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Tuesday 31 May 2011

The Week Ahead



This is a new feature I started last week and the first week produced 3 winners from 6 runners at odds of 4/1, 7/2 and 4/5.

When I posted the blog, the runners for Monday, were not available and any eagle eyed readers who have been making their own notes will have noticed Feeling Fresh running at Carlisle and he duly won at 9/2. Here is the entry made for him on 11th May :-
It was Paul Green's other runner Feeling Fresh though that caught the eye. He finished very well from off the pace which was at odds with the others who were involved in the finish and being only 2lb above his last winning mark of 71 his trainer will be looking towards getting another win out of him shortly.
Also you may have noticed Misplaced Fortune winning at 13/2 who received the following entry at the beginning of May :-
Marvellous Value looked tremendous in the paddock but despite looking like winning at one stage he was readily passed by the winner and finished 3rd, he has been dropped 1lb to a mark of 77.

This week the "The week ahead" see's the following horses run from the Master List :
  • Amenable - 8.10 Ripon Wednesday
  • Kellys Eye - 8.10 Ripon Wednesday
  • Noverre to Go - 8.10 Ripon Wednesday
All three of the above run in what is a very competitive Class 3 6f race at Ripon and Amenable and Noverre to Go are both available at ew prices. The latter is hoping to uphold the form of the Stellar Group Handicap at Chester on 4th May which saw Doctor Parkes, Captain Dunne and Masamah finish first, second and third.

Horses to run that have featured in the "Up a bit, down a bit" posts are :
  • Barnet Fair - 2.05 Musselburgh Saturday - 1st 4/1
  • Bertoliver - 3.15 Epsom Saturday - 0
  • Captain Dunne - 3.15 Epsom Saturday - 1st 13/2
  • Confessional - 3.15 Epsom Saturday - 2nd 10/1
  • Damika - 2.50 Doncaster Saturday - 0
  • Desert Poppy - 8.55 Goodwood Friday - 2nd 100/30
  • Doctor Parkes - 3.40 Musselburgh Saturday - 4th
  • Hotham - 8.10 Ripon Wednesday - 0
  • Kaldoun Kingdom - 3.40 Musselburgh Saturday - 3rd 33/1
  • Lost in Paris - 3.45 Musselburgh Friday - 1st 4/1
  • Racy - 3.40 Musselburgh Saturday - 0
  • Supreme Spirit - 3.40 Hamilton Thursday - 0
Obviously it wouldnt be wise to back all of these and we will have to see how the week progresses with final declarations.

Monday 30 May 2011

Tricky Handicap at Redcar



The 4.00 at Redcar looks a tricky 5f sprint despite the small field, Diman Waters is one of my horses to follow, however after showing promise first time out this season he then had blinkers applied for his next run but may not have appreciated those as they are left off here. He has been dropped 1lb and he is capable of further improvement based on last years form but if Ishetoo recaptures his old form then he may have his work cut out to win. Ishetoo runs here off a mark of 76, he was only 2 3/4 lengths behind Captain Dunne last June off 10lb higher mark over 5f on Good to Firm and they are his key requirements to show his best form and that is what he gets here, plus he has the assistance of the champion jockey and 8/1 is a decent ew price about his chance. Bronze Baeu was given a harsh penalty for his win when he had the run of the race and he may struggle with the 8lb extra. Pavershooz isnt particularly well in with Ishetoo and Hamoody may have his sights set on Glorious Goodwood again.
If Ishetoo does run like his old self then the 8/1 on offer is good value and I would do him ew at the price and also have him in an Exacta with Diman Waters.

Friday 27 May 2011

Sing for your supper !



Singeur, one of my horses to follow, should appreciate the stiff 5f at Beverley tomorrow. He won really well on his return 2 weeks ago at Thirsk beating a good yardstick in Silaah and he can win the Conditions Stakes in which the field are evenly matched. Although he looks like 6f will suit him better, with his come from behind style of racing, all 5 of his wins have come over the minimum trip. He has run some good races in defeat in the past and he is capable of stepping up again on the form he has shown to date. The two to give him most to do would appear to be Tax Free and Love Delta, the latter ran well first time out this season at Goodwood and that may have brought him on a bit and its interesting to see Mark Johnston persevere with a sprinter. Tax Free started last season on a mark of a 112 so if he were to run anywhere near that form he would be entitled to win and the booking of Paul Hanagan is an eyecatching move by the stable who have given this some thought it would seem.

Thursday 26 May 2011

Up a bit, down a bit - 26th May



The begining of last week was quite poor and the first action of any note worth commenting on is the Service Desk Institute Handicap - Class 4 - 3yo - 6f Standard - Kempton 18th May
The winner here Instance was quite impressive coming with a strong inside the final furlong and win readily from Dozy Joe, she has been raised 7lb as a result to a mark of 83. She looks to be a progressive type and her trainer Jeremy Noseda had the following to say about her "She picked up well and made a hash of the start which didn`t help. She`s two from two and while I wouldn`t get carried away with this, it was a nice performance". It will be interesting to see how she gets on at Newmarket on turf this coming Friday.

Derek Jones 60th Birthday Handicap - Class 4 - 3yo+ - 5f - Catterick - Good To Firm - 20th May
Cattericks five furlong course is quite fast and it can pay to get a good start as was the case in this for Bronze Beau who was never in any danger throughout. The second Taurus Twins had broke the course record at Windsor but he was unable to make any impression on the winner and finished 2 3/4 lengths behind. Given that Bronze Beau had the run of the race an 8lb rise seems rather harsh and lets hope the handicapper has a rethink about this. His trainer commented "It took him a couple of runs to come right and he is better in small fields when he can dominate. James gets on very well with him".

Norfolk Nelson Museum Median Auction Maiden Stakes  - Class 6 - 3-5yo - 6f3y - 6f  - Yarmouth - Good To Firm
James Fanshawe does well with sprinters and he may have unearthed another one here in the shape of Mosaicist who is a half sister to triple Group 3 winner Snaefell. She won this by a short head from the Godolphin owned Outsmart and both look capable of smart form in due course as the time of the race was below standard. The stable had this to say about her on their website "She is a lovely filly, she is only a pony, has a huge heart, she has been going very nicely at home and is wonderfully tough. My worry was that she would remember her only other race which was at Yarmouth last year.  She ran very well to finish thrid but came back with a broken pelvis. It was plenty firm enough for her today but the main thing is she won and Kieran gave her a very good ride".

Crabbie's "Tickety Boo" Alcoholic Ginger Beer Handicap - Class 2 - 4yo+ - 7f2y - Chester -Good

Although this was over 7f it featured a few who usually ply their trade over shorter and one of those was the winner Our Jonathan who took this by a neck from Mon Cadeaux. He was ridden by Franny Norton who rides the track very well and although he has gone up 4lb to 99 he has probably capable of further improvement if kept to this trip. In behind Damika finished 6th and has been dropped 2lb to 92 which is 2lb less than when he won the 6f Class 2 Great St Wilfrid at Ripon last summer, so his time may be near.

Hampshire Society Stakes - Class 2 - 6f - Goodwood - Good To Firm
Walter Swinburn has had a good run of winners lately and this was kept up by Crown Choice who came with a strong late surge to win in comfortable fashion by 3/4 length from Love Delta. The winner has been raised 4lb to 98 and he holds an entry in the Wokingham for which he is priced at 25/1 and he beat a handicap regular here in Parisian Pyramid to suggest he will not be out of place in the top handicaps. His 4 previous wins had been over 7f so we could well see him lining up in the Ayr Gold Cup later in the year.

Betfred Text "Fred" To 89660 Handicap - Class 4 - 6f - Haydock - Good To Firm
Dickie Le Davoir continued the good run of the Richard Guest stable which has a 19% strike rate over 5f and 6f in 2011. He won this by a neck from Karaka Jack who unfortunatley has been raised 2lb to 77. The winner though was winning his 5th race of the season and in doing so has gone up 26lbs in the handicap, however he has been as high as 93 in the past so maybe this trainer just knows how to get the best out of his horses. Sutton Veny is now on a mark of 84 which is 4lb below his all weather mark and he ran a good race in 3rd on his first run since December whilst Rocket Bob who is more at home over 5f is on 82 which is 3lb lower than when he was 3rd in the Epsom Dash last season. Haajes is another who is dropping down as the runs go by and he is on a mark of 81 now after a 2lb drop for this which is 2lb lower than when he won a Class 4 handicap at York over 5f on Soft in October, no doubt we will see improvement after the summer is over. Tabaret too was dropped 3lb which leaves him on 78 which is 12lb lower than at the begining of last season, his last win coming off 85 when beating Doctor Parkes by half a length.

Sportingbet.com Sprint - Class 2 - 5f - York - Good
This was probably the best sprint handicap last weekend and it went the way of Masamah by half a length from Doctor Parkes(sounds familiar) with Celerina 3rd. The winner had run well at Chester but had it all to do from a bad draw so this wasnt a suprise that he beat his conqueror there. He has gone up 6lb to 106 and the horse that finished 2nd at Chester Captain Dunne has also been raised 3lb to 108 after the form being franked here and after his good run at Longchamp when he finished in front of Prohibit who ran so well in the Temple Stakes earlier in the afternoon. Mon Brav ran well to finish a 4 1/2 length 9th as his rider reported that his saddle had slipped and he should be capable of winning again. Johannes has been dropped 2lb to 94, he was only beaten 3 lengths by Hoof It and Noble Storm off 97 in October at Doncaster over 5f. Kaldoun Kingdom has been given a chance to come good as he has gone down 3lb's to 98 and he may be heading for another go at the Sky Bet Dash at York over 6f in which he was 2nd last season off 101. Confessional was dissapointing particularly as he had finished 4th in the Chester race won by Doctor Parkes and I'm sure he is capable of better. Hotham won twice at York in June and July last year off marks of 87 and 91, so the fact that he has been dropped another 3lb to 81 could rekindle the fire within and he is entered at Ripon next wednesday.

Tuesday 24 May 2011

Fanning can bring out best in Judge 'N Jury !



Joe Fanning has ridden Judge 'N Jury on 3 occasions, he was 2nd of 15 to Hamish McGonagall beaten 1 1/2 lengths off a mark of 95 in a Class 2 Hcap at York last summer, he was 9th of 21 to Hoof It beaten 3 1/4 lengths off 95 in a Class 2 Hcap at Doncaster in October and he was 4th to Ancient Cross beaten 2 1/2 lengths off 91 in a Class 2 Hcap last time out at York. The combination today are in  Class 3 Hcap off a mark of 90 and with Joe Fanning sure to give him a positive ride he should go very close on his frist visit to Ayr on going sure to suit. Hopefully he, Strike up the Band and Mayoman dont go off at a suicidal pace as that may set the race up for customary late finisher The Nifty Fox.

Unfortunately there was a very strong headwind at Ayr and the selection although running well took the brunt of it up front and the two that had been held up off the pace came through to take first and second.

The week ahead



The week ahead see's the following horses entered to run from the Master Lists :
DUCHESS DORA - 3.15 Ayr Wednesday - Form on going with Soft in description - 440 (odds 4/1)
KELLY'S EYE - 4.05 Newmarket Friday - NR
NOBLE STORM - 7.05 Haydock Friday - 1st 4/5
SINGEUR - 4.20 Beverley Saturday
TROPICAL TREAT - 7.05 Haydock Friday - NR
You can look up the entry for each on the relevant A to Z pages, top right.
Bated Breath was a winner for the lists last night at Windsor.

Horses entered to run that have featured in the "Up a bit, down a bit" posts are :
COMMANDER VEEJAY - 5.05 Newcastle Friday - 7th
LOST IN PARIS -  4.40 Catterick Saturday
MR OPTIMISTIC - 3.20 Ayr Thursday - 1st 7/2
If you use the search facility at the top of the page you can look up the comments for each of the above. As an example Barkston Ash mentioned in a previous "Up a bit, down a bit" post won today at odds of 9/4, here is the previous entry :
Eric Alston's Barkston Ash scored here in convincing fashion by an easy 3 lengths and as a result he has been raised 9lb to a mark of 65, he has already taken advantage by winning with a 6lb penalty at Warwick on Tuesday of this week. He looks to be a progressive individual and Alston who has started the season very well with his sprinters and has had 5 winners in the last 14 days can bring about further improvement.

Friday 20 May 2011

Top Sprint Action !



There are several races to look on Saturday and I will go through each below :-

4.00 Chester - Crabbie´s "Tickety Boo" Alcoholic Ginger Beer Handicap - 7f, Good (Good to Firm in places)
Some 6f sprinters move up to 7f here so although its beyond my usual distance I am intrigued by Damika's participation after last weeks good run behind Hoof It over 6f were he was staying on well towards the finish. He does get 7f but he tends to come late which is often met with trouble in running at this track but he is definitely worth an ew.

3.10 Curragh - Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes (Group 3) - 6f, Good to Firm
Tiddliwinks and Hitchens finished 3rd and 4th behind Delegator in the Duke of York with just half a length between them at the line, they are on level weights again and both have decent jockeys up so there will not be much between them at the finish and for that reason Hitchens at 5/1 would be a tentative selection.

2.15 Goodwood - Hampshire Society Stakes (Handicap) - 6f, Good to Firm
Take Ten showed enough for Mark Johnston to be snapped up by Godolphin and he had recorded a couple of smart wins on the All Weather when last seen. If he is ready to go, which I am sure he is then he should go very close. Parisian Pyramid won this race last year off a mark of 88, he's 93 now, however he ran some good races off higher marks and he also ran well over 7f in the Victoria Cup recently to suggest he can go well back over 6f here and 9/1 would be a fair price as the Racing Post have him as 7/2 fav in their betting forecast. Take Ten ran well on first start back, he was at the head of affairs until a furlong out before fading. Parisian Pyramid came there with every chance but was run out of it close home with the 5lb extra he had this time around making all the difference. Crown Choice came with a good run and in the end was a comfortable winner.

3.30 Haydock - Betfred The Bonus King Stakes (Registered As Cecil Frail Stakes) (Listed Race) (Fillies & Mares) - 6f, Good
A couple of my horse to follow run in this namely Russian Spirit who was progressive at the backend of last year and Hot Pursuits, although the latter looks to be out of her depth in this contest. Top rated is Golden Destiny 105 and she had some very good form over 5f last season. She does stay 6f and if she gets away fast she may be able to dictate the pace to her liking. Roger Varian has had a good run so far so you wouldnt be suprised if Russian Spirit added to his collection of winners to date and the stable did win this last year with 3yo Beyond Desire. Midnight Martini was 5th Behind Hoof It recently and if she were to go well that would give a pointer to Damika's chance at Chester half an hour later.

4.05 Haydock - Betfred Text "Fred" To 89660 Handicap - 6f, Good
This is a Class 4 which I'm tyring to avoid lately, however Ursula put up a noteworthy performance last weekened to suggest she may be involved in the finish here. Haajes is back on the same mark of 83 as when beating Russian Spirit last October at York by a head albeit over 5f and if the second in that runs well in the Cecil Frail earlier on then you be tempted to see if he will do better at 6f than normally is the case. Rocket Bob is another of those who runs well at Epsom and no doubt that is were he is heading whilst he get his handicap mark down. Indian Trail is an old fav of mine and even at 11 can give some of these something to think about. Eric Alston couldnt be in better form, he only had 13 winners last year and he is already on 11 this time around and he is represented by Great Charm.

3.40 York - sportingbet.com Sprint (Handicap) - 5f, Good
This is probably the most competitive sprint of the day with 2 horses seeking hat tricks and Doctor Parkes is out to get his 3rd on the bounce after a good win last time out at Chester were he beat Capatain Dunne who went very close at Longchamp last weekend in a Group 3. The 3rd at Chester Masamah is 4lb better off for a 2 1/4 length beating although he wasnt as well drawn as the winner so is capable of reversing places given he has now had a run. Top weight Kaldoun Kingdom often runs well here and he is a massive price at 40/1 with a 7lb claimer up, although 6f might be more to his liking, the stables Johannes has also been running well of late and he gets the assistance of 5lb claimer Lee Topliss. Secret Millionaire is another that ran well last time out and 20/1 probably under estimates his chance and he is 4lb better off with Ancient Cross for a 3 length beating at York. Swiss Franc is another who didnt get the rub of the green in the Ancient Cross race and he has been dropped 3lb to 92 which is 14lb lower than when he was 3rd behind Sir Gerry, albeit that was in 2007. He doesnt have Fallon booked this time but he does have Paul Mulrennan who is a tidy jockey.
It's a tricky one and maybe you could put together a tricast or exacta from the horses highlighted above.

All in all a great days racing sprinting wise, but if you are a punter that likes to get stuck into the bets you have a lot of meetings on offer and were do you draw the line about how many bets to have ?

Keep on winning and dont forget to have a look at my run down of The Temple Stakes on my previous post below.

Thursday 19 May 2011

The Temple Stakes



Only half a second behind the track record Sole Power got the very fast pace he needs and won well, Kingsgate Native continued his good runs at the track and Prohibit also appreciated the strong pace. Overdose was unable to match the best of the UK and poor old Borderlescott at one stage was running with a loose binbag covering his entire head !

Betfred.com Temple Stakes (Group 2) (CLASS 1) (3yo+) Good 5f Number of runners: 12
This is going to be run at a furious pace with several front runners in the lineup and Fleeting Spirit's course record of 57.15s may well be broken. It is a Group 1 field running in a Group 2 race.
MARKAB will be sharper for his run at York when 6 1/2 lengths behind Delagator, but the truth of the matter is he has never won over 5f and this looks a difficult race to accomplish that first although he will be likely to appreciate the fast pace and should be staying on. In fact last seasons King Stand when he finished 2nd to Equiano beaten 1 1/2 lengths is the only 5f race he has contested and he has a Group 1 penalty this time.
BORDERLESCOTT he should reverse placings with Markab from the Kings Stand on revised terms but he may be outpaced in the early part of the race and he has to hope that the field will be coming back to him at the end and he will need to reverse placings with Sole Power from the Palace House.
GROUP THERAPY may well struggle against this opposition and he has 1/2 a length to find with Borderlescott on last seasons form at Goodwood (57.22s). He may well come with a strong run at the end but Ive a feeling the winner will have already flown and gone.
HAMISH MCGONAGALL is being highly tried in these Group races, however he will appreciate a return to 5f and the going, but in relaity he is a decent Class 2 handicapper and will be found wanting again.
KINGSGATE NATIVE which horse will turn up is anyone's gues, he won this last year when beating Equiano and Borderlescott  and also finished a 3 length 4th to Markab in the Sprint Cup so the course may well bring out the best in him but his price of 5/1 reflects that.
OVERDOSE has only lost once in a 16 race career and has won 4 times over 5f. You may well remember him romping away with the Prix de L'Abbaye only for the race to be declared void and re run without him taking part. He is a speedball of a horse and he has the ability to maintain it throughout, okaytheraces he has won appear to be lowly affairs but he wins them in fast times and that is all he can do. If you do look through Overdose's form you see the word unchallenged figure a lot and you may see it again here, his only race this season, when he broke the track record, is featured below.
PROHIBIT this will be Prohibit's seventh race of the year having been out to Dubai and he ran very well off a strong pace last weekend at Longchamp (55.92s) in the race won by Inxile were he finished 4th beaten a quarter of a length. He had Dettori up there and he is going to get the strong pace again but will the race come too soon ?
SOLE POWER excels off a fast pace as we saw in last seasons Nunthorpe (57.14s), but he also needs fast ground and I'm not sure he has that at Haydock. He should be finishing well from off the pace though but he may be fighting out the minor honours.
TANGERINE TREES is another who goes off fast and he will be pushing at Overdose from the off. He has won 6 of his last 8 races and although this is the highest class race he has run in he is moving up the ladder fast and should run a good race although his trainer was only 50/50 about coming here earlier in the week.
ROSE BLOSSOM needs to lead or she may sulk and not get into it, she will have to have improved since last season and I'm not sure she will be able to run all the way to the line at the pace they will be going here.
NEW PLANET gets the 3yo allowance but is very inexperienced and will have to run the race of his life to win here and I dont want to chance any money hoping that is going to happen.
STONE OF FOLCA another with little experience and I'm not sure he is up to it.
In conclusion I think Overdose is better than some people give him credit for and he will be hard to beat if he runs his usual race and 2/1, albeit a bit short, is probably about right. Of the others I would look to those who will be running on at the end such as Group Therapy 20/1, Prohibit 16/1 and Sole Power 12/1.

There are several other top sprints on Saturday and I will try and cover as many as possible over the next 2 days, so keep in touch with the blog.


Wednesday 18 May 2011

Up a bit, down a bit - 18th May



Quite a lot to get through this week, incidentally if anyone spots anything that they think is worthy of a mention on this sprint based blog that Ive missed then please provide your comments below, I'm open to ideas !!

Duke of York Blue Square Stakes - Group 2 - Class 1 - York - 6f Good
Delegator won this in impressive fashion and looks sure to add to this victory during the summer with his training saying "In a morning he has always shown plenty of speed. He'll improve a lot for today and his next target will be Royal Ascot for the Golden Jubilee. After that we will think about the July Cup and then see". Tiddliwinks has paid the price handicapping wise for finishing 3rd here by being raised 13lbs to a mark of 106, however he is well entered up and maybe he will be staying in this divison from now on. Hitchens ran another good race in finishing 4th and he goes up 3lb to 105, most of the others stayed on their same mark.

Totepool Stakes - Class 2 - York - 5f - Good
This went to Ancient Cross by 1/2 length from Fallasteen who ran much better than his Chester run last week. The winner goes up 6lb to 95 whilst the 2nd moves up 4lb to 96. In 3rd Racy was making his debut for Kevin Ryan having moved out of Stoute's yard and he was unlucky in that he didnt get a clean run through and he was staying on well at the finish. He has been raised 3lb to 91 but this was a competitive race and that shouldnt stop him from improving on this effort next time as this was only his eighth start. Secret Millionaire also ran well and the form of his run behind Racy last season was confirmed here. Johannes and Swiss Franc didnt get clear runs either and the latter has been dropped 3lb to 92, a lightly raced 6 year old he is dropping to a winable mark. Time 57.97s.

The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Sprint Conditions Stakes over 5f went the way of Night Carnation who continued her winning run to record a time of 58.99s, however the following day the 2yo Miss Work of Art recorded a time of 58.70s over the same distance and she should be followed.

Whitman Howard Investment Bank Carnarvon Stakes Listed Race - Class 1 - 3yo - 6f8y - Newbury - Good To Firm
Roger Varian has made an excellent start since he took over from Michael Jarvis and he looks to have a smart sort in Elzaam who waltzed away with this race to win by six lengths from Richard Hannon's Cape to Rio on this his sixth start. He certainly looks back to the form he showed at the begining of last season and he could be set for a good year although he looked slightly ill at ease on the going which made his performance even better. He is entered in the Golden Jubilee for which he is quoted at 16/1. Connections of the winner had this to say about him this week "We were delighted to see him come back to form and while we haven't really discussed his next target, in the back of my mind is the Golden Jubilee. That is a big step up for him, but he seems to have come out of the race in very good form and we'll just see how he is nearer the time. I'm not saying he's good enough to take on the best sprinters in the world, but at the same time he looked a pretty decent horse the other day. Hopefully Sheikh Hamdan will be keen to have a go and we'll leave him in. There isn't a lot for him beforehand anyway, so we won't be rushing him. We'd lost our way with him a bit, but to be fair to the horse, he didn't do a lot wrong last year. He was sick after he disappointed in the July Stakes and he then ran a good race in ground that probably didn't suit at Newbury. The only surprising one was his first run this year at Newmarket, but we dropped him back in trip, removed the headgear and rode him differently last time and it seemed to help him. We saw the true horse which he has always looked at home and hopefully we have a sprinter to go to war with." Dinkum Diamond was back in 3rd and he had run Genki and Iver Bridge Lad close in the Abernant at Newmarket.

Ralph Raper Memorial Stakes - Handicap - Class 4 - 3yo - 5f - York - Good To Firm
Thirteen Shivers won this by 1 length from Apace with Swiss Dream back in third. I was taken though with the runs of both Mr Optimistic and Barnet Fair in 5th and 8th. Mr Optimistic raced towards the stands side and made very good headway when in the clear to be a running on 5th, he has been left on the same mark of 80 and he is progressing well. Barnet Fair ran an extraordinary race as he was left by several lengths at the start, he then made steady progress through the field before finding the effort all too much, if he had broke on terms he would have gone very close to winning. He hadnt run since January prior to this and he looks sure to come on for the run for his in form stable, he remains on a mark of 80.

Sportingbet.com Stakes Handicap - Class 2 - 6f - York - Good To Firm
This was run in a slightly faster time than the Duke of York won by Delegator even though there had been a heavy shower of rain about half an hour earlier. Hoof it prevailed to win by a length from the consistent Horseradish with Oor Jonathan in third. The winner is considered by his trainer to be the best in his stable, however he only holds an entry in the Wokingham. He has been raised 6lb to a mark of 105 for this and he surely can go very well in the Wokingham before making his mark in better company. A few behind ran very well including Docofthebay, Medicean Man and Damika, the latter is now on the same mark of 94 from which he won the Great St Wilfred last season and although he is 8 he looked to be on good form with himself here and it can only be a matter of time before he wins.

Berry Bros & Rudd Magnum Handicap - Class 2 - 6f8y - Newbury - Good To Firm
Mac's Power was making his return here and he only just failed to win, he was beaten a head by Novellen Lad with 1 1/2 lengths back to the consistent bridesmaid Secret Witness. Macs Power has gone up 3lb to a mark of 100 whilst the winner has gone up 4lb to 90. There didnt seem to be any major hard luck stories but Henry Candy who knows a thing ot two about sprinters ran Dorback and although he hadnt run for over a year he made headway despite suffering some trouble in running and he could come on for the run, he remains on a mark of 90.

Stoneacre Ford Handicap - Class 3 - 6f - Thirsk - Good
Mon Brav continued his good run by winning here from Advanced, he hung away from the far side and ended up in the middle of the track but despite that he seemed to be well in command at the finish and a 4lb rise to 85 mightnt be enough to stop him winning again. I was taken with the run of Ursula back in 4th who stayed on well up the stands side and she should be capable of winning from her mark of 76 if finding the right race.


Filey Handicap - Class 4 - 5f - Thirsk - Good
Later in the afternoon Le Toreardor and Strike up the Band fought out a close finish but it was Lost in Paris who stayed on well from off the pace to finish third having had to come round horses. He is on a mark of 80 having been raised 2lb for this and although he hasnt won above 75 he could be running into form and he may appreciate a fast pace.

There is no better way of convincing yourself of a horses performance than watching the race with your own eyes. If any of you reading have the time then please try and watch some of the races mentioned above on the various free platforms and see if you come to the same conclusions as me.

Saturday 14 May 2011

The Caviar gets better !



Saturday snippets !



Here are some snippets for the day ahead

8.10 Doncaster
Course winner Music Festival gets in to this handicap off bottom weight, although 2lb out of the weights, he once again has the assistance of Joe Fanning and his draw in 17 is a good one too, so 14/1 is a decent ew price about his chances on his tenth start. Jarrow is another than ran well last time on his first start for Dandy Nicholls and he will no doubt show improved form at some stage.

3.50 Thirsk
Dont have a selection for this but it should be interesting to see how Bonnie Charlie gets on for Nicholls given that he was only 5 lengths behind Equiano in last seasons Palace House and is now on a rating 19lb lower given some lacklustre efforts for his previous trainer last season. Michael O'Connell takes off a further 3lb and if his trainer can recapture old form he will be bang there at 12/1. Another of the stable inmates is Amenable who figures on this blogs horses to follow pages.

4.25 Thirsk
With Duchess Dora a Non Runner Lucky Numbers has the chance to continue Paul Green's good start to the season with James Sullivan taking off 3lb, this leaves him effectively just 1lb higher than when winning at Ripon over 6f in April and 16/1 represents good value for him as he will appreciate any ease in the going if any rain hits the track and Silaah is likely to set a strong pace.

5.00 Thirsk
This looks very competitive but a couple that could run well are Horse to Follow Diman Waters who wears blinkers for the first time, he has improvement to come judged on last seasons form and his stable are flying and Stratton Banker who won so well on the All Weather when last seen earlier in the year.

2.35 Newbury
Mac's Power has his first run of the season for Fanshawe and that didnt hinder the stables Deacon Blues the other day when he ran very well on his first start back. Sohraab is potentially interesting at the bottom of the weights as he has run well here before and he keeps dropping down the handicap, he is 33/1. Addictive Dream followed home Humidor at Goodwood the other day in a fast time and it will be interesting to see if he upholds the form of that race.

Good luck everyone !!

Friday 13 May 2011

Hoof It makes it another win for Sprinterstogo Master List !



The win of Hoof It today continued the blogs excellent run of winners for the Sprinterstogo Master Lists which can be found to the right of this post on stand alone pages. Winners and places from the 35 horses selected so far include :
Rileyskeepingfaith 1st - 14/1
Bated Breath 1st - 9/4
Hawkeyethenoo 1st - 15/2
Hoof It 1st - 7/1
King of Eden 1st - 10/1
King of Eden 1st - 9/4
Noble Storm 1st - 6/1
Pastoral Player 1st - 12/1
Deacon Blues 2nd - 8/1
Hawkeyethenoo 4th - 8/1
Hot Pusuits 3rd - 8/1
Jonny Mudball 3rd - 8/1
Manassas 3rd - 16/1
Manassas 2nd - 25/1
Tiddliwinks 3rd - 40/1

Entries this weekend include
King of Eden - tonight
Diman Waters - 5.00 Thirsk
Singeur - 4.25 Thirsk
Amenable - 3.50 Thirsk
Duchess Dora - 4.25 Thirsk
Jonny Mudball - Longchamp
Macs Power - 2.35 Newbury
Misplaced Fortune - 3.10 Ripon Sunday
Piccadilly Filly - Longchamp

Wednesday 11 May 2011

Up a bit, down a bit - 11th May



STP Construction Handicap - Class 5 - 6f - Newcastle - Good To Firm
Eric Alston's Barkston Ash scored here in convincing fashion by an easy 3 lengths and as a result he has been raised 9lb to a mark of 65, he has already taken advantage by winning with a 6lb penalty at Warwick on Tuesday of this week. He looks to be a progressive individual and Alston who has started the season very well with his sprinters and has had 5 winners in the last 14 days can bring about further improvement.

Stellar Group Handicap - Class 2 - 5f16y - Chester - Good To Firm
Doctor Parkes followed up his win at Redcar off 5lb higher mark of 89 by winning here by 1 length from Captain Dunne with last years winner Masamah in third. He won this well and he looks set for better things now for his in form trainer. He has been raised a further 4lbs but he is fine form and you wouldnt bet against him completing a hat trick of wins. There were plenty of hard luck stories behind the winner as is usually the case here and I thought that Blue Jack did well in the circumstances and he stays on the same mark of 105. Fallasteen had shown blistering speed at Epsom and totally flunked the start here.

B&M Retail Handicap - Class 3 - 6f18y - Chester - Good To Firm
This 3yo handicap went to Kevin Ryan's Lexi's Hero by 1/2 length from Jamesie, with Boundaries 3rd and Oneladyowner 4th. The winner made all from his number 6 stall and has been raised 6lb to a mark of 95 and his trainer has pencilled in the competitive Reg Griffin 3yo Handicap at York. Oneladyowner is related to Jimmy Styles (who won the Ayr Gold Cup off 110 when he was 5 and recently won the Cammidge Trophy) and he remains on the same mark of 78 as he was interfered with turning into the straight and he can be given another to chance to win again. Robert the Painter also didnt have the best of runs and he remains on 85 for his in form trainer and jockey, although his trainer thinks he may need to drop a pound or two ?

Fred Cowley MBE Conditions Stakes - Class 3 - Ascot - 5f - Good To Firm
Elnawin showed the benefit of a run and the faster going by battling on tenaciously to get the better of Noble Storm in this 6 runner Conditions Stakes, the second was conceding 2lb to the winner and both are capable of winning again.

Victor Chandler Handicap - Class 2 - Chester - 5f 16yds - Good to Firm
Ahtoug came up against a smart horse last time in Night Carnation(winner since) and he showed he was a classy sort here by missing the break over this fast 5f and still managing to get up and win going away from this good field. He has only been raised 2lb as a result to a mark of 93 and is now fav for the Epsom Dash on Derby Day. He may be a little inexperienced for that but he has natural speed and that may get him through. Face the Problem also missed the break and as a result finished 5th and has been dropped 2lb to 97.

Will & Lynsey's Wedding Day Handicap - Class 4 - Lingfield - 5f - Good to Firm
This was won by Liberty Lady from Admirable Duchess, however Ajjaadd in 4th was the one who caught the eye having not had a clear run and he has been dropped 1lb to 71. He had run well previously when 3rd to Taurus Twins at Windsor when the track record was broken and he remains one to watch.

West Moor Stud Handicap - Class 4 - Ripon - 6f - Good to Firm 
This was a decent sprint and Discanti took the honours by a head from Paul Green's Legal Eagle with Caranbola in third, multiple winner Dickie Le Davoir finished 9th. The winner has been raised 3lb to 88, the 2nd 2lb to 79 and the third remains on 72. It was Paul Green's other runner Feeling Fresh though that caught the eye. He finished very well from off the pace which was at odds with the others who were involved in the finish and being only 2lb above his last winning mark of 71 his trainer will be looking towards getting another win out of him shortly.

Totesport Victoria Cup Handicap - Class 2 - 7f - Ascot - Good to FirmHawkeyethenoo showed he had improved over the winter by taking this in taking fashion to win by  2 1/2 lengths from Brian Meehan's Manassas and he will now head for the Wokingham off an 8lb higher mark of 104. The second ran a very good race too and he has only been raised 2lb to 95, he ran well off 96 in last seasons Ayr Silver Cup and he seems to thrive in these big field handicaps.

Alfred Franks & Bartlett Sunglasses Handicap - Class 3 - 6f - Ascot - Good to Firm
Deacon Blues ran a cracker here on his first run back to be beaten a neck by Imperial Guest and unfortunately he has risen by 3lbs to 98 for not winning which is a shame, although he did look the best horse in the race. This shouldnt be a barrier to him winning though and I would expect to see him go close next time out. The third Edinburgh Knight had been showing a good level of form on the All Weather and ran well here off 89 and he should remain competitive off 91. Dungannon in 8th was badly hampered when staying on and he deserves another chance with his trainer thinking he is well handicapped on a mark of 90. 

Monday 9 May 2011

The Grand Old Duke of York !!



The Knavesmire on Wednesday sees 14 runners lineup for the Group 2 Duke of York Blue Square Stakes over 6f. At the top of the weights is Markab who has a 5lb penalty for his Group 1 success in the Haydock Sprint Cup. The going is Good and the Clerk of the course had this to say today "We won't be watering tonight but will monitor conditions through the week. Despite a record-breaking dry spring, we are very pleased with the state of the ground. We had a lot of rain on Sunday so there is plenty of moisture in the ground and there is also a dense covering of grass."

Markab has not run for 249 days, his last 4 wins have been on Good to Firm although he has won with cut in the distant past. He won first time out last season albeit that was a in a Class 2 Conditions race for which he was marginally best in at the weights against his 7 opponents. He reportedly ran too free when beaten into 6th behind Regal Parade on going that was softer than ideal (described as Good) and he may find a similar fate here.
Dalghar has been switched to Andrew Balding from France, however he may need his first run and this maybe a bit too sharp for him and he is best watched.
Delegator has never run over a trip this short and it remains to be see how he fares, as it is he only just beat Sir Gerry over 7f at Newbury last September. His stable commented the following recently as to whether he will be suited by 6f "Delegator has shown a lot of speed in his races and I think that six furlongs is the right distance for him to try now, he worked well on Sunday morning and he is in good form at the moment. He will improve for his first start of the season, but I'm looking forward to seeing him run a nice race."
Genki is 5lb better off with Markab for a 2 1/4 length beating in the Haydock Sprint Cup and he is also likely to appreciate this going. He has been showing a consistenet level of form and won first time out this season in the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket, albeit only 3 3/4 lengths covered the first 10 home.
Hamish McGonagall has never won over 6f and this seems a difficult race for him to break that trait.
Hitchens ran very well last time out, although that was in the Listed Cammidge Trophy, but he is unlikely to appreciate any cut in the going and that may be a step too far against this opposition, although his trainer thinks he is up to Group 2 level.
Inler was only having his sixth race when a 1 3/4 length 5th behind Genki in the Abernant and he could be capable of springing a suprise and the stable said the following recently "We were delighted with his comeback at Newmarket which will have blown away the cobwebs for this talented performer. He improved throughout the second half of last year and having continued to work well since that comeback, he deserves his shot at this level".
Prime Defender ran 6th in the Abernant and was then beaten into 10th behind Pastoral Player in a Class 2 handicap also at the same track. Stable had this to say about him recently "He attempts to retain his crown in The Duke of York Stakes. It was a shock when he won last year and on his form this year it looks like it will be a shock if he wins again, but if he turns up on the day in the right mood who knows what he is capable of. He clearly likes York as he won this race and was only touched off for third by a nose in the Nunthorpe, over an inadequate trip, in his two visits to the track last year"
Rain Delayed has run well over 5f on his last 2 starts and he was running on well behind Tangerine Trees in the Palace House Stakes and although this may stretch him a little he should get the trip on his Newmarket run and he should be thereabouts again. His stable said the following recently "We've got to see if he can do it over six furlongs. His ideal trip would be a stiff five, he seems well and he deserves a chance. He ran over six at Doncaster but it didn't tell us anything as he got boxed in. He will enjoy the bit of juice in the ground."
Regal Parade has good form over the distance being a previous Haydock Sprint Cup winner (Good to Soft) and he will have no problems with going should it remain so. He went for a pipe opener in Ireland at the beginning of April but things didnt go to plan and if he turns up on his game he should go very close.
Kevin Ryan is testing the water with some of his better handicappers in Group races and Tiddliwinks ran consistently well in Class 2 handicaps last season and it remains to be seen if he is good enough for this.
Triple Aspect won a Listed race over 6f at Windsor last year in May when beating Sir Gerry by 3/4 length, he is probably more comfortable on firmer going and he has bit to make up on Genki on previous form.
Rose Blossom is very speedy and has been flying at home according to her jockey, however on this first run back she may go off faster than ideal and may get run down by either Genki or Regal Parade.
Richard Fahey had this to say about her chance "We've an exciting runner in Rose Blossom in the Duke Of York. We've been very, very pleased with her work this year, she always works well because she's such a fast filly, but she seems a little more professional in her mind this time round. We're hoping for a big run and if she finishes in the first three we'd be delighted. The ground would again be a worry. She loves fast ground and has never encountered a softish surface so that has to be a concern but we'll run her and let her take her chance".
Finally Ladies are Forever won the 2yo trophy at Redcar last season, she is related to Handicapper Hoof It and I will have a watching brief on her for now although her stable said the following about her recently "She is a lot better filly than the one that ran in the Nell Gwyn, she didn't really act on the track, or quite get home over seven furlongs, so we are back to sprinting."

In my view it will be difficult to keep both Regal Parade(7/1) and Genki(13/2) out of the frame as they are both proven over the distance and will have no trouble with any ease in the going.

Sunday 8 May 2011

Good day for "Horses to Follow" !



Saturday was a very good day for the blogs "Sprinterstogo Master List's" with the Victoria Cup going the way of blog selection Hawkeyethenoo (15/2 from 11/1) with the second spot being taken by Manassas at 25/1, both of which are in the Master list's and they where the only 2 to figure in the race. The exacta returned the sum of £288.90 to a £1 stake and had you been eagle eyed and looked at the blog of Wayward Lad (a blog I follow) you would have seen he selected the 3rd Nasri.....and what a trifecta that would have been, paying £11,808.00.

Here's an extract from the Master List page for Manassas "He is a consistent and versatile horse according to Brian Meehan, he runs well in big fields. Had top weight in Ayr Silver Cup and ran very well from the front until tiring and finishing 6th off a mark of 96. He prefers some cut and would probably be better on a stiff track over 6f. He is dropping down to a winable mark". He was off 93 here and the stiff track and big field obviously played to his stengths.

Also in the 5.10 at Ascot Deacon Blues (another Master List entry) was 2nd, beaten a neck, at 8/1 on his first run of the season.
"6F is considered to be his best trip and he should be able to progress further off his current rating of 95". He is one to keep an eye on next time out.

Over at Haydock the Conditions Stakes went the way of Bated Breath at 9/4 with Society Rock 2nd at 11/4, both horses feature in the Master List and the exacta returned £7.50 to £1 stake.

All in all a good day for followers of the blog and with York coming up and the racing really hotting up you need to keep a close eye on things.

Saturday 7 May 2011

Prince to shine at Ascot



5.10 Ascot
Chiefdom Prince comes into this Class 3 Handicap over 6f on a mark of a mark of 87 having won easily at Pontefract last time and Sir Michael Stoute can exploit it. He has a big field of experienced handicappers to overcome but he did it so well at Pontefract it is too hard to ignore and he is a worthy fav. He drifted across to the right late on there and his draw in stall 3 will help in that regard as he will be able to run along the rail if needs to. The fact that he has been kept in training indicates he is likely to be better than a handicapper in due course and I am confident that he will go close today.

3.25 Ascot
Hawkeyethenoo was very unlucky at Newmarket in a competitive 6f sprint last weekend and he gets the chance to put things right here. He will be ridden this time by Gary Bartley who has won on him 3 times before and hopefully he wont get himself into as much trouble as William Buick. He is drawn on the right side of the track and the 7f trip shouldnt be a problem as he stayed on so well at Newmarket. On last weeks showing he looks to have improved again, he seems to excel in these big field handicaps and he must be involved in the finish.

There are several horses from the "To Follow" pages running today and there is an interesting sprint race at Haydock involving Bated Breath, Society Rock and Victoire De Lyphar which it too difficult to call.