ahorse

The national hunt season is beginning to get going.  Howard Johnson will no doubt have a strong team.  He introduces points winner Knockavilla in the bumper at 5.15.

 

On the flat the vastly expensive Jalil runs in the 4.35 where he takes on Al Khaleej who on the face of it has the superior form.

 

The 2.10 at York is another intriguing contest.  There are 3 runners from our list to follow, Big Timer, Spanish Moon and Sunshine Kid.  Best Alibi looks the percentage call on the basis of his 3^rd to Dylan Thomas in last year’s Irish Derby.  He is a course and distance winner too.  Spanish Moon won his only start as a 2 year old but has been off the track for nearly a year. His brother Spanish Sun won the Ribblesdale and he could be anything.

 

Continue reading “Diary: October 12 2007” →

Not a bad day with 2 wins and 2 seconds from the 4 horses mentioned last night.

 

Nothing really catches my eye tomorrow.

 

Continue reading “Diary: October 11 2007” →

Just a quick look at Wednesday’s racing.

 

Forrager returns after a 131 day lay off in the 5.10 at Nottingham.  He goes well fresh and likes some cut in the ground so at 6/1 looks to have each way possibilities.

 

At Kempton Sister Act is fancied for the 6.50.  She has shown signs of ability and could well break her duck from a favourable draw.

 

Albertas Run would be my nap of the day in the 4.30 at Towcester.

 

Opus Café will probably be going over fences sooner rather than later but stays over hurdles in the 2.50 at Exeter.  I think he will be winning races this season.

 

Continue reading “Diary: October 10 2007” →

There are just 2 runners from our list to follow entered tomorrow.

Sir Mark Prescott runs Ballet Boy in the 4.30 at Catterick.  Ballet Boy won at Windsor earlier in the season but has not been seen for 3 months.  He disappointed on his last run but if that could be put down to the heavy ground he could be given a chance tomorrow.

Sugar Ray is stepped up in trip for the 4.10 at Leicester and should go well.

Continue reading “Diary: October 9 2007” →

I think that in years to come, when I look back at the races that I have watched, this year’s Arc will rank as one of the most dramatic.  There was the ultimate irony of Kieren Fallon having to wait an age for the “judges” decision.

Before the race there was talk of Frankie Dettori being in line for sportsperson of the year. Today’s race has almost certainly scuppered that and I don’t somehow think that Kieren Fallon will be in the running for that particular prize.

Whether or not jockey error cost Authorized will no doubt be debated over the coming days and long into the future.  In reality though the warnings signs were there before the horse ever went to post.  It was always going to be tough from that outside draw, the runs of Dutch Art and Tariq made me a little uneasy and of course not many Epson Derby winners have won the Arc in recent times.

Authorized seemed to me to be pulling  bit too hard early on and I wasn’t sure he handled the turns that well.  He certainly never really looked like making up th ground and his challenge soon fizzled out.  Did he get too much daylight?  Maybe.  It was a wonderful performance from Dylan Thomas anyway, and it was good to see one of my old football heroes Mick Channon so pleased with the super run from Youmzain.

This was also a triumph for Kieren Fallon who, like the truly great jockeys, makes that crucial difference between success and failure.

 

Elsewhere at Longchamp Benbaun continued his impressive run this season in the Abbaye.  He is a very consistent sprinter.  I had rather written him off because of the ground but both he and Dylan Thomas won despite conditions not being in their favour.

Not much that catches my eye about Monday’s racing so I will leave it there for tonight

Continue reading “Diary: October 8 2007” →

There are three runners from our list to follow in the Prix L’Abbaye at Longchamp at 1.15.  Hogmaneigh shouldn’t be quite good enough to win at Group 1 level, although the ground will be in his favour.  Strike up the Band handles soft ground and is probably best at 5 furlongs but has not shown much since winning at Chantilly a year ago. Dandy Man deserves to win a big race but really wants faster ground to show his best form.  Of the rest Benbaun and Moss Vale have had many a  close battle over the last year or two with Benbaun normally coming out on top.  Benbaun seems to reserve his best form for The Curragh and is also another that would prefer faster ground.  Moss Vale would be my very tentative selection.

Frankie Dettori rides Longchamp as well as anyone and I fancy his chances on Laureldean Gale in the 1.50.  This filly was trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam but is now with Godolphin.

 Finsceal Beo has been one of the stars on our list to follow landing two classics but ground and trip seem against her in the 3.00.

My heart definitely says Authorized for the Arc but my head has a few doubts.  He has to do it from stall 12 and on the tight French track that has historically proved a massive disadvantage.  Peter Chapple-Hyam’s two runners today made no show which is another negative point.  In addition, Epsom Derby winners have not fared too well in the Arc with only 1 of the 6 that have tried prevailing in the last decade.  Dylan Thomas has form figures of 311 at this trip, all in Group 1 races.  He should be in the shake up.  Mandesha is a course and distance winner with a good draw and should run well but I can’t see Youmzain being quite good enough.  I can see Soldier of Fortune putting up a bold show but I am going to let my heart rule my head and side with Authorized to get the better of Dylan Thomas and Soldier of Fortune.

Yeats will be hard to beat in the 4.25 where he seems to tick all the right boxes.  It will be interesting to see how Juniper Girl, the winner of the Northumberland Plate gets on.

I haven’t had the chance to put my horses to follow for the 2007/8 jumps season on the site yet.  When I do, Abstinence will be on it.  He won a Wetherby bumper in impressive style and was promptly snapped up by Howard Johnson for Andrea and Graham Wylie. He should win the Kelso 5.30

 

Continue reading “Diary: October 7 2007” →

We have one of the most fascinating weekend’s racing of the whole season ahead of us with the Cambridgeshire and the Arc to look forward to.

I will just concentrate on Saturday’s cards tonight with a further update tomorrow night.

Starting at Newmarket there are 2 runners from our list to follow in the 2.45.  Dunelight was only beaten a neck in a Group 3 at Goodwood on his last start and it would be no big surprise if he was placed again.  He is a course and distance winner and his chances will improve the more the ground dries out.  Caldra has shown his best form with cut in the ground but his supporters can take some consolation from the facts that he holds a Group 2 entry and that 3 year olds have 7 of the last 10 renewals.

Echelon is a horse I have always liked and she has been going from strength to strength this season.  She acts on most surfaces but is probably best on good to firm.  She looks the percentage call in the 3.20.

At 3.55 we are face with trying to sort out the cavalry charge that is the Cambridgeshire.  There are 6 runners from our list to follow so I will start with a look at their chances.  I like lightly raced horses in this handicap so Mutajarred, who has only run 5 times fits the bill.  His 3 wins have all come with plenty of cut in the ground though so I am not sure how he will handle a faster surface.   He has gone up in the weights and has no experience of big fields so I am going to pass him by.  Seabow is another that has few miles on the clock.  He beat Galactic Star last season at level weights and that horse won a listed race today.  He is by no means out of it but there is the suspicion that he might be better with some juice in the ground.  Prince of Light is best on fast ground and is a course and distance winner.  He is just 2 lbs higher than his highest winning mark.  Superseus is another course and distance winner.  He goes well fresh and has had a 2 month break.

Monte Alto is yet to be out of the first 3 in his 10 race career and comes here on the back of a win a fortnight ago at Newbury.  Johnny Murtagh rides and the horse acts on the ground.  He must have a big chance.  Escape Route has looked a bit of a tricky customer at times but put his previous stalls problems behind him with a win over this distance at Goodwood last month.  His willingness in a large field could be a concern.

Very Wise and Greek Well look other to consider but for my selection I will go with Monte Alto.

The 5.05 is a fascinating race as it features  Kafuu, who has only run once, winning at York exactly a year ago.  He was impressive that day, albeit in soft ground, and as the saying goes, could be anything.  The other runner from our list to follow is Artimino who still has scope for improvement at this trip and acts on fast ground.

Advanced could hardly have been more impressive when storming home in the Ayr Gold Cup and steps up to listed class in the 4.10 at Redcar.  Our other runner is course and distance winner Passion Fruit who will run better than her 66/1 would suggest.  Advanced would be my selection though.

Wyeth is an interesting runner in the 4.20 at Wolverhampton as he is a half brother to George Washington.

There is a strong British challenge for the 2.25 at Longchamp, including Red Evie and Dutch Art.  Red Evie has never been beaten over 7 furlongs and should give a good account while Dutch Art deserves a win after some sterling efforts in defeat this season.

Smart Enough could just be a surprise package in the 3.30.  He likes soft ground, is ridden by Kieren Fallon and ran an encouraging race at Haydock recently.

The only runner from our list to follow at Wolverhampton tomorrow night is the rather unreliable Coup D’Etat in the 7.55.

See you tomorrow for a look at the Arc amongst other things.

Continue reading “Diary: October 6 2007” →

The horses from our list to follow mainly gave us a run for our money this afternoon.  Lion Sands won for Luca Cumani and looks a useful staying prospect as the further he went the better he got.  Duty Free and Tax Free both got in the frame in their respective races.

Of the rest I must mention old Legal Set.  He came to Ayr today on a 52 race losing sequence, all right he still didn’t win, but he ran really well in 4^th under Ann Stokell.

The main meeting tomorrow is at Newmarket where I am interested in newcomer Speedy Dollar in the maiden at 1.05. 

All 14 fillies lining up in the Cheveley Park at 2.05 are previous winners.  Sir Michael Stoute’s Visit looks the one to beat but I also like the look of Missit, Falconry and Dubai Princess.

The 2.40 with its 30 runners will take some sorting out.  I will take a chance with Eastern Gift who has been running consistently and is well drawn.

Free Offer and Urban Spirit represent our list to follow in the 5.00.  Urban Spirit ran well last time when 2^nd to “good thing” Teslin and looks the more likely of the two.

Julatten appeared to be going nowhere in his first 4 runs this season but he was flying at the finish last time when 3^rd at Pontefract at 100/1.  The 7.00 at Wolverhampton looks a similar race and if Sophie Doyle can keep him in contention he could be interesting. Julatten tackles 14 furlongs for the first time but as she is a full sister to high class hurdler Iktitaf stamina may not be a problem.

Imperial Gain has been in no sort of form recently but is plunging down the weights as a result.  There is always the chance that he will pop up at a big price eventually.

Sir Mark Prescott sends View from the Top up to Musselburgh for the 12 furlong handicap at 4.40.  The 3 year old is unexposed at this trip and looks on a reasonable mark.  With Seb Sanders on board he looks sure to go well.

See you tomorrow

 

Continue reading “Diary: October 5 2006” →

Hora kept the flag flying for our horses to follow this afternoon with a win up at Newcastle at the surprisingly generous price of 3/1.  Her trainer’s record with 3 year olds over distances in excess of 14 furlongs is pretty well known and I expected her to be a much shorter price.  She must be fancied to follow up some time in the next week.

As usual tonight I will concentrate on the prospects of the runners from our list to follow.

Rock Anthem runs in the 4.40 at Goodwood.  In his favour he is a course winner which often counts for a lot on the Sussex track. He has not done enough in 3 subsequent runs to persuade me to tip him however.

Composing returns to Kempton for the 9.20 after finishing 2^nd there over the same 2 mile trip 19 days ago.  Should go well.

When running over a mile at Newmarket on good ground Plum Pudding has a 100% record from 3 starts.  He has to be given a chance on the 2.35 there tomorrow.

Lion Sands and Sagredo represent our list to follow in the listed race at 3.45.  Lion Sands has been running well enough in Group company to suggest this is within his compass.

Tax Free has been one of our most successful list horses this season with 4 wins.  He has a good record at Newmarket, goes there on the back of a win in France and looks sure to run well in the 4.20.

Our last runner to mention is Duty Free who runs in the 5.30 at Newmarket.  He stays well and has been performing consistently.  We  can probably ignore his last run over 12 furlongs as he seems to want further so I am prepared to give him an each way chance at value odds of 12/1.

 

Continue reading “Diary: October 4 2007” →