ahorse

This evening bulletin will only cover Saturday – I will be back tomorrow evening with a preview of Sunday’s racing.

  

With Newbury subject to an inspection I will start off with the jumps meeting at Aintree where some of the major trainers have runners.

  

The card starts with a novice hurdle where the ex French pair Pouvoir and Poquelin look the ones to keep in mind.  Pouvoir won a handicap on the flat for Freddie Head while Poquelin was second in a Group 3 at Chantilly in May.  Both are held in high regard by their respective trainers and the market might be the best guide to the likely winner.

  

Paul Nicholls trains Poquelin and he has another French purchase in action in the novice chase at 1.40.  Good Spirit was a winner both on the flat and over hurdles in France.  He gets a handy weight allowance here and will be hard to beat.  Penzance won on his only start over fences in May and is the likely danger.

  

Bleak House cost Graham and Andrea Wylie £200,000 guineas at the sales after he had won a bumper at Haydock.  He looks an exciting prospect and makes his debut over hurdles at 3.20.

  

In the 3.55 Blue Splash looks reasonably treated and should act on the ground.

  

There are a couple of horses from our list to follow in the 1.25 at Chepstow.  Although he has some fancied runners at Aintree Paul Nicholls has Ruby Walsh riding for him at Chepstow so perhaps we should take note.  He saddles Granit Jack in the 1.25.  Granit Jack cost a lot of money and is apparently held in high regard by connections.  Scribano Eile is another who is the source of some very encouraging reports.  He is already a winner between the flags as well as a bumper and novice hurdle.

  In the 1.55 I will be following the Nicholls/Walsh combo again.  Taranis has gone up in the weights a fair bit after winning 4 times last season over fences.  He runs over hurdles in the 1.55 where he is more leniently treated.  

Mister Quasimodo did well for our list to follow last season and I have kept him on for a second term.  He makes his debut over fences in the 2.30 and I am hopeful of a good run.  His dam was placed in the Grand National.

  

My main fancy at Fairyhouse is Glenfinn Captain in the 3.55.  He won a Grade 2 novice chase at Fairyhouse on his last start and that form looks solid.  He should act on the ground and while he will get further this 2 miles trip should be OK for him as he doesn’t lack speed.

  

Ungaro looks the type to do well over fences and he makes his debut over the larger obstacles in the 2.35 at Kelso.  Dominic Elsworth takes the ride for trainer Keith Reveley.

  

Turning to the flat we have two runners from the list in the 2.20.  Intrepid Jack, a winner last time out who acts on the sand is preferred to King Orchisios.

  

In the listed race at 2.55 Resignation is my tentative suggestion.

  

In the 4.30 Debutant Loulwa is a half sister to a couple of decent 2 year winners and is one to note.

  

Mostashaar and Regal Royale represent the list to follow in the 5.30.  Mostashaar is the selection.

  

In the 2.40 at Newbury Dragon Dancer is fancied to get his first career win with Alfie Flits the danger.

  

In the 4.50 Austrian who has winning form in the mud has his first run for over a year while our other runner is Public Forum who has rather lost his way since winning at 7/1 at the start of the season.

  Be lucky

Continue reading “Diary: October 21 2006” →

With the turf season drawing to a close those back end maidens for 2 year olds are worth watching as they often throw up horses to follow for next season.

  

The 2.00 has a few juveniles worth noting.  Limbo King made an encouraging debut when 3^rd at the Berkshire track earlier this month.  He should go well here but there are also some interesting newcomers, in particular Cavalry Twill and Spanish Moon. The latter is a full brother to Spanish Sun who won his only start as a 2 year old.

  

The top weight Ebn Reem is my each way selection for the nursery at 2.30.

  

Woodins Way and Fabine look likely types on breeding for the 4.10.

  

Zowington and Kenmore represent the list to follow in the 4.40.  Both should appreciate the soft ground with Zowington, who won this race last year is preferred.

  

At Lingfield Sunlight is my fancy for the 2.20.  He is related to numerous winners and was a sound second on his debut.  Final Curtain is another who should come on for his debut when he was 5^th.

  

In the 5.05 Snark runs from our list to follow.  He is a course winner but his efforts this term have not been encouraging.

  We have one list horse in action over the jumps at Fakenham.  Aces Four did well last season over hurdles culminating in a win at Perth in a valuable race.  He always looked like being better over fences so his debut here over the larger obstacles will be worth noting.  Good ground suits him best and he may want further than this in time.

Continue reading “Diary: October 20 2006” →

There were a few winners from the horses featured last night.  Iktitaf got his hurdling campaign off to a winning start in the listed contest at Punchestown but Leading Run was made to work harder to maintain his 100% record on the same card.

  

Galactic Star kept the flat list to follow ticking over although he made quite hard work of things at Nottingham.  He was staying on at the finish though and should get further.

  

More impressive was Metaphoric who won on his debut in the Motivator colours.  He came from first to last under an educational hands and heels ride from Jamie Spencer.  Could make a decent 3 year old over middle distances next season.

  

The beat action tomorrow is at Punchestown, where all eyes will be on Gold Cup winner War of Attrition who makes his seasonal bow in the 4.15.

  

In the 2.45 Female will be expected to make a winning hurdles debut in the 2.45.  This mare had some smart bumper form last season.

  See you tomorrow.

Continue reading “Diary: October 19 2006” →

Runners tomorrow from our list to follow.

  

Nottingham 4.00 Woolly Bully

  

5.00 Galactic Star

  

Punchestown 3.15 Iktitaf

  

3.45 Mounthenry

  

4.45 Leading Run

  

Some 2 year olds to watch out for;

  Nottingham 3.00 Metaphoric: 3.30 Hurricane Thomas: Yarmouth 2.10 Tawaagg & Nabra

Continue reading “Diary: October 18 2006” →

A couple of horses featured in last nights preview, Exmoor (3^rd at 15/2) and Height of Fury (2^nd at 17/2) would have repaid each way support today.

  

There are meetings in the UK tomorrow.  In the 2.00 at Bath Hughie Morrison’s Duty Free can be expected to come on for his 5^th over course and distance.  The 4 that beat him were all previous winners.

  

In the 2.30 Star Strider has put in some solid efforts but after  9 runs without a win is looking a bit exposed.  There have been some good reports about the unraced Apache Scout.

  

The 3.00 was won by a Barry Hills runner in 2004 and this time round he has entered Tasleem who pulled too hard on his debut run at Newmarket.

  

Scotch Pancake represents our list to follow in the 3.30.  She is a half sister to the Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Indian Haven.  She was a beaten favourite at Kempton last time and has a bit to prove here.

  

Our list horse in the 4.30 is Coup D’Etat who is yet to win this term.  He is not badly handicapped and his half brother Frank Sonata handles this ground so has each way chances.

  

Minnis Bay is my selection in the Lingfield 1.50 after a promising 2^nd at Wolverhampton last time.

  

There are two horses from the list to follow in action at Exeter.  Natal and Manorson go in the novice chase at 3.10.  On their hurdles form Natal should come out on top.

  Bye for now

Continue reading “Diary: October 17 2006” →

There is so much racing these days that catching up with all that has been happening is tough after you have been out of circulation for a few days.

  

Our list to follow has had a few successes over the last week.  Alambic is top of the flat “leaderboard” among the list to follow on the flat with 6 wins but Peppertree Lane moved into a clear second with a 5^th win at Ascot last Saturday.  He clearly revels in soft ground and could well turn into a listed or group 3 performer next term.

  

On the same Ascot card Book of Music registered his first success of the campaign.  I haven’t watched the video but this race was by all accounts a real thriller with Book of Music just getting up in the final strides.  There was a dead heat for second with our old friend Zero Tolerance in 4^th.  Book of Music is another who seems to appreciate cut in the ground.

  

The biggest priced winner from our list was Innocent Air at 16/1.  John Gosden’s filly had won a listed race as a juvenile but had not shown much sparkle this season.  She came back to her best a t Newmarket though and made every yard to win well.  She will not run again in the UK apparently.

 

Inrepid Jack won a 5 furlong sprint handicap at Bath to register his first success of the season.

  

Our 5^th winner from the flat list was Bygone Days who got the better of a couple of other “listers,” Borderlescott and Tax Free in what was quite a competitive Group 3 sprint at Newmarket.

  

I see that Aiden O’Brien’s Aussie Rules won a Grade 1 at Keeneland in the USA.

  

Hard Act to Follow gave our jumps list a win at Wetherby in the week.  He is owned by Graham and Andrea Wylie who had such a great start to their much publicised venture into racehorse ownership with 3 winners at the 2005 Cheltenham Festival.  Things did not go so well for them last season but in Hard Act to Follow they appear to have a promising chaser to go to war with. Another horse from our list, King of Confusion showed promise in second place.

  

There was also a win for Justified who made a  return to action in the 2m 1f Listed contest at Limerick, coming home to win with something in hand from Tumbling Dice. Connections will be keen to avoid right-hand tracks from now on with him as he again showed a tendency to jump left.

  

There was also success for our jumps list on the flat with Iktitaf and Detroit City taking the Irish and English Cesarawitch handicaps.  Detroit City, who runs in the Rooster Booster colours often looks to be struggling in running but he is a powerful type and had too much for his rivals at Newmarket yesterday.  Inchnadamph ran a fine race in second going one better than his third in the race last season.

  

I have tried to keep a closer than usual eye on the 2 year old scene this season.  There were a few impressive performances from juveniles last week, not least from Jeremy Noseda’s Kafuu who made a winning debut at York.  I am not sure he beat much but he certainly travelled well for Frankie Dettori and he looks a potentially smart colt. There was also a taking performance from Go on be a Tiger who quickened well to win a maiden at Newbury.  I imagine that trainer Mick Channon would have been particularly pleased with this one as he trained the dam, Queen’s Logic, a talented filly whose career was blighted by injury.

  

I made a note of Brian Meehan’s Greyt Big Stuff earlier in the season after reading some favourable comments by the trainer.  He was in the frame twice in his first 4 outings and finally got off the mark when dropped in class at Southwell on Thursday.

  

John Dunlop’s Maid to Believe was another to break her duck when she won at 25/1 in a Leicester maiden.  She is a half sister to 3 juvenile winners so was always likely to score as a 2 year old.  The extended mile at Leicester played to her strengths as she is related to a hurdles winner and clearly is not short on stamina.  She looks the type that her trainer does well with in handicaps as a 3 year old.

  

Another that we might be seeing in handicaps next season is John Gosden’s Ekhtiar who won at the second attempt in what looked a fair maiden at Lingfield where he overturned an odds on favourite.  I see that he followed up with another win at Lingfield today.

  

Other two year old winners were Vaunt and Cheap Street.  Vaunt followed up his win over the minimum trip in a Bath maiden with a course and distance follow up in a nursery.  He looks an out and out sprinter.

  

Cheap Street just held on under Nicky Mackay to land the spoils in a Newmarket nursery at 17/2.  This was his 3^rd win of the season.

  

From a personal viewpoint I was pleased to see Tredegar win for the Elite Racing Club.  His win in a 7 furlong Newmarket maiden was his first success after showing promise in his 2 earlier runs.  Like another of the club’s recent winners Tredegar has moved to Paul Cole’s yard.  He looks likely to appreciate some give in the ground.

  

Turning to Monday’s action the Pontefract card gets under way with a tricky looking nursery.  8 out of the last ten winners have carried between 8.10 and 9.2, which would narrow the field down to just 6 possibles if you believe in following trends.  Incidentally Arcalis is a past winner of the race when ridden by a certain K Fallon back in 2002.  Arcalis of course went on to win the Supreme Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

  

Height of Fury represents our list to follow in the 2.50.  This son of Saddlers Wells remains a maiden after 7 starts although his best effort was on his latest outing when 2^nd at Goodwood.  He has place claims here but has gone up a couple of pounds since his last run.

  

Sir Nod won at Beverley last time out and has gone up 3 lbs in the weights as a result.  He beat Paddywack at Beverley and that horse has franked the form by winning since.  Sir Nod runs in the 3.20 and Tom Eves has the ride.

  

The only other runner from our list to follow is Exmoor who goes in the 5.00 at Windsor.  He has already won for us at 8/1 but has struggled somewhat since.  I see that he wears blinkers for the first time tomorrow.

  Bye for now

Continue reading “Diary: October 16 2006” →

The main flat action tomorrow is at York where there are a few runners from our list to follow.

  

Mutawaffer has not won for over 3 years now and although he should handle the ground in the 2.20 at York he is difficult to fancy.  Our other runner in this handicap is the bottom weight In Full Cry.  I usually strike lucky with Mark Johnston but this one is yet to win a race this season.  Does not have an obvious chance here.

  

The improving Queen’s Best has been raised 8 lbs for an impressive win at Ascot last time out but has a good chance of following up successfully in the 3.25.  Royston Ffrench takes the ride.

  

Eau Good has the best form of those in the 4.00.  He is blinkered for the first time and looks the likely winner as long as the blinds work.  The unraced Kafuu from Jeremy Noseda’s stable looks one to keep an eye on.

  

Harrison’s Flyer has an each way chance in the 4.35, a race he won last season.

  

Halla San has been a very successful selection for our list to follow in the last 2 years.  He has both ground and trip in his favour and should again give us a run for our money in the 5.05.

  

At Lingfield Stagehand looks worth an interest in the 3.35.

  

Ekhtiaar did not seem to sdtay over a mile last time and is dropped in trip in the Lingfield 4.10.

  

Course and distance winner Bouboulina can be fancied on the pick of her form in the 4.45.

  

Our list runner in the 5.15 is Three Thieves who has changed stables since he went on the list.  Hard to fancy on recent form.

  

On Saturday we have the following runners from the list to follow on the flat.

  

Ascot 2.10 Peppertree Lane.  Going for 5^th win of the campaign.  The more rain the better.

  

4.30 Book of Music who didn’t get a clear run last time.

  

York 3.45 Obe Brave & Indian Trail

  

5.25 Gifted Musician

  I am taking a short break and the next update will be October 15.

Continue reading “Diary: October 6 & 7 2006” →

My main hope at Nottingham today was the Godolphin maiden Seabow who built on his recent second at the Midlands track with a comfortable win.  Another runner from our list to follow, Galactic Star was 2^nd and as this was after an absence of a year this one should be open to improvement.

  

The only flat meeting tomorrow is at Lingfield where Queensgate looks the form pick in the nursery at 1.50.

  

Our only “lister” is High Reach in the 4.20.  Although reasonably handicapped High Reach has shown little in recent outings and is best watched at present.

  

Over the jumps at Worcester the ex French Fixateur looks of interest in the 2.10.

   

In the 4.40 Big Business looks one to keep an eye on.  He is a half brother to the useful Bob Bob Bobbin.

 

Continue reading “Diary: October 5 2006” →

Edaara maintained the good mini run for our flat horses to follow winning as a favourite should without having to be asked a serious question. 

  

The flat racing is at Nottingham where Michael Jarvis saddles Woqoodd in the 3.20.  He faded a bit in the last furlong when 3^rd at Haydock so this drop back to the minimum trip should put him in with a chance.

  

There are 3 runners from our list to follow in the 4.20.  Miss Thailand was a beaten favourite at 1/2 last time and has been most disappointing.  Galactic Star was made favourite on his only start last season and although he didn’t win this son of Galileo looks the type to improve as a 3 year old.  He has not run for nearly a year though so my selection goes to the third of our “team” Seabow who was 2^nd here last week.

  

Our other runner is Conkering in the 4.50.  He has already won once this season but has not shown much in his last two starts.

  

See you tomorrow

 

Continue reading “Diary: October 4 2006” →