Not much to write home about for this Saturday or at any stage throughout this thoroughly disappointing weeks racing but in fairness these blank weeks are a godsend for me as no matter what anyone says (& there enough of them around these days on Twitter) you cannot make money backing horses every single day of the year.
For me it allows time to recharge & refresh by taking stock of the action that has already taken place these last 3 months to see if there are any horses that have been missed, it also allows me to reevaluate target animals for the rest of the season so the ante post book has taken a few extra hits in the last few days.
I am away on holiday from Saturday for a week so there will no blog for The King George next Saturday or at any stage during the following week, normal service will resume for Glorious Goodwood.
Newbury is the feature Flat meeting this weekend with some decent animals entered at the 5 day stage. The main race is the Weatherbys Super Sprint a 5f 2yo sales race that has been won by some fabulous horses over the years namely Lyric Fantasy in 1992 'The Pocket Rocket' she famously went on to beat her elders in The Nunthorpe on her next start & the following year the race was won by another fast Hannon filly the unbeaten Risky. The talented Brief Glimpse was a ready winner in '94 but failed to ever confirm that initial promise only adding a Listed win at Goodwood as a 3yo to her CV, the unbeaten flying Northern filly Flanders who won in '98 she went onto contest many top sprint races but could not cut it after her 2yo career (As a dam she has produced 7 individual winners including Desert Poppy Listed & Group 3 placed / Laajooj Listed winner & G Force Listed placed so far).
Superstar Leo; 2000 who as a 2yo after her Super Sprint win almost won a Abbaye on Arc Day a feat not attempted since (She is the Dam of Enticing Group 3 & Listed winner plus multiple Group 3 placings / Sentaril Listed winner & Group 3 placed).
Charles The Great caused a shock in 2011 but has since gone to become one of the top sprinters in Hong Kong with a Group 2 win in The BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Sprint in 2013, he also beat Lucky Nine in a Listed event earlier this year.
This years renewal has attracted the usual full field of 25 2yo's ready to do battle up the Newbury 5f straight. In terms of quality it looks one of the best in recent years. Listed winner & Queen Mary Stakes 2nd Tiggy Wiggy heads them on 9-1, it will take some effort from her to win this carrying over 9 stone, she is classy & the choice of Richard Hughes so will be short enough. I also do not believe she is as classy as the stables former winners like Lyric Fantasy or Risky who had much less weight when they won after winning a Queen Mary.
Harry Hurricane has a decent low draw which has produced 8 winners in the last 10 years but thats all he has in his favour as he was well beat in The Windsor Castle last time. Midterm Break must bounce back from a similarly bad run in The Windsor Castle which doesn't bode well for the hurly burly of this race.
Roudee ran a decent race in The Windsor Castle & is respected in this, fast & is held in decent regard this will have been one of his seasonal aims so from a good draw needs to be considered. L'Etacq fits a trend for this race that only 2 others share with him, this is is his 4th racecourse start (9 winners since the race's inception in 1991 have won it on their 4th racecourse start) he is also from the Richard Hannon stable & showed his best piece of form on his last start when breaking his maiden at Lingfield (5 winners in the last 10 years had won on their previous start). From a good draw he could easily outrun his odds.
The other 2 horses in the field who are having their 4th start in this are 2 stablemates; Tachophobia & Bond's Girl. Tachophobia represents last years winning connections, he broke his maiden over 6f in comfortable style last time up after showing promise in maidens, he lacks the class of last year's winner but from a low draw that has produced 8 winners in 10 years he is another who could be overpriced.
Bond's Girl is right down near the bottom of the weights, she had won 2 weak races before getting outpointed in the Albany over 6f at The Royal Meeting, back at 5f & carrying no weight brings her right into the mix as an out & out speedball.
Magical Memory is from the connections of 2011 winner Charles The Great, he has taken awhile to win his maiden after being well backed & showing up well on his debut, he then had a bad draw at Chester on soft ground. He came back to form at Sandown with a fair run behind the impressive Ivawood before needing all of the 6f Leicester to break his maiden so I cannot see the step back down in trip being in his favour.
Grey Zeb is inexperienced for this kind of test & would need more from what he has shown so far to get involved. Haxby moves like a nice horse & ran a nice race in 5th behind Hootennany at Ascot, he did look a little once paced there as if a step up might suit better although saying that he is another to add to the shortlist as his ability to travel should get him in there at the business end. Pillar Box represents Willie Haggas who has won this twice since the turn of the century, a hugely impressive maiden winner at Bath on firm ground last time he is another to consider from a reasonable draw.
Be Bold was beaten in a 4 runner race at Salisbury last weekend after previously opening his account on the soft at Chepstow, this demands more.
Brazen Spirit has been struggling to get home over 5f & last time he faded at the finish over 6f, he travels well & a race with more runners may allow his jockey to hold onto him longer so is no forlorn hope. Eastern Racer has been 2nd on both his starts to date looking outpaced & inexperienced both times which is a concern for a race of this type.
Fast Act has clearly been targeted at this race after an encouraging start to his career back in April he was not seen again until 2 weeks ago when a ready winner of a useful Carlisle maiden beating Bahamian Sunrise who has since finished a close 3rd in a decent Nursery at York last weekend. Big player from an excellent looking draw.
Spirit Of Zeb improved from his debut when readily outpointed by Roudee to finish a promising 2nd last time, this demands a whole lot more though.
Prince Bonnaire was well beaten in the Windsor Castle & had previously been turned over in a 5 runner conditions event at Musselburgh, work to do for me.
Secret Spirit has been beaten in 2 average looking course maidens at 6f so far, she hasn't looked like a drop back in trip would improve her that much though.
Flyball has no weight on his back after some good early season form he has just ever so slightly gone off the boil finishing well down the field in the Windsor Castle & 2 months prior to that he had been readily outpointed by the now exposed Mind Of Madness. If he has been freshened up since the Royal Meeting then he can get involved from an ok draw. Captain Colby has not been seen since finishing 4th in a novice event at York in May which has not worked out, his maiden win showed him to have some ability but this is a big ask after 66 days away from the track. Parsley couldn't cut it in Group 2 company at Newmarket last week but is accorded real respect in this company with just 8-2 on her back, the time before she had just got outpointed in Listed company, high draw is not where I would want to see her but if she gets the breaks she could be in there at the end in a race in which fillies have historically done well in.
Diamond Creek was behind Parsley last time but will find this much easier although I believe she will struggle to get finish ahead of Parsley from a similar draw.
Charlie's Star was easily brushed aside of her return from a small break in a decent Chepstow novice event last time, back in the spring she was 3rd to the since disappointing Mukhmal, 2nd in a Newbury maiden ahead of Be Bold & Magical Memory plus 2nd on her debut to Tiggy Wiggy. This race will have been the aim & could easily reach a place at big odds. Harry's Dancer ran as well as could be expected in The Queen Mary after so little experience, 8th was not that bad a finishing position only beat around 6 lengths, that experience should help in a race such as this & with nothing on her back she could go well. Realtra holds up the field & has been a model of consistency so far in 4 starts, she was a fine 2nd behind a useful Irish filly at Naas in Listed company last time over 6f, the trip she broke her maiden over. At 5f she looked in need of the step up & always a little one paced so I would be concerned about her dropping back into what has always been a speedballs race.
Historically a race that fillies do well in & horses from the top half betting dominate so with that in mind this year I am taking 2 against the field in the strong travelling Haxby 16/1 E/W Coral & the speedy unexposed Fast Act 14/1 E/W Boylesports.
The two opening 3yo maidens are best left alone as any number could win, these types of races get trickier & trickier from now onwards.
The first race of real interest is the 2:05 mile fillies handicap featuring several fillies that were due to run last week at Newmarket but were taken out after the rains came.
Provenance will no doubt be a very short priced favourite after 2 useful runs an impressive win on debut when sent off a 12/1 shot over a mile at Kempton (3 winners have come from that race so far), she then went straight into a ordinary looking handicap against the boys last time where she pulled too hard off an extremely slow pace, she did well to finish 3rd in the end & is better than that, dropping back in trip could be a slight issue as she looked to stay the mile well on her debut but either way from a mark of 84 she commands huge respect. Aertax was improving until taking on the boys last time & getting lit up, her mark does demand more though after that.
The first race of real interest is the 2:05 mile fillies handicap featuring several fillies that were due to run last week at Newmarket but were taken out after the rains came.
Provenance will no doubt be a very short priced favourite after 2 useful runs an impressive win on debut when sent off a 12/1 shot over a mile at Kempton (3 winners have come from that race so far), she then went straight into a ordinary looking handicap against the boys last time where she pulled too hard off an extremely slow pace, she did well to finish 3rd in the end & is better than that, dropping back in trip could be a slight issue as she looked to stay the mile well on her debut but either way from a mark of 84 she commands huge respect. Aertax was improving until taking on the boys last time & getting lit up, her mark does demand more though after that.
Token Of Love got her head in front last time out after some costly recent failures, she is well regarded & she should still be capable from her mark. Godolphin field both Feedyah & Folk Melody; Feedyah made an encouraging return to the track in the UK when 6th in The Sandringham, she is worth top weight but she is not over big so I do worry about her carrying the weight with some unexposed types in opposition.
Her stablemate Folk Melody can be forgiven her last run as she did not act on the soft ground, her mark has been eased slightly as a result so a better run her would not surprise. Kosika has hit form of late in a lesser grade & has been hit as a result, Mark Johnston runners always need respecting but she should prove vulnerable now up in the weights & upped in grade. Oxsana appears not to have trained on from what we have seen so far, although outclassed at Royal Ascot she showed very little once more.
Jordan Princess was a remote 2nd to Taghrooda first time out this year but failed to go on at 10f on her next 2 starts, she doesn't appear to be overly well handicapped on what she has shown reverting back to the mile here.
Enraptured looks nicely treated on her 2yo form last season which culminated in a defeat of Psychometry (89) & Volume (98), she could easily be a player of ready to roll first time out since August last year.
Gown took advantage of the race that fell apart last week for a game 2nd, she will need to up it here on faster ground against the fillies she would have taken on last week.
Miss Lillie has an awful lot to do in this better grade is readily passed over.
Not a betting race for me.
Failed sire Al Kazeem makes his surprising return to the track in The Listed Steventon Stakes or has someone has now decided to call The Doom Bar Stakes.....now I like a nice cold pint of Doom but I'm sorry this race has always been The Steventon Stakes its a shame that on the weekend where Steventon really does hit the map courtesy of the exquisite Truck Festival (at Hill Farm) that a race which has bared the Oxfordshire villages name for so long has now be renamed. (Marketing men not really switched on it would seem as per the norm)
Her stablemate Folk Melody can be forgiven her last run as she did not act on the soft ground, her mark has been eased slightly as a result so a better run her would not surprise. Kosika has hit form of late in a lesser grade & has been hit as a result, Mark Johnston runners always need respecting but she should prove vulnerable now up in the weights & upped in grade. Oxsana appears not to have trained on from what we have seen so far, although outclassed at Royal Ascot she showed very little once more.
Jordan Princess was a remote 2nd to Taghrooda first time out this year but failed to go on at 10f on her next 2 starts, she doesn't appear to be overly well handicapped on what she has shown reverting back to the mile here.
Enraptured looks nicely treated on her 2yo form last season which culminated in a defeat of Psychometry (89) & Volume (98), she could easily be a player of ready to roll first time out since August last year.
Gown took advantage of the race that fell apart last week for a game 2nd, she will need to up it here on faster ground against the fillies she would have taken on last week.
Miss Lillie has an awful lot to do in this better grade is readily passed over.
Not a betting race for me.
Failed sire Al Kazeem makes his surprising return to the track in The Listed Steventon Stakes or has someone has now decided to call The Doom Bar Stakes.....now I like a nice cold pint of Doom but I'm sorry this race has always been The Steventon Stakes its a shame that on the weekend where Steventon really does hit the map courtesy of the exquisite Truck Festival (at Hill Farm) that a race which has bared the Oxfordshire villages name for so long has now be renamed. (Marketing men not really switched on it would seem as per the norm)
Anyway back to Al Kazeem last year's Triple Group 1 winner who then failed to fire on his next 3 starts which all came with a plethora of excuses now returns after failing to make the grade at Stud, impossible to know as to how much of his ability remains for even though it has only been 286 days since he was last seen on the racetrack in that time he has been retrained to be a stallion had his mind set to the other joys of life, failed stallions rarely come back to the track & reproduce their best so he has to be watched on Saturday with a view to what happens next.
Nabucco was pulled out due to fastening ground last week so I would be doubtful of him running even if he does he has work cut out giving weight to some very classy animals. Amralah is a decent handicapper who has not really pushed on as expected & he will need a huge career best in this extremely hot Listed race.
Baltic Knight is a doubtful stayer & even at his best would not beat at least 4 of these, ground is also the issue as he was pulled out last week due to the fast conditions.
Battle Of Marengo makes his UK debut for new trainer David Simcock, since his descent 4th in last years Derby he has rapidly declined, he appeared in the UAE under the care of Ernst Oertel but ran a shocker on Tapeta in Round 2 of the Al Maktoum & then reappeared on World Cup night under Simcock's tutelage & fared little better with another shocker in The Sheema Classic. He can only be watched on Sat despite dropping in a grade that really should suit I would be wary of the horse until he showed something. Out Of Bounds is a decent animal is conditions events & these Listed races although this is perhaps the hottest Listed race I have seen for awhile, dangerous if allowed an easy lead. Sir Walter Scott a half brother to Irish Derby winner Frozen Fire returns to the track after a 279 day absence on the back of just 2 runs for Aidan O'Brien, he was last seen finishing 2nd in a poor Listed race last October, now with Luca Cumani & owned by the Australian group OTI Racing he is hard to assess on what you would assume is a path pointed towards Australia in the spring.
Andre Fabre sends over a rare runner to the Berkshire track in the shape of the hugely disappointing Triple Threat who has failed to live up to expectations so far, I expected more on his last run behind Cirrus in April but he dropped away tamely, unusually for a son of Monsun he appears best on a sounder surface which he will have on Sat. On his form in winning last year's Prix La Force Group 3 & his impressive victory in last year's Group 2 Prix Eugene Adam (at this time last year) he must be taken seriously down in this grade against horses returning from breaks.
Chief threat is Vancouverite who was a stablemate of Triple Threat's last season, he stormed onto the scene with a most taking of victories in The Prix Guillaume D'Ornano Group 2 at Deauville last August a length & a quarter clear from Pilote (Triple Threat beat him by 2 lengths the time before) also in behind that day were Group 1 winners Havana Gold / Morandi & Silasol.
He failed to handle the soft ground next time in The Niel & was not seen out again until an eyectaching run behind Vercingetorix in The Jebel Hatta Group 1 where he stayed on from an impossible position to grab 2nd, he was never a factor in The World Cup next time out but returns to the course now still with huge potential for his new yard although I am concerned by blinkers first time as he has not looked ungenuine in his races before, Jamie Spencer is not a booking that fills me with confidence either as I doubt he will suit the horse who will most likely need this as all of Appleby's have on their return to the UK racetrack after running in Dubai. (see pic below in the middle of the 3 horses working on Moulton Paddocks grass gallop)
Zaidiyn has clearly been bought for the jumping game & from what he has shown in France he will be outclassed in this, he was well thought of as a 3yo but failed miserably in Group company & he was not seen again for almost a year afterwards.
This race has a lopsided look to it with at least 3 genuine pattern performers taking their chance against basically minor Listed animals or handicappers. Al Kazeem for me can only be watched & Vancouverite will most likely need this so it looks the time to give Triple Threat 5/1 Bet365 / Skybet / Racebets.com one last chance in a race that should suit, with ground fine & it was around this time last year that he produced a career best winning the Eugene Adam.
The Group 3 Hackwood Stakes has attracted a strong lineup of good quality sprinters;
14 x 3yo's have won since 1986.
(2 in the last 10 years).
7 x 4yo's have won since 1986.
(4 in the last 10 years).
3 x 5yo's have won since 1986.
(1 in the last 10 years).
2 x 6yo's have won in the last 10 years.
(2 since 1986).
1 x 7yo has won in the last 10 years.
1 x 9yo has won since 1986.
Willie Haggas & Hughie Morrison have won 2 in the last 10 years.
Ahtoug was most disappointing at Sandown last time where he failed to get involved & is better than that, after a hard early season in Dubai he may have just needed his first 2 runs & could be ready to fire now. Stablemate Complicate after looking a headstrong nutter over 7f in Dubai on his first start then went on to run with credit in 2 Group 3 sprint races on the Tapeta, he was well outclassed in the Golden Shaheen on his final start. His first start in this country 2 weeks ago was promising finishing 4th in a average conditions event this demands more but he could easily figure.
Es Que Love seemed to be pitched into the wrong race at Royal Ascot as 5f turned out to be against him, previously he had been showing promising signs over 6f in pattern company, should appreciate the lesser company.
Eton Rifles won't be running unless there is any as yet unforecasted significant rain.
Es Que Love seemed to be pitched into the wrong race at Royal Ascot as 5f turned out to be against him, previously he had been showing promising signs over 6f in pattern company, should appreciate the lesser company.
Eton Rifles won't be running unless there is any as yet unforecasted significant rain.
Heerat won this race last year but has been out of form so far this season on the plus side 2 of his wins have come at Newbury so better would not surprise however this is a better race than last year.
Highland Colori is not up to this grade as he has now shown on more than one occasion. Intibaah is a horse I have had on my radar for awhile now (It's typical he turns up against Music Master), he had some good from as a 3yo in behind Ninjago at Ascot in a Listed early last year before finally coming back to the winners enclosure at Ascot for a ready win in a 6f handicap that has worked out extremely well. He has only been seen out once so far this season with an impressive win in a 6f conditions event, the doubt is the ground as all 4 of his wins has been on soft, I do feel he should be ok on a faster surface but whether he wants it like a road is debatable, his seasonal aim looks likely to be The Champions Sprint back at Ascot when the ground will likely be on the soft side once more. If he runs I would expect him to put it up to Music Master as he is also a Group 1 sprinter in waiting.
Music Master an excellent chance of opening his pattern race account after a brilliant run in the Diamond Jubilee where if he had been better placed I am convinced he would have been 2nd. He still remains unexposed at sprint trips after just a handful of starts & has bags of ability with the ability to travel an asset in this kind of race. Must take all the beating for me.
Highland Colori is not up to this grade as he has now shown on more than one occasion. Intibaah is a horse I have had on my radar for awhile now (It's typical he turns up against Music Master), he had some good from as a 3yo in behind Ninjago at Ascot in a Listed early last year before finally coming back to the winners enclosure at Ascot for a ready win in a 6f handicap that has worked out extremely well. He has only been seen out once so far this season with an impressive win in a 6f conditions event, the doubt is the ground as all 4 of his wins has been on soft, I do feel he should be ok on a faster surface but whether he wants it like a road is debatable, his seasonal aim looks likely to be The Champions Sprint back at Ascot when the ground will likely be on the soft side once more. If he runs I would expect him to put it up to Music Master as he is also a Group 1 sprinter in waiting.
Music Master an excellent chance of opening his pattern race account after a brilliant run in the Diamond Jubilee where if he had been better placed I am convinced he would have been 2nd. He still remains unexposed at sprint trips after just a handful of starts & has bags of ability with the ability to travel an asset in this kind of race. Must take all the beating for me.
Rivellino ran a huge race in the Wokingham but the fact remains all his wins have come on the AW & we all know Ascot favours horses with good AW form.
Rocky Ground is an ok sort of horse, he took advantage at Windsor when winning a Listed race & ran as well if not better under his resulting big weight in the Wokingham last time, should get involved but it will be harder to tame Music Master this time around.
Trader Jack is not up to this grade. Hallelujah was pulled out due to the fast ground last week so I assume would be a doubt for this & would need to step up to get involved anyway. Naadirr has been running well all season but always finds one to good & that same outcome awaits here. That Is The Spirit came with a huge reputation after 2 wins at York & Epsom, dropping back sprinting seems the way to go as he was tying up over the 7f at Epsom. He came well & truly unstick in The Jersey but is worth another chance although personally I think he has it all to do against his elders here.
Rocky Ground is an ok sort of horse, he took advantage at Windsor when winning a Listed race & ran as well if not better under his resulting big weight in the Wokingham last time, should get involved but it will be harder to tame Music Master this time around.
Trader Jack is not up to this grade. Hallelujah was pulled out due to the fast ground last week so I assume would be a doubt for this & would need to step up to get involved anyway. Naadirr has been running well all season but always finds one to good & that same outcome awaits here. That Is The Spirit came with a huge reputation after 2 wins at York & Epsom, dropping back sprinting seems the way to go as he was tying up over the 7f at Epsom. He came well & truly unstick in The Jersey but is worth another chance although personally I think he has it all to do against his elders here.
Am with Music Master 4/1 Ladbrokes all the way in this, I expect him to win before going on to take Haydock Sprint Cup in September.
This meeting is one I have loved over the years, as a kid growing up it was the Stud's sponsorship meeting so we would all get together in a box & have a good day out. We sponsored the 7f 2yo conditions event which for a number of years was known as the Mtoto Donnington Castle Conditions Stakes, during that period there were several decent winners who went on to pattern success;
White Crown won in 1992 & went onto Win the Solario Stakes Group 3.
1994 2000 Guineas winner Mister Baileys was beaten in 3rd at odds on in 1993 by Classic Sky who only managed 1 win thereafter in Listed level at the Capannelle.
Hello; 2nd in 1996 went on to win that year's Gran Criterium Group 1.
Trans Island won in '97 he went onto win at Listed, Group 3 & Group 2 level / Dark Moondancer was 3rd that day he went onto win at Listed, Group 3, Group 2 & twice at Group 1 level (Ganay & Gran Premio Di Milano).
In 1999 the biggest cheer came as Mtoto's daughter Wardat Allayl won her Dad's race, future Listed & Group 3 winner Compton Bolter was 3rd that day
& finally in 2000 the last year of our sponsorship Mick Channon's Imperial Dancer was 4th he would go on to win at Listed / Group 3 level before graduating Group 1 class in 2003 winning the Premio Roma.
This year's renewal is a dismal affair with just 4 runners, Stec won last time but has a job on giving weight away to at least I hope 2 much better rivals. Lwah has looked one paced in 2 maidens so far. Eve Johnson-Houghton debuts the well thought of Stealing Thunder a half brother to sprinter Rivellino who runs earlier on the card. He cost £175,266 at Goffs yearling in 2012. He has reportedly been working well & has shown plenty of stamina opposed to the speed of his half brother. The one that will no doubt head the market is Time Test a regally bred son of Dubawi out of the classy Passage Of Time who was a Group 1 winner at 2, a relatively disappointing Group 3 winner at 3 & she also won The Steventon Stakes Listed on this card back in 2008 as a 4yo, she has so far bred one horse of note Retirement Plan who stays extremely well.
This year's renewal is a dismal affair with just 4 runners, Stec won last time but has a job on giving weight away to at least I hope 2 much better rivals. Lwah has looked one paced in 2 maidens so far. Eve Johnson-Houghton debuts the well thought of Stealing Thunder a half brother to sprinter Rivellino who runs earlier on the card. He cost £175,266 at Goffs yearling in 2012. He has reportedly been working well & has shown plenty of stamina opposed to the speed of his half brother. The one that will no doubt head the market is Time Test a regally bred son of Dubawi out of the classy Passage Of Time who was a Group 1 winner at 2, a relatively disappointing Group 3 winner at 3 & she also won The Steventon Stakes Listed on this card back in 2008 as a 4yo, she has so far bred one horse of note Retirement Plan who stays extremely well.
@fttfracing
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