down to a mile here which may help him and he has won with ease in the ground.

In the 4.05 Fifty Cents returns after a break of 57 days.  He was a disappointing beaten favourite at Ascot on his last start.

There are 3 horses from our list to follow in the Doonside Cup at 3.40.  Ivy Creek has justified his selection on the list with a couple of wins already this season.  He has not been at his best on his last two starts although the soft ground will suit hm.  He is also returning to 10 furlongs after being campaigned over further.  He has won at 8 and 12 furlongs and ran well over ten at Chester earlier in the season.  Caldra has had a couple of encouraging “sighters” since returning from injury and should be spot on.  The soft ground will also be in his favour.  Sunshine Kid ran in the French Derby and posted a promising effort in a handicap last time out.  He has won on soft ground and comes into the reckoning.  Caldra gets a tentative selection.

We have 4 runners in the 5.15.  Black Rock has always looked a good sort and has won twice this season. Furmigadelagista battled well to win a Newbury maiden and was not disgraced over this trip last time at Sandown.  The soft ground will not be a problem.  Yossi has only been out of the first 4 once in 10 starts but he has only won once and that was at 1/4.  Bollin Felix has had a splendid season winning 3 times, including once cover this trip.  He loves soft ground but has gone up the ratings a long way since his first success.  The one they all have to beat though is Let’s Roll who is looking for a hat trick of wins in this race.  Black Rock is my selection but it might be worth a saver on Furmigadelagiusta.

Mark Johnston saddles the inconsistent Five a Side in the 3.35 at Catterick.  He wears first time blinkers.

In the 3.10 at Newbury our list will be double handed if Seabow takes his chance.  It seems he will only run if we get some rain though.  He won at Sandown last time and is well bred.  He would need to improve to be involved in the finish but is lightly raced.  Monte Alto has been amazingly consistent and has not been out of the first 3 in his 9 career starts.  Must have an each way chance.

Hogmaneigh won the Vodaphone Dash at Epsom earlier this year.  He tackles Group 3 company for the first time in the 3.45 at Newbury.  He has never won with the word firm in the going description.

Henry Cecil’s Multidimensional made up into a useful performance last season before suffering a pelvic fracture.  He returns in the 4.55 at Newbury after a lay off of more than a year. His wins have come on both fast and soft ground and if fully would up he would have a serious chance.

Both Transcend and Handsome Falcon have visited the winners’ enclosure once this season.  Transcend ran well on his last start when 2^nd in a race where the 3^rd has won since.  Handsome Falcon won at Beverley a couple os starts ago.  Both horses would probably prefer some give in the ground.

Vanquisher remains a maiden after 10 starts but he has been runner up on 4 occasions.  He should be in the shake up but you wouldn’t put your life savings on him.

We have 3 runners in the 3.55.  Lang Shining has looked a progressive sort and is preferred to Urban Spirit and Northern Jem.

See you tomorrow.

 

Continue reading “Diary: September 22 2007” →

Testing

Continue reading “Test” →

There are a few runners from our list to follow in action tomorrow.  Bo McGinty goes in the 2.55 at Ayr, carrying a 6 lbs penalty for his recent win at Haydock.  He does not have the bet strike rate and despite having a good draw he may find himself anchored by the penalty.

We have 4 runners in the Silver Cup at 4.40.  The lightly raced Utmost Respect looks to have the best chance on form but has a middle draw that might prove a hinderance.  Stable companions and full brothers Blazing Heights and Geojimali represent Jim Goldie.  Geojimali won the race last yaer and has slipped back to a reasonable mark after winning earlier in the season.  Pacific Pride is a course and distance winner but his recent form has been abysmal.

Osteopathic Remedy posted his best effort for a while when 2^nd at Thirsk on his latest start but has gone up 3 lbs in the process.  He runs in the 5.15.

There are 2 runners from our list in the 2.45 at Newbury.  Bauer needs to improve to take a hand in this but that is not out of the question given the nature of his win in a Chester handicap.  The drop in trip seems unlikely to benefit him.  Halicarnassus has won twice this season and has a telling turn of foot. He has shaped as though tomorrow’s trip may suit him.

 

Continue reading “Diary: September 21 2007” →

Qualifier from our list to follow running tomorrow:

Cadwell Wolverhampton 7.20

 

Continue reading “Diary: September 20 2007” →

There are a few runners from our list to follow tomorrow.  Both Shorthand and Sunlight contest the 4.30.  Shorthand  has been running reasonably well in good company but has a bit to find with some of her rivals.  Sunlight won a Haydock handicap off a mark of 83 but has not really shown enough to win a race like this.

Leptis Magna won earlier in the season but has not troubled the judge in 6 subsequent starts.  He is ridden by a decent 3 lbs claimer tomorrow in the 5.05 at Yarmouth and has an each way chance on his best form.

 

For me the most interesting runner tomorrow is Hora, from the Sir Mark Prescott stable.  She has shown precious little over inadequate trips as a juvenile but that does not necessarily count for much with 3 year old handicappers from this yard.  Her pedigree is strong on the stamina side and the 2 mile trip in the 9.20 atv Kempton could well be ideal.  The main doubt would be over her absence from the track until now.

 

See you tomorrow.

 

Continue reading “Diary: September 19 2007” →

There are just a couple of runners from our list to follow in action tomorrow.

 

Yarmouth 4.40 Dig Deep

 

Thirsk 4.30 Deserted Dane

 

Continue reading “Diary: September 18 2007” →

Well I am back a little earlier than anticipated but there is still quite a lot to catch up on.  A week can be a long time in racing.

 

Our list to follow has accounted for 9 winners since my last bulletin.  The best of these was the ultra consistent Dylan Thomas who landed the Irish Champion Stakes for the second year running, beating his Ballydoyle stable companion Duke of Marmalade.

 

The other big race of the week was of course the ST Leger, won by John Gosden’s Lucano, but Gosden had a good week all round and his Escape Route was another winner for our list taking the last race on yesterday’s Goodwood card.  This was a decent training performance as Escape Route had looked a difficult sort, refusing to go into the stalls on his previous run.  Another Gosden winner was Thinking Positive who broke her duck in a Bath maiden.

 

Hearthstead Maison has proved a typically tough competitor from the Mark Johnston yard and he stepped up on previous efforts to win a Group 3 race at The Curragh last weekend.  He has raced over a variety ofn trips but his 3 wins this year have all come over 10 furlongs.

 

Bo McGinty has been something of a standing dish on my list to follow in recent years.  In truth he doesn’t have a great strike rate but when he does get it right he can run well enougyh in sprint handicaps.  He had been running well this season without winning but finally came good at Haydock.  This was his first win since last June.  He had slipped to a nice mark, had his favourite good to firm going and the assistance of a talented claimer in Jamie Moriaty.

 

The Godolphin 4 year old Seabow was another winner for our list. He won a Sandown handicap ridden by Kerrin McEvoy on only his 6^th career start.

 

Seabow was winning for the first time this season as was the Sir Mark Prescott 3 year old Tonnante who won a 12 furlong handicap at Folkestone, a race that the same trainer won last season with the prolific filly Alambic.

 

This afternoon Stotsfold came with a withering run down the outside to land his first ever Group 3 for Walter Swinburn under a nice ride from Adam Kirby while Tax Free also tasted Group success at Longchamp to win for the fourth time this season.

 

Of the rest I was pleased to see Eisteddfod make all to win a listed race at Sandown for the Elite Racing Club.  This was his 11^th career win.

 

There are 3 runners from our list to follow tomorrow, all at Musselburgh.

 

In the 2.20 Monashee Brave tries 7 furlongs for the first time.  He won over 5 furlongs at Beverley last season but apart from a good run when 2^nd back in April he has shown little.  He has come down the weights a fair bit as a result though.

 

I have already mentioned Tonnante in my look back and she reappears under a penalty in the 3.20.  She is also stepped up in trip at 14 furlongs, a typical tactic used by her trainer and she must be respected.

 

Finally, in the 4.50 Blazing Heights looks to break his duck for the season.  A course and distance winner, he is well drawn and has been given a chance by the handicapper. He has each way prospects at around 5/1.

 

Continue reading “Diary: September 17 2007” →

There is no shortage of racing over the weekend, with quality as well as quantity.  I will look at the meetings in alphabetical order, sartrtting at Haydock.

 

In the 2.05 Indian Trail carries top weight.  He won at Sandown last week and Frankie Dettori again has the ride.  He is certainly respected.  Another with chances is Northern Empire.  His 4^th at York on his most recent start has been franked with the 3^rd horse having won since.  Our list to follow is represented by Dig Deep who has already won twice this season, and Blazing Heights.  Dig Deep ran well in 3^rd at the end of July but has failed to sparkle in his 2 most recent runs. He has come down a  few pounds and also has useful 3 lbs claimer Liam Jones on board.  Blazing Heights has ability but doesn’t win very often.  He is capable of going close off his current mark but he does tend to run into traffic problems.

 

Caldra won 4 times as a juvenile but then suffered a bad injury.  His comeback run 23 days ago was encouraging and if he can impove on that in the 2.35 at Haydock he would be interesting.  On the downside though the likely quick ground seems a negative.  Smart Enough is another that made a belated reappearance recently.  He also showed good form last season but was beaten a long way in his return to the track at York.

 

Sakhee’s Secret has a perfect record this season of 4 wins from 4 starts and could hardly have been more impressive.  He is very much the one to beat in the 3.10. The other 3 runners from our list to follow are Al Qasi, Advanced and Amadeus Wolf.  Al Qasi is unlikely to take part on ground that will be too quick for him.  Amadeus Wolf has lost his way a little since starting the season in fine style in the Duke of York Stakes in May.  He was 3^rd in this race last year though and his stable is in good form.  Advanced, from the same stable as Amadeus Wolf was 2^nd in a listed race at York last time out but has a bit to find with the best of these.  Red Clubs and Balthazar’s Gift look each way alternatives to Sakhee’s Secret.

 

In the Old Borough Cup at 3.40 Record Breaker looks interesting for the stable that won the race last season with Peppertree Lane.  He has won 3 of his 6 races this season and may well benefit from tackling this longer trip.  He has won on good to firm and has Liam Jones in the plate.  Sagredo was 3^rd to Bauer at Chester last week and should be in the shake up as he is quite lightly raced and may have scope for further improvement.  Misty Dancer is the other one I like in this.

 

Mark Johnston may have the answer to the 5.15.  Five A Side was 2^nd at Ripon last month and the winner that day has gone in again.

 

Turning our attention to Kempton there is a tricky looking 12 furlong Group 3 race at 2.50.  Al Tharib won at Kempton last time out and is a horse with plenty of ability.  He is related to Coshocton who broke his leg in the 2002 Epsom Derby.  Lion Sands has been a bit disappointing since winning a maiden at Haydock.

 

Magic Mountain has been on e of the least successful horses on my list to follow with 8 straight defeats.  During the course of the season so far he has dropped 16 lbs in the weight but even so he would need to show more sparkle that he has done of late to figure in the 5.30.

 

There are 2 runners from our list to follow in the 2.10 at Leopardstown and both could be fancied on their best from.  Regime won the Sandown Classic Trial earlier in the season and also ran well when just going down to Harland at Maison Laffitte.  He was not disgraced when 5^th at Deauville last time and comes into the reckoning here.    Hearthstead Maison has been a terrific horse to have on my list to follow this season as eh ahs won at 9/1 and 25/1. He is yet to win outside of handicap company though.

 

Red Evie is going for back to back wins in the Group 1 Matron Stakes at 2.40.  She comes here in good nick having won the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury last month.  Arch Swing has not enjoyed the best of luck since finishing 2^nd in the 1,000 Guineas.  She deserves to win a big race.  The 3^rd runner from our list to follow is Evening Time who is stepping up from sprint distances.  The main danger to our trio may be the admirable 8 times winner Echelon who comes here on the back of a win in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood.  Red Evie has a telling finish and her jockey rides her to perfection.  I think she will win this.

 

Dylan Thomas, with Kieren Fallon in the saddle looks the likely winner of the Champion Stakes at 3.50.  His form stands up to the closest inspection and he ran well last time against Authorized where the Peter Chapple-Hyam horse got first run on him.  Dual classic winning filly Finsceal Beo is an interesting contender.

 

Turning to Sunday’s racing Grey Boy runs from our list to follow in the 3.25.  He is well handicapped on last season’s efforts but has shown very littlee this season apart from a  decent 3^rd in the greys only race at Newmarket on the run before last.

 

Good luck.

 

 

  

Continue reading “Diary: September 8 & 9” →

There are just 3 runners from our list to follow tomorrow.

 

Chepstow 4.25 Imperial Gain

 

Haydock 4.15 Spume

 

Haydock 4.45 Mirthful

 

I will be back tomorrow night for an in-depth look at the weekend’s racing.

 

Continue reading “Diary: September 7 2007” →