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Sunday 31 May 2015

Nottingham Sprint



TAKE NOTE THE GOING HAS CHANGED AGAIN TO GOOD TO SOFT, GOOD IN PLACES.

Hi everyone - no posts for a short while, so sorry about that. However I've been doing well over the last few days having gone through the card at Newmarket on Friday I'm ready to tackle some sprint races today at Nottingham.

There has been rain overnight and the going has changed to Good from Good to Firm, Firm in places. Showers are forecast for the remainder of the day as can be seen from the met office rainfall radar map. The going is essentially the same as last weeks meeting here, The turftrax reading being 8.0. You will need to check which way the wind is blowing as if its head on it will favour those held up.

The stalls are situated on the stands side for the 5f races, high numbers are nearest the rail. The course has minor undulations and generally speedy, handy types are favoured.

3.45 ODDS ON FAVOURITE DG TAXIS 01159500500 HANDICAP - 5f 13yds - cLASS 3

Van Ellis and Royal Mezyan are non runners.

Draw order as you will look at them is as follows :

  1 - Borderlescott - Prominent
  2 - Blithe Spirit - Prominent
  3 - Rusty Rocket - Prominent
  4 - Sleepy Sioux - Held Up
  5 - Judge N'Jury - PACE
  6 - It Must Be Faith - Prominent
  7 - Free Zone - Held Up
  8 - Top Boy - Held Up
  9 - Double Up - Held Up
10 - Burning Thread - Prominent
11 - NR - stall will move up 1
12 - NR - stall will move up 1
13 - NR - stalls will move up 1 closer to rail
14 - Harrogate Fair - Prominent

Powerful Wind was able to get to the rail from stall 8 of 11 LTO at Chepstow and bagged the rail to lead all the way and it looks as though he will be able to do that today, however that was a Class 5 veterans handicap and he had a lot in his favour so he may not be able to dominate this field as much. He is up 5lb in the ratings but has a 7lb Claiming Jockey on board. The time was 58.19s with a top speed figure of 70.
Judge N'Jury, for the same stable, has 3 horses to his inside who are usually held up so he should also be able to get across towards the rail with Powerful Wind. He is 11 and contested a Class 3 LTO returning from a 210 day break and finished 3rd. That was on similar going to today where he led and raced against near side rail, was ridden 2f out and was headed and one pace 1f out. The time of the race was 59.55s and he recorded a top speed figure of 75, he was beaten 2 lengths. He is however 6lb lower than his last win which was over this course and distance in a Class 3 Handicap on similar going to today, which he won by 4 lengths drawing clear from 2f out and keeping on strongly in a time of 1m 0.4s which was 0.26s slower than last weeks Class 5 over C&D.
Double Up is the short priced favourite on the basis of his win at Newmarket in a Class 4 where he faced just 5 others. The race was run in a time of 57.44s with a speed figure of 75 and its a case of whether they will be going fast enough for him today as today's race will be about 2.5 secs slower. He wasn't slowly away as described by race readers, he was close up from the start. They had the benefit of a fresh wind behind and the field parted like the Red Sea for Double Up who ran on to win convincingly with It Must Be Faith beaten in 5th. I would be surprised if he gets an easy run through today as I would imagine the field will be spread out across this side of the track come th efinal furlong and he may have to wait to get a run but he certainly has the potential to improve further.
One who I think is well drawn in stall 10 is Burning Thread whose last win came off a mark of 90 in a Class 3, he is rated 87 today and Tim Clark claims 5lb. He was having his first run of the season last time out for his new trainer David Elsworth who has been in fine form of late and he was drawn in stall 2 of 15 at York in a Class 2 Handicap, winning time 57.50s. He was pretty isolated on the far side for most of that race and finished 5 1/2 lengths behind Out Do in a race that has worked out well since. If he progressed from that then he will go very close. The only negative may be the going as he usually likes it a bit faster than he will get today, but it was Good ground at York (6.4) so it may not be a problem.
Rusty Rocket, Blithe Spirit and Harrogate Fair will be praying for more rain but should run well in any event as will the 13yo Borderlescott, but its Burning Thread for me who is a best priced 9/1.

Now the going has changed to Good to Soft, Good in places you will need to consider Rusty Rocket, Blithe Spirit and Harrogate Fair as the this will have enhanced their chances and there may be more non runners as they afternoon goes on. The going change may be a negative for the Fav Double Up.



Thursday 21 May 2015

The Temple Stakes big race facts



The Betfred.Com Temple Stakes - Haydock - Group 2
History Has been run at Haydock since 2008 having previously been staged at Sandown between 1965 to 2003 on Whitsun (now Spring) Bank Holiday Monday Holborn, owned by Charles Englehard won the first running. Previous form in the race in recent years has been beneficial.
Draw Record last 7 years : 
2014 - 7, 1, 5, 3 (9 ran) Good to Soft - Oisin Murphy 1m 0.15s
2013 - 10, 4, 5, 11 (10 ran) Firm - Shane Kelly 59.25s
2012 - 2, 4, 4, 12 (12 ran) Firm 56.39s
2011 - 5, 12, 11, 1 (12) Good to Firm 57.67s
2010 - 4, 6, 9, 5 (9) Good to Firm 58.92
2009 - 1, 11, 6, 12 (9) Heavy 1m 4.03s
2008 - 3, 1, 10, 4 (12) Good to Firm 57.15s
Low numbers favoured
Age of Winner - 3, 8, 5, 4, 5, 4, 3
Result :
2014 : 1st Hot Streak, 2nd Pearl Secret, 3rd Kingsgate Native, 4th Justice Day
2013 : 1st Kingsgate Native, 2nd Swiss Spirit, 3rd Reckless Abandon, 4th Sole Power
2012 : 1st Bated Breath, 2nd Sole Power, 3rd Spirit Quartz, 4th Borderlescott
2011 : 1st Sole Power, 2nd Kingsgate Native, 3rd Prohibit, 4th Borderlescott
2010 : 1st Kingsgate Native, 2nd Equiano, 3rd Borderlescott, 4th Spin Cycle
2014 Racing Post Analysis :
A one-two for Qatar Racing with HOT STREAK leading home Pearl Secret, the pair well clear. They all raced middle to far side.
Hot Streak, whose top apprentice rider was unable to claim his 3lb allowance, is a tremendously fast horse and, despite being taken on up front by Justineo (who faded to finish sixth), he sustained his challenge to skip clear before easily holding off the runner-up´s late bid. This was a really taking performance from a young, still improving sprinter and, when the emphasis is on speed, European runners at least are going to find him tough to beat.

Friday 15 May 2015

Back on Track



Hoping to get back on track today and find a winner.

2.55 Newbury - This sees a decent field line up over the 6f. Clear Spring won a 4 runner Class 2 Conditions Stakes at Haydock last Saturday and consequently has to carry a 6lb penalty. He was up against Intibaah and Louis The Pious over whom he held a fitness advantage on Soft ground, the other runner Invincible Ridge was 14lb wrong with Clear Spring at the weights, so he faces a  tough task today with 6lb penalty. Clear Spring prior to that race had a run a good race to finish 5th behind Pipers Note at Ripon, where he was 2 lengths behind Algar Lad who won a Class 2 Handicap at York earlier this week.
Fast Track and Golden Steps head the market today and they both return from their winter breaks. The form that entitles them to be were they are in the betting is their race at Newmarket last July when they finished 1st and 5th over 6f on Good to Firm in a time of 1m 11.49s. Eastern Impact was a running on second that day beaten a nose and he was giving Fast Track and Golden Steps 9lb and 2lbs respectively.
Eastern Impact ran again at Newmarket a week last Sunday in another Class 2 Handicap beating the progressive Huntsmans Close, finishing in 4th was Accession who runs today and he was receiving 3lbs if you take Jack Garrity's claim into account. However the winning time of that race was 1m 9.82s ie 1.67s faster, the winning distances being a shd, 1 length, 1 length. Accession was drawn 2 of 22 on the outside, he broke well and had to come across the field in order to get a prominent position which he held throughout the race. The going was probably faster than ideal (9.2 on the going stick) and he was reverting back to 6f, having run predominantly over 7f, however he recorded a career high top speed figure of 85. 
He is 2-3 at Newbury, he is 3-11 in fields between 6 and 11 runners and 2-4 when running between 8 and 14 days since last run. There are 10 runners and 12 days since his last run.
The stalls are positioned on the stands side rail and he is drawn 9. Chilworth Icon is drawn 10 and he tends to start slowly and generally be held up so Accession should get the rail if his jockey chooses to use it. The going at Newbury is officially Good (6.3 on the going stick) so it should suit him better than at Newmarket.
On the line through Eastern Impact he should have the beating of Fast Track and Golden Steps and with the fitness and the rail draw he is the value bet at 5/1 and he will need to win well in order to get a rating high enough to get into the Wokingham which the stable would like to get into if possible.
Of the others Eternitys Gate has room for improvement although he is running from 4lb out of the handicap and Magnus Maximus winner of the Tattersalls Million in 2013 has blinkers applied for the first time in an effort to rekindle his enthusiasm.

Tuesday 12 May 2015

York's Dante Meeting - Day 1



Well I'm off to York tomorrow to watch Tatlisu in the 2.40 Class 2 Handicap.

He doesn't have the best of draws in stall 1 as only 1 winner has come from that stall in sprints since 2009 - a total of 91 in all, but Ryan Moore will be riding and hopefully he can get a toe into the race as he usually travels well.

The overnight favourite looks to be Polybius and he is entered for the Group 2 Temple Stakes and the Group 1 July Cup so this may be a springboard to better things and he must be well thought of to get those kind of entries, he holds a decent draw in 17, although he has no real experience of big field handicaps.

The first 4 home from Pipers Note's win at Ripon last time re oppose. 
Tudhope has not ridden Algar Lad since last July so I don't think we can read anything into him being on the stables Out Do as he won on him last time out at Pontefract. In that race he stole a march on the others and it paid to be out in front that day. He doesn't have a great record at York finishing 8958 from 4 starts.

Kickboxer has now been transferred to Godolphin so high hopes for him too, although he has yet to win here from 4 starts, albeit he was 3rd to G Force in one of his attempts..

All 4 of Blaine's wins have come in July/August so it might be a bit early to catch him even though he is well drawn in 18.

Bogart should be all the sharper for his return at Beverley and Boy In The Bar should also come on with blinkers back on for his second start for Richard Fahey.

It's a very difficult race in which to come to a conclusion as we don't know what effect the draw will have, if any and it may be a wise move to go for two horses, one drawn high and one drawn low, but if Polybius is as good as they think he is he may take some stopping.

Richard Fahey quotes - I thought everything went wrong for Tatlisu at Ripon last time. They spread out across the track and he’s a horse who needs cover in his races. He hasn’t got a great draw for that here but if they go quick up front I hope he’s in the right place to pick them off.

I was pleased enough with Boy In The Bar’s first run for us at Ascot where I feel the ground just dried out a little bit too much for him. He wouldn’t want it too quick and we’ve stuck the blinkers back on him on the recommendation of Robert Winston. We’ll see what effect they have.

In the Duke of York at 3.15 the two horses most likely to go on to better things, Muthmir and Lightning Moon, are returning from their winter breaks and on this occasion it may be best to go with those with race fitness as there will be plenty of pace on here. However beyond those two this isn't looking a race bursting with talent and Astaire at 13/2, the winner of the Abernant at Newmarket is worth risking your money on.
Of the others I think Naadirr was flattered by his win at Doncaster as he he was shielded from the strong headwind. Aetna and Jack Dexter probably need more cut in the going to show their best whist Lucky Kristale hasnt done much for a while.
Mattmu was stuffed by Limato last season and will probably need the race in any event. 

Friday 8 May 2015

Hawkeyethenoo to roll back time !



The Victoria Cup on Saturday is the competitive race that you would expect it to be but there is one horse who is beginning to get some respite from the handicapper and that is Hawkeyethenoo who gets in here at the bottom of the handicap on a mark of 93 with Hector Crouch taking off a further 7lb, so he will be running off and actual weight of 8-1 or a mark of 86.

You may think he is getting a bit old in the tooth but he is a former winner of this race and he often runs well here and as we have seen in these sprints this year age is no barrier.

When he won this race back in 2011 as a 5yo he was rated 96 and his winning distance was a comfortable two and a half lengths. The going was Good to Firm that day and the actual weight he carried was 8-7 with the time recorded being 1m 26.49s.

In October he returned to the track for the 14th time over this distance in a Class 2 Handicap off a mark of 100, actual weight carried 9-6, It was Good to Firm that day and he was drawn in stall 18 of 18. He was settled out the back on the rail before running on to be beaten just one and a quarter lengths, despite a troubled passage, in a race time of 1m 26.44s and the Racing Post analysis read as follows :
Steadied start and switched to race near side, held up, progress 2f out against near side rail, stayed on well final furlong, gaining at finish.

This season he has had two races and on his latest start at Haydock his rider adopted similar tactics to his Ascot run and he was running on at the end despite not having the clearest of passages and hopefully that will have set him up for a decent run in this.

This time last season he was running in Group 2's over 5f and 6f which is probably a bit short for him now and in 2013 he wasn't beaten far in both the Group 1 Golden Jubilee here and the Haydock Sprint Cup behind Lethal Spirit and Gordon Lord Byron respectively. He won the Stewards Cup off 103(top weight) as a 6yo and has consistently run well in big sprints through his career.

He is drawn 16 of the 29 runners tomorrow so he should be able to get plenty of cover. He should also get the strong pace he needs as Outback Traveller in stall 13 should lead, whilst Zarwaan 14, Bronze Angel 18, Lulu The Zulu 19, Dream Spirit 20 and Heavens Guest 22  all like to race prominent so there's plenty of pace about him. 

Seven of his 8 wins have come when  he's carried 9 stone or less and his last 4 wins have come in fields of 20 or more runners as he seems to like coming through horses. It's now just a case of whether his young jockey is able to steer him through the gaps.

Although he has run well on ground described as good to firm in the past he ideally needs the ground to be on the soft side of good. The going is currently good at Ascot however there has been a bit of rain about as well as racing on Friday night so hopefully the going will be just about right.

Once again I am not saying he will win but he is decent odds for a horse of his ability and as several bookmakers are paying 5 places you should take advantage of that offer as he will pay decent odds for a place with his current odds being 40/1. 


Good Luck !

Van the Man !



Well back to my sprint roots today as there is a wide outsider that I think has the potential to do better than his 50/1 odds.
Van Ellis drops to Class 3 handicap company following his Class 2 run at Ripon against the likes of Pipers Note and Tatlisu.
The handicapper has dropped him 5lb from 100 to 95 and the excellent Cam Hardie takes off another 3lb.
James Doyle was booked at Ripon, Van Ellis's first run back following a long break, so Steve Flook, who is better known as a Hunter Chase trainer must have thought he had a chance in that race.
At Ripon he set a very good pace on the far side leading the field before he eventually gave way and faded at about the furlong pole. He was allowed to come home in his own time and was well beaten according to a number of race readers. The Racing Post analysis said the following "Led far side, headed over 1f out, weakened and eased"
This run was no surprise given that he was coming back off an 814 day break.
He was bought for 8,000 at the 2014 Ascot December Sales having previously been with Mark Johnston and Godolphin.
When with Johnston he won twice at Chester in 2012, both wins coming from stall 9 of 9 runners(we've seen this week its difficult to overcome a high draw) so he did very well to win both of those, the latter of which was a listed race.
Immediately prior to that Listed win he won the Skybet Dash by a length and a quarter over 6f at York off a mark of 100 when he was drawn in possibly the worst stall of all on the straight track number 1.
In October 2012 he contested the Group 2 Champions Sprint at Ascot where he came up against the likes of Group 1 winning sprinters Society Rock and Maarek. He once again got the worst of the draw in stall 1 of 15 but he showed up well without getting any cover and faded at the furlong pole. He was a 3yo though against older horses and he was only beaten 6 1/4 lengths at the line.
Prior to his return last month his last run was when 2nd at Meydan for Godolphin in 2013.
He has only run 15 times in total in his 6 years and 6 is an age that top sprint trainer Robert Cowell says is the best age for a sprinter, so he is in his prime with possible improvement/return to his old form to come. The handicapper had him rated as high as 108 as a 3yo and with Cam Hardie's claim he is effectively now running off a mark of 92.

He runs 7.10 at Ascot on Friday over 6f, he is drawn 7 of the 14 so hopefully he will get a little bit of cover if needed. I am not saying he is going to win but at the likely price of between 33/1 to 50/1 he could represent some value and is worth a small each way investment at those odds.

Thursday 7 May 2015

Chester Day 2



Not a great day yesterday with my half term report reading "Could do better, tends to have his head in the clouds" !

We witnessed yet again the draw playing a crucial part yesterday and even more importantly a fast break from the stalls as one is no good without the other.

In the three 5f contests Silver Wings, B Fifty Two and Normal Equilibrium were all unable to capitalise on their good draw by failing to break quick enough and consequently they finished 2nd, 0 and 2nd.

Frankie Dettori seemed to lose the plot on B Fifty Two, he missed the break and then tried to overtake Come On Dave in the first furlong which is probably a feat not achievable for most sprinters and turning into the straight he was a spent force, his trainer having reported he was slow to come in his coat.

In the Chester Cup things got no better with Ryan Moore seemingly having accepted his stall 16 draw fate on Suegioo at 11.30am on Monday ! He made no effort to get competitive even though the whole field was going at a crawl and were in two by two file for a circuit and a half - at no other course would you see this. Some Jockeys have got it into their heads that at Chester if your drawn high you cant win therefore there's no point in riding the usual race.
However just 5 stalls down from Ryan Moore was Graham Lee on the winner Trip To Paris - no such worries here Graham Lee gives 100% in all races and hasn't been blessed with the Ballydoyle silver spoon !

Onto today, can we look beyond Collaboration in the 2.10 ? He will like the going and he acted well at Epsom so he shouldn't find this course beyond him. He's drawn in stall 3 and is the improver in the field but it's a case of whether he is improving as fast as the handicapper is putting him up in the weights - now 20lb higher than start of season. If he gets a good position he should take a deal of beating and the 9/4 could look generous if he's careering away up the straight again to a wide margin win as at Epsom. Course lover Tres Coronas should provide some tough competition and the exacta beckons and Master Of Finance should run better than he did last time.

Aiden O'Brien has another chance to better his record of wins here with Hans Holbein in the 3.10. Diamondsandrubies was in a different class to his opposition yesterday and it would be no surprise if the same was the case with Hans Holbein even though he hasn't set the world alight so far and the 9/4 on offer for him could also look generous at the finishing post.

Sir Michael Stoute's Cannock Chase faces only 4 runners in the 2.40 and after his recent pipe opener at Sandown 13 days ago he should be spot on for this and 6/4, although skinny, is probably right.

The 2yo race at 4.20 will all be down to which jockey/horse combination are best able to take advantage of the draw. Raj To Riches (5) has the best speed figure to date and with two runs already should know his job and David Evans will no doubt want to get a win having nearly won the Lily Agnes yesterday. Rogues Gallery next best on speed and with three runs to his name is probably out of it in stall 8 and faded in the final furlong last time out.

There are 15 runners in the 6f sprint at 4.55 and those drawn higher than 5 or 6 will be at a disadvantage. Johnny B Goode is drawn 4 and he has one of the best soft ground speed ratings on offer so he may be good value at 7/1. Cartmell Cleave is up 9lb for his good win at Bath but the stall 8 position may make it a step too far.

Good Luck to you and to Ed ....not Mr Ed !!

 

Wednesday 6 May 2015

Chester Day 1



The draw always plays a crucial part at Chester but not just in the 5f races - it goes right through to the Chester Cup distance of 2m 2f 147 yards.

The racing starts with the 2.10 Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes - Silver Wings is top of the speed ratings and with his number 1 draw its difficult to get away from his chance. Mark Johnston has those drawn 2 and 3 with Rah Rah and Fashionable Spirit but I would imagine he will be looking towards the 6f races and beyond for all his 2yo's and these two may be caught out for speed. The one to challenge could be Astley Hall for local owner David Armstrong and Richard Fahey, the dam having won over 5f.

Aiden O'Brien has a 58% strike rate here and Diamondsandrubles will be difficult to beat in the 2.40, the one to do it may be Victoria Pollard.

The Chester Cup at 3.10 looks wide open and I don't think you can go too wrong in backing last years winner Suegioo, who would have won a lot eaiser last season but for nearly being knocked off the course when coming with his run by the eventual second Angel Gabrial whom he meets on better terms. He isn't as well drawn this time but I don't think Ryan Moore took advantage of his better draw last year and therefore he will probably adopt similar mid division tactics.
Others to note are Buthelezi, Quick Jack and Zafayan.

The Boodles Diamond Handicap goes off at 3.45 and there will be plenty of pace on over the 5f with B Fifty Two, Come On Dave and Blithe Spirit sure to be cutting out the pace. B Fifty Two is 2-2 here and his recent run will have brought him forward enough to win as I think he has a bit of class about him. Tim Easterby horses are running well and his only two runners today contest this.

The 4.55 sees the third race over the 5f course for the day and Normal Equilibrium could have an uncontested lead as those drawn 2 and 3 are rated just 77 and 60 ie 23lb and 40lbs light of his mark.

Good Luck

Friday 1 May 2015

The Pearl Bloodstcock Palace House Stakes and other races



Its not the greatest renewal of this event as stalwart Sole Power is not present.
Pearl Secret was his nearest rival in the betting last year but he ran a bit free and was slightly disappointing. He ran some good races in defeat though following at Haydock in the Temple Stakes and the Haydock Sprint Cup. He prefers a bit of cut so it will all depend on how much watering goes on at Newmarket (5mm applied on Friday) as it doesn't look like there will be any significant rain arriving.
Kingsgate Native finished 2nd following up his second in 2013 and whilst I respect his and Tangerine Trees record its difficult to expect them to win at the age of 10 although they will have the stamina.
5f is probably too short for Watchable and Glass Office and Online Alexander and Wind Fire face a tough re introduction. Justice Day probably needs soft to produce his best and Goldream should be in a handicap.
That leaves just Stepper Point who was second in both the Group 1 Kings Stand and Nunthorpe last summer behind Sole Power which is by far the best form we have on offer, although he has run here 4 times and never won finishing 9th and 4th in  this very race.

In truth I am not keen on anything but a gun to my head I would go for the form horse Stepper Point.

History : Named after Palace House, a famous building in Newmarket on the site of a royal residence of King Charles II. The race was established in 1961, and the first running was won by Galivanter.
Draw Record last 7 years :
2014 - 6, 9, 3, 4, (11 ran) Good to Firm, Good in places - Ryan Moore - 58.74s
2013 - 9, 11, 10, 7 (17 ran) Good to Firm - Johnny Murtagh - 57.02s
2012 - 2, 4, 6, 10 (16 ran) Good to Soft - 1m 1.42s
2011 - 3, 10, 5, 11 (15) Good to Firm - 59.70s
2010 - 4, 3, 12, 2 (12) Good to Firm - 58.40s
2009 - 4, 1, 14, 9 (16) Good to Firm - 57.73s
2008 - 11, 8, 10, 5 (10) Good to Firm - 59.00s
Age of Winner (last season first) - 7, 6, 4, 6, 5, 3, 3
Result:
2014 : 1st Sole Power, 2nd Kingsgate Native, 3rd Hot Streak, 4th Stepper Point
2013 : 1st Sole Power, 2nd Kingsgate Native, 3rd Tangerine Trees, 4th Heeraat
2012 : 1st Mayson, 2nd Definightly, 3rd Elusivity, 4th Spirit Quartz
2011 : 1st Tangerine Trees, 2nd Rain Delayed, 3rd Sole Power, 3rd Jonny Mudball
2010 : 1st Equiano, 2nd Borderlescott, 3rd Blue Jack, 4th Sole Power
2009 : 1st Amour Propre, 2nd Hoh Hoh Hoh, 3rd Borderlescott, 4th Strike The Deal
2008 : 1st Captain Gerrard, 2nd Sakhee's Secret, 3rd Enticing, 4th Matsunosuke

......................................
Other horses to note on Saturday are as follows :

6.45 Doncaster : Auspicion - Led from the off last time out and was able to repel the late sustained challenge of the second. Probably capable of further improvement and given a mark of 85 for first handicap. Nathan Alison takes off 3lb and he drops back from 1m to 7f.

7.15 Doncaster : Desert Law - Falling down the handicap at a rate of knots. His trainer Paul Midgley is in good form and it shouldn't be too long before he wins a handicap as he went well at Beverley under Graham Lee from a poor draw and the form of the race has been franked since. Dropped 2lb from 91 to 89 following last run he is now 12lb lower than his last win. Paul Mulrennan takes over from Graham Lee who rides Sunraider a horse he has won on previously.
However they are up against Rex Imperator who won the Stewards Cup in 2013 by two and a quarter lengths for William Haggas off a 14lb higher mark than he runs off here on this his first start for David O'Meara. The comments in running following his Stewards Cup win read as follows "Held up and travelled well in midfield, closed to track leaders over 1f out, switched left and quickened to lead inside final furlong, ran on strongly, readily".
Haggas always maintained that Rex Imperator wanted a fast, flat track to show his best form and he gets that here.
With David O'Meara's knack of rediscovering lost form and his stall 5 draw it makes him a bet worth making.

3.45 Newmarket : Intilaaq - Very impressive at Newbury - He was sent to the front early on and then with about a furlong to go he was sent to win the race and boy did he do that. Looked in a different league to the rest.
Roger Varian states “Intilaaq has been in great form since winning at Newbury. He is a colt we have always held in very high regard and his win at Newbury was in the style of a high-class horse. This is obviously a huge step up in grade but we felt that he warranted to take his chance in what looks an open 2000 Guineas on paper.”

4.20 Newmarket : Desert Force - Always travelling well at the head of affairs at Newbury whilst others making heavy work of it. Quickened well when challenged to repel the second and looks a progressive type. He was raised 11lb following that win and he appears up against it having to concede 11lb to Henry Candy's progressive Twilight Sun.
Henry Candy commented about Twilight Sun in Mark Howards "Ahead On The Flat" as follows "From a very good family, he is a half brother to Music Master and Spring Fling and I think he is suited by being held up in his races. Unbeaten in two races at Salisbury and Thirsk, he appears to be on a decent mark and I am expecting him to be effective over five and six furlongs. I think he will be suited by a bit of cut in the ground, being by Kyllachy. I am very happy with him".
He is drawn in stall 5 which should allow him to be held up and with the new cutaway at the 2f marker he should, all being well, be able to get a position to get a clear run.
Richard Fahey has two runners and his comments are as follows "Sarista is having her first run for us. She had a problem after running at Royal Ascot last June. She tries hard and I’m led to believe she shows more on the track than she does at home. It will be interesting to see how she goes". "Fullon Clarets is the polar opposite. He shows more here at Musley Bank than he does when he’s racing but he did win at Lingfield the last day and that could just do him the world of good and give him a bit of confidence".

4.55 Newmarket : Azmaam - He was very unlucky at Newmarket and in all probability would have won had he not been trapped in a pocket.
He is up against O'Brien's Aloft "He had to work hard to win his maiden at Newmarket before finishing second in the Racing Post Trophy on soft ground, which was far from ideal for him. He's almost ready to start and will go for one of the Derby trials. It could be Chester, Leopardstown or York, although there's a 1m2f Listed race at Newmarket on Guineas weekend that might suit" - RP24/04/2015.

4.00 Thirsk : Signore Piccolo - There was a bit of monkeying around pre race last time which may have used up energy and his young rider had him too far back in what was a fast run race. Josh Doyle is replaced by Sam James and stable stick with 5f, he can be given another chance off a 4lb higher mark.

5.40 Thirsk : Birdman - Won off 70 at Thirsk, being held up and then coming with a run down the outside as they came up the straight. Once he got to the front he could have gone on and won by 10 lengths but he was eased down. Ran again under 6lb penalty at Doncaster winning easily.
Birdman is now 15lb higher than his first win at Thirsk but he won so well at Doncaster, under this jockey, that he has to be backed again.

2.50 Goodwood : Emell - 1-20 prior to his last run, he was runner-up in last season´s Celebration Mile. He was down to 7f at Haydock for the first time in 2 years and had blinkers on first time, but produced a devastating turn of foot to sweep past his rivals entering the last furlong, despite edging to the left, and he was clear at the line.
He looked an improved performer at Haydock and it's difficult not to be tempted to back him again.

5.50 Goodwood : Joshua Potman - Tried to make every post a winning one at Nottingham in his first handicap. He had everything on the stretch and was leading by several lengths before being worn down by the winner close home despite battling back. He is up 7lb but granted some improvement from his first run back he can hopefully dominate from the front and hold on.


Also take a look at the 2yo speed ratings page which I have recently started. It's basically a list of the speed figures taken from the Weekender results section in an orderly list.