fourtothefloorracing's blog: Weekend Review Monday 23rd Sept 2013

September feels like a long month still a week & a few days to go, so much has already happened so far & still more to come. I can't wait for Newmarket this weekend the entries for all the feature races look fantastic & to top it off I am going Friday & Saturday.

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As for the weekend just gone I had a decent afternoon at Newbury on Friday where even though on paper it looked an average card I was treated to some excellent looking animals & I think we may have seen a couple of really decent types namely Cape Wrath

in Division 2 of the 2yo old maiden ok so when actually inspecting the opposition he stood out by a mile with over half the field looking weak, unfurnished & most likely to be heading for the jumping game in years to come but you couldn't help but be impressed by the way he went about his business after a tardy start, he was stuck on the outside with no cover he was ridden to assert 2 furlongs out & stuck his head to win in comfortable fashion, by a sire who's stock relishes soft ground who should win again & get up to a mile at least. Dark Leopard owned by the same connections as Cap Wrath made a highly encouraging debut considering he was green in the pre parade & paddock, another to make a satisfactory debut was Hughie Morrison's good looking big filly Nissaki Kesta off the bridle as the 2 colts asserted she kept on for 3rd & can win.

The other really interesting race on Friday was The Haynes Hanson & Clark Conditions event, all 5 horses looked quality with my vote on the day just going to What About Carlo a strapping son of Creachadoir. The race itself was entertaining as Favourite (couldn't understand why he was Fav judged on being beaten in 2 maidens that are not yet working out over 3 horses that had won) Red Galileo attempted to make all, Pupil was first to have a go followed swiftly by What About Carlo who appeared to flounder in the ground when asked to challenge (which had been my only concern) & Pinzolo appeared short of toe & room but once switched he showed an excellent change of pace to come up the rail & win in the end cosily. Pinzolo is a fine looking son of Monsun who should easily stay a Derby distance & looks another 2yo old of some potential for Godolphin (See below)

Red Galileo clearly has a reputation but is probably the least impressive of the 5 & would appeal as the type to make into a useful 3yr old handicapper next season. Pupil was blunted in the ground but again handicapping looks a likely route for him. What About Carlo really has the most potential for improvement as he is by far the biggest of the 5 & so has the most to grow into, I would imagine he will be put away now for next year, he is a name to remember as I can see him getting at least 1m2f with pattern races surely to be the plan.

Other horses to note from Newbury on Friday were Lady Lara finally breaking her maiden in good style, Tawhid showing his class when in a grade that suits him travelling sweetly before winning the Listed event easily also Enrol finishing an excellent 2nd she is a huge filly with a lovely temperament who deserves a decent win.

Flow also was most unlucky in the closing 1m2f handicap & if turned out before the end of the season should be able to gain compensation. One maybe for the jumping game assuming he gets sold is Sir Bedivere (currently with Brian Meehan) he is a giant who looks like hurdling may well be his game especially after showing he can act on a soft surface.

On a different tack,I know were not likely to get much change on Food or Drink prices at sporting events these days but £5.50 for a sausage (apparently it was a special bratwurst which I couldn't really taste much difference between that & the traditional German ones I buy when I go to Manchester's World Famous Christmas Markets & pay only £3 for) in a bun plus an extra 50p for cheese or onions is very steep plus £4 for a pint of Doom Ale. Take into account that for a Friday afternoon entrance prices were £24 for Members & £16 for Tatts, I have long said that Friday's should be cheaper what's wrong with £16 for Members & £10 for Tatts. Don't get me started on racecards!! £3 is over the top when they cost peanuts to produce & mostly are full of adverts that have no real relevance to the horseracing they should be free in my eyes just like they are to members of the press etc....so by the time your average joe has paid for train/car, entrance, racecard then food & drink no wonder they need a decent few winners to make the day a success. I adore the sport of horseracing but really think we shoot ourselves in the foot.

I also find Newbury one of the worst racecourses for the staff they employ who are basically little Hitlers, one of the owners of Goodwood Mirage who ran 2nd last Friday told me a story of when he attended last year's Hennessey meeting; It was cold & he had taken a flask of coffee with him so while standing in the owners/trainers stand he took a sip of his beverage & within 2 seconds a security guard was berating him for drinking on the terraces, it wasn't alcohol which is banned (although I saw plenty of it being drunk in the stands on Friday) it was coffee get a grip Newbury. As a boy I loved Newbury & was a member but its a course now that I rarely wish to attend.

So to Saturday's action which I just reviewed as I was out during the afternoon. I had a shocking day punting but then I stuck with low drawn horses in the big sprints when quite clearly the bias towards high stands side drawn horses was irreversible I don't understand how bias can come into being on tracks if they are maintained the same all over...clearly there not.

Anything drawn low had no hope & even less hope when in the big race The Ayr Gold Cup they all tried to come stands side. So my advice is anything that you fancied that was drawn low on Thursday, Friday or Saturday is stick with them next time out. So that brings Farlow (5th in Ayr Bronze Cup on Friday) finished like a train but over 2 lengths behind the 4 on the stands side, Sir Reginald shaped as if still in top form finishing 6th in The Silver Cup he was marooned in the centre but was well clear of the rest in his group, I would think the Challenge Cup Handicap at Ascot in a fortnight would suit him perfectly. That Ascot race could also be the destination of my Ayr Gold fancy Gabriel's Lad he just didn't stand a chance from the way the races panned out at Ayr last week so remains another to be interested in next time.

I can't leave Ayr on Saturday without mention of young Oisin Murphy's incredible 4 timer, he has long been a youngster of promise & it looks like the Irish pony racing circuit is really taking a grip on the future stars of the sport which is fantastic to see. He if all goes well should be champion apprentice next season before going on to challenge for the title as I can see a big stable snapping him up once his claim goes, could he be a replacement at Ballydoyle once Joseph's weight becomes too much?

At Newbury Kassiano & Shamshon were very disappointing favourites as Camborne continued his resurgence while Supplicant showed he is a very decent juvenile on this ground. As for the big handicap I think that it may be the last I row in with Trade Commissioner he ran ok but weight & I think he looks like a worrier seemed to anchor him. The winner Haafaguinea is improving but one imagines he is not in the class of some of the winners of this usually hot handicap. Chapter Seven bounced back to his best & ran a screaming Cambridgeshire Trial for which he has a lovely racing weight. One in behind who met trouble in running was Irish raider Saxo Jack his performance can be marked up. Maarek thundered back to form in the Group 3 sprint & the consistent York Glory followed him home, a good draw in The Abbaye would make him interesting while Steps was hugely disappointing on his first foray into Group company.

Newmarket's Cesarewitch trial which lost terrestrial TV coverage this year was won in great fashion by the tenacious Oriental Fox under his welter burden in truth he probably beat very little with stable companion again under performing after her hard season & Eagle Rock also running below par but it was still an excellent performance from a tough horse who will be there punching in a few weeks time.

My Ante Post Melbourne Cup fancy Waldpark ran an ok race in Saturday mornings Group 1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield finishing 11th of 14, it was a slow run race in which Atlantic Jewel who dictated the pace met with her first defeat at the hands of It's A Dundeel. Horses close to the pace dominated & Waldpark had no chance so it to me was a throw out race more use for his fitness than anything else.