In our regular look at the goings on of the sprint handicapper, we kick off this week with The Wokingham.
The winner Laddies Poker Two as we have discussed was very impressive and Jeremy Noseda has said he will now step her up in class for her next run, she went up 13lb for this to 108, so she's probably run her last race in a handicap.
Below her the handicapper didnt react that much, which is strange in my view. Striking Spirit has gone up a 1lb to 94 and he is the only other horse in the race bar the winner to go up in the ratings. If this had been an ordinary handicap 2, 3 or even 4 might have been raised, which makes this piece of handicapping odd. Here we haD a top Class 2 handicap, so a good performance in finishing placed would easily be good enough to win a Class 3 or even an easier Class 2 handicap.
As a result of the leniency shown, Palace Moon, who I thought was unlucky not to have finished 2nd, doesnt move off his mark of 105 and you have to remember he was giving the winner 10lb in this. In an ordinary year without the freak winner, had Palace Moon won this race he would have gone up at least 7lb, so in my view he and the 2nd are effectively runners without penalties and should be followed on their next run. It will only be Palace Moon's 2nd run for William Knight when he does run again as Knight had only acquired him 2 days before this race.
Behind the front three there was Knot in Wood (4th) who was dropped 1lb, Genki (6th) stayed on 103, Noverre to Go (7th) stayed on 96, Edge Closer (8th) stayed on 102 and Ingleby Lady (9th) stayed on 97.
The rest of the field were either dropped 1lb or 2lb and you have to remember this race was run in a course record time.
A couple of the runners may run over the weekend and it will be interesting to see how the form of the race works out over the coming weeks.
Earlier in the week a Class 3 5f Conditions Stakes at Beverley went to Group Therapy by 3 1/4 lengths from Enderby Spirit. As a result Jeremy Noseda's horse went up in the ratings by 3lb to 103, whereas the 2nd went down a 1lb to 97. Hamish McGonagall didnt really perform on the track and was left on the same mark which is understandable and we should still keep in mind on a flat track over 5f.
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