Been absent for a while again but, in fairness, there ain't been a lot to enthuse about.
Made the effort to have a look at the Churchill Stakes a Listed event over ten furlongs. Hunter's Light for "The Boys in Blue" was well supported and duly collected under William Buick. However things didn't go without a few problems, the winner veered left inside the final furlong and Suits Me had to be near enough strangled by Micky Fenton or be brought down. There was an inquiry and the result was allowed to stand but again we had the classic conundrum, Circumvent finished second, meaning that if the winner had been disqualified he would have been the beneficiary rather than the horse the winner interfered with. I'm not really convinced that the stewards would have chucked the winner out, they seem very reluctant to do that these days.
I'm not sure if Buick had a ban but perhaps it would work better if he was given a fine equal to the amount Suits Me lost out on. That fine should then pass to the connections of the horse that was interfered with.
Just a thought!!
While, hopefully, everyone was watching the mayhem up front my eye was taken with SATWA PEARL given a quiet ride by Steve Drowne back in sixth. Having just won a Class 4 handicap in this country perhaps she was flying a little high. Her SP of 25/1 suggested that not a lot was expected from her on this occasion, her cause wasn't helped by a slow start after that she just coasted around at the back of the field with Drowne showing little urgency. She was still travelling quite well as they turned into the straight and ran on nicely without coming under a great deal of pressure.
It is to be expected that connections will be keen to get her some black type, she is nicely bred, but if she is put back into handicap class I think she will be picking up a race or two.
She has no near at hand entries.
Wednesday 23 November 2011
Saturday 29 October 2011
Lingfield October 27th.
Spotted two here, number one:
STEED's record on turf is two wins from 16 runs and on all-weather tracks five from seven. Think that speaks for itself and that is reflected in his official ratings, 68 when running at Leicester on Monday and 94 at Lingfield for this race. Based on this race that mark doesn't look too harsh, in touch but slightly outpaced one out, running on when taking a bump but kept on well.
His trainer, Richard Guest, is not the easiest to work out but the horse is in fine form and is capable of winning races off this mark. No near at hand engagements.
and number two:
NIBANI was bought by his present connections from the Ballymacoll Stud and Sir Michael Stoute in August of this year and is now beginning to show very good form. His penultimate effort at Kempton resulted in third place beaten 3/4 length and here he was beaten just a head. I didn't think he had a lot of help from Amy Scott (5) in the saddle here, she just wasn't strong enough. Trouble is, I know the owner is a strong supporter of Amy and he is likely to stay loyal to her.
Having said all that I now see that Fergus Sweeney takes the ride on Nibani at Wolverhampton this evening.
Good luck.
STEED's record on turf is two wins from 16 runs and on all-weather tracks five from seven. Think that speaks for itself and that is reflected in his official ratings, 68 when running at Leicester on Monday and 94 at Lingfield for this race. Based on this race that mark doesn't look too harsh, in touch but slightly outpaced one out, running on when taking a bump but kept on well.
His trainer, Richard Guest, is not the easiest to work out but the horse is in fine form and is capable of winning races off this mark. No near at hand engagements.
and number two:
NIBANI was bought by his present connections from the Ballymacoll Stud and Sir Michael Stoute in August of this year and is now beginning to show very good form. His penultimate effort at Kempton resulted in third place beaten 3/4 length and here he was beaten just a head. I didn't think he had a lot of help from Amy Scott (5) in the saddle here, she just wasn't strong enough. Trouble is, I know the owner is a strong supporter of Amy and he is likely to stay loyal to her.
Having said all that I now see that Fergus Sweeney takes the ride on Nibani at Wolverhampton this evening.
Good luck.
Thursday 27 October 2011
Kempton October 19th.
Perhaps being a touch optimistic about the quality of the five furlong nursery at Kempton last Wednesday to suppose that there were three future winners lurking among the placed horses but that is the conclusion I have come to. The race didn't seem to be run at a false pace and the first half-dozen or so were finishing strongly.
The first for the notebook is the charmingly-named WELEASE BWIAN (owner a Monty Python fan?). He looks a well-built gelding but this was his first sign of ability, that coinciding with his first run on an artificial surface. His trainer, Stuart Williams, has a much better winning percentage with his all-weather runners.
On this occasion Welease Bwian was always in touch and looked to have a chance one out but even though he kept on well he couldn't get to the winner, finishing second. Looks sure to win races over the winter, perhaps over a touch further. Doesn't have any engagements at the moment.
Just behind, in third, was the favourite, MOUNT McLEOD , not too exposed, this was her sixth run overall and only her second on an artificial surface. She was probably made favourite on the strength of a staying-on second to Guava, over six furlongs, at Nottingham on her previous outing. She was slowly away here and was always playing catch-up, she made significant headway up the rail over one out and finished well.
Five furlongs looks too sharp and when running over six or perhaps even seven furlongs handicaps should come her way. She has an entry in a five furlong handicap at Wolverhampton on Friday.
The last of my trio from the race is FINALIST,she was having only her fourth outing and her first in a handicap. Last seen out in a Class 2 race at Windsor in June, where she was out of her depth, she probably needed the run and almost certainly in need of a longer trip. She missed the break and was taken off her feet early on, she was still last with two to run, she then made rapid headway, was switched left and then right and stayed on very strongly. No near at hand engagements.
The first for the notebook is the charmingly-named WELEASE BWIAN (owner a Monty Python fan?). He looks a well-built gelding but this was his first sign of ability, that coinciding with his first run on an artificial surface. His trainer, Stuart Williams, has a much better winning percentage with his all-weather runners.
On this occasion Welease Bwian was always in touch and looked to have a chance one out but even though he kept on well he couldn't get to the winner, finishing second. Looks sure to win races over the winter, perhaps over a touch further. Doesn't have any engagements at the moment.
Just behind, in third, was the favourite, MOUNT McLEOD , not too exposed, this was her sixth run overall and only her second on an artificial surface. She was probably made favourite on the strength of a staying-on second to Guava, over six furlongs, at Nottingham on her previous outing. She was slowly away here and was always playing catch-up, she made significant headway up the rail over one out and finished well.
Five furlongs looks too sharp and when running over six or perhaps even seven furlongs handicaps should come her way. She has an entry in a five furlong handicap at Wolverhampton on Friday.
The last of my trio from the race is FINALIST,she was having only her fourth outing and her first in a handicap. Last seen out in a Class 2 race at Windsor in June, where she was out of her depth, she probably needed the run and almost certainly in need of a longer trip. She missed the break and was taken off her feet early on, she was still last with two to run, she then made rapid headway, was switched left and then right and stayed on very strongly. No near at hand engagements.
Monday 24 October 2011
Lingfield October 18th. .....and a few more for our "All -Weather" team.
ROMAN STRAIT has only won one from 18 starts (placed on 12 occasions), that win was over seven furlongs on Lingfield's Polytrack. It was over six furlongs at that venue that he caught my eye last week. As he often does, he gave the rest of the field a start and then finished very strongly in the straight. One to have on your side every time over Lingfield's seven furlongs. No entries in the near future.
On the same afternoon, at the same venue, over the same trip, the relatively unexposed LIBY'S DREAM was made favourite for her second try in a handicap, beaten a nose in her first at Kempton. She didn't do herself any favours by missing the break and she had quite a bit to do entering the straight, however she put in a powerful finish which didn't quite get her into the frame but did suggest she will be winning handicaps, possibly over a little further. She has an entry at Wolverhampton on Friday over seven furlongs.
To close that Lingfield card we had a five furlong handicap; you don't get many sharper courses and the last thing you would want, is to miss the break, which is what GO NANI GO did. However his excellent claimer, John Fahy (3), didn't panic and held on to the gelding until the final furlong. When he let the horse go he had the misfortune to run into some interference, once clear the horse finished very strongly but went down by a neck and a nose. Looks well capable of winning more handicaps but has no near at hand engagements.
On the same afternoon, at the same venue, over the same trip, the relatively unexposed LIBY'S DREAM was made favourite for her second try in a handicap, beaten a nose in her first at Kempton. She didn't do herself any favours by missing the break and she had quite a bit to do entering the straight, however she put in a powerful finish which didn't quite get her into the frame but did suggest she will be winning handicaps, possibly over a little further. She has an entry at Wolverhampton on Friday over seven furlongs.
To close that Lingfield card we had a five furlong handicap; you don't get many sharper courses and the last thing you would want, is to miss the break, which is what GO NANI GO did. However his excellent claimer, John Fahy (3), didn't panic and held on to the gelding until the final furlong. When he let the horse go he had the misfortune to run into some interference, once clear the horse finished very strongly but went down by a neck and a nose. Looks well capable of winning more handicaps but has no near at hand engagements.
Sunday 16 October 2011
An improving 4-y-o.
Well, MICHAEL'S NOOK certainly looks to have improved since moving from Stuart Kittow's yard to David Barron's.
In fairness to Mr. Kittow he only had the two runs in the summer from the horse but he didn't show a lot; the break plus the change of stables seems to have worked wonders. In two runs this month he has won two competitive handicaps in pleasing fashion. Certainly on Friday at Wolverhampton he left the impression that he won with quite a bit in hand.
His new trainer David Barron has an excellent record on the artificial surfaces throughout the winter and it looks as if this horse has been bought with that sort of campaign in mind.
If all stays well with the horse there should be plenty of opportunities.
He has no entries at the moment.
In fairness to Mr. Kittow he only had the two runs in the summer from the horse but he didn't show a lot; the break plus the change of stables seems to have worked wonders. In two runs this month he has won two competitive handicaps in pleasing fashion. Certainly on Friday at Wolverhampton he left the impression that he won with quite a bit in hand.
His new trainer David Barron has an excellent record on the artificial surfaces throughout the winter and it looks as if this horse has been bought with that sort of campaign in mind.
If all stays well with the horse there should be plenty of opportunities.
He has no entries at the moment.
Saturday 15 October 2011
Two 2-y-os for Winter-Watching.
A couple spotted on Thursday evening..........it wasn't that difficult really!
First up, TIGER'S TALE, having his second try on this course. He made a mess of the start, slightly slow and swerving, then made nice progress up the rail and when they met the junction of the tracks he made a dart forward and was closing at the finish. He is bred to get in the region of ten furlongs and though he didn't appear to get home over the mile in his previous effort here he was ridden more prominently on that occasion. If he turns up here in the near future over a bit further than this seven he could well be of interest. (he has no entries at the moment)
T'other one was GUAVA, one of the lesser lights of the Hannon 2-y-o battalions. Weak in the market (100/30 > 9/2), might have missed the break slightly and was soon racing at the back, made headway 2 out and ran on really well, claiming second close home but not able to get to the winner. I would think he would be well suited by Wolverhampton's tight seven furlong course, we shall see; in the mean time he has an entry for Thursday over seven at Brighton. The sharp seven sounds ideal but not every horse enjoys the switchbacks of Brighton.
First up, TIGER'S TALE, having his second try on this course. He made a mess of the start, slightly slow and swerving, then made nice progress up the rail and when they met the junction of the tracks he made a dart forward and was closing at the finish. He is bred to get in the region of ten furlongs and though he didn't appear to get home over the mile in his previous effort here he was ridden more prominently on that occasion. If he turns up here in the near future over a bit further than this seven he could well be of interest. (he has no entries at the moment)
T'other one was GUAVA, one of the lesser lights of the Hannon 2-y-o battalions. Weak in the market (100/30 > 9/2), might have missed the break slightly and was soon racing at the back, made headway 2 out and ran on really well, claiming second close home but not able to get to the winner. I would think he would be well suited by Wolverhampton's tight seven furlong course, we shall see; in the mean time he has an entry for Thursday over seven at Brighton. The sharp seven sounds ideal but not every horse enjoys the switchbacks of Brighton.
Friday 14 October 2011
Where have you been?
I haven't been well, well that's my excuse for not posting.............lack of energy and enthusiasm would be more honest.
The turf flat season winding down, I have given up watching National Hunt too demanding of a horse for my sensitive nature, so I will be keeping a distant eye on the racing on the artificial tracks.
One that caught my attention at Kempton on Wednesday evening was KAYAAN. Off the course since July, he was given a very gentle re-introduction to the race-course. Steadied at the start, he was held up out the back and was just given a couple of gentle taps in the home strait. He looked as if the night wasn't the night.
He has no immediate entries and it is quite likely that he was being readied for a hurdling campaign, he did run in two during the summer, winning one of them.
The turf flat season winding down, I have given up watching National Hunt too demanding of a horse for my sensitive nature, so I will be keeping a distant eye on the racing on the artificial tracks.
One that caught my attention at Kempton on Wednesday evening was KAYAAN. Off the course since July, he was given a very gentle re-introduction to the race-course. Steadied at the start, he was held up out the back and was just given a couple of gentle taps in the home strait. He looked as if the night wasn't the night.
He has no immediate entries and it is quite likely that he was being readied for a hurdling campaign, he did run in two during the summer, winning one of them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)