Hello & welcome along to my blog for Salisbury's biggest race of the year The Group 3 Sovereign Stakes. This is my 100th post on here & I would like to thank all my readers for their support & goodwill over the last year or so.
I am off to the Wiltshire venue for the first time tomorrow & am looking forward to it immensely as I have heard nothing but good things about the course over the years. I must admit its a travesty I haven't yet attended Salisbury as to be truthful it was a fairly local course to me growing up.
I am off to the Wiltshire venue for the first time tomorrow & am looking forward to it immensely as I have heard nothing but good things about the course over the years. I must admit its a travesty I haven't yet attended Salisbury as to be truthful it was a fairly local course to me growing up.
The card opens up with a 1m Auction Maiden which has attracted a field of 12;
Destiny's Shadow (Dark Angel x Lunar Love) £25,000 Tatts Book 2 Oct 2013. Dam a half sister to Falstaff (Listed Singapore Derby & Group 1 placed).
Duc De Seville (Duke Of Marmalade x Splendid) 2 unplaced efforts so far, will find this easier but needs this run for a mark. Half brother to 3 stakes placed performers.
Shalimah (Dark Angel x Jemima's Art) £27,000 Tatts Book 2 Oct 2013. Dam a half sister to Battle Of Hastings (2 Grade 2's & 2 Grade 3's in the US) & Villa Carlotta (2 x Listed races in Ireland & Italy).
Who'sthedude (Duke Of Marmalade x Island Dreams) Green on debut & will need more time. £30,000 Tatts Book 2 Oct 2013. Dam half sister to Rob Roy (Betfred Mile Group 2 & Joel Stakes Group 3).
Entente (Mawatheeq x Amarullah) Some promise on debut at Lingfield. £18,000 Tatts Book 3 Oct 2013. Dam full sister to Amerigo 2nd Queens Vase Group 3. Grandam Geminiani (Group 3 winner).
Hillgrove Angel (Dark Angel x Theben) Limited ability on what he's shown so far. £20,000 Tatts Book 2 Oct 2013. Half brother to 2 winners.
Magical Thomas (Dylan Thomas x Magical Cliche) £7,500 Tatts Book 3 Oct 2013. Half brother to 2 winners. Dam a full sister to Trusted Partner (Irish 1000 Guineas Group 1), Low Key Affair (Grade 3 winner in US & 3rd Moyglare Stakes Group 1) & Easy To Copy (Group 2 winner).
Berkshire Beauty (Aqlaam x Salim Toto) Promise of both her starts to date, useful 5th last time out. £22,000 Tatts December Yearling 2013. Half sister to 3 winners. Dam Listed winner & Listed placed.
Sister Of Mercy (Azamour x Green Tambourine) Improved from debut run to finish a good 3rd last time at Ascot. 30,000 Euros Tatts Ire Sept 2013. Half sister to Listed winner in The US Maid In Music. Dam Listed winner who is a half sister to Run For The Hills (Listed placed) & Maid To Perfection (Listed placed & herself Dam of Caucus (Listed winner) & Queen Of Pentacles (Listed winner)).
Artesana (Mastercraftsman x Koniya) Showed little on Lingfield debut. £9,000 Tatts Book 2 Oct 2013. Half sister to 3 winners including Casilda (Group 3 & Listed placed). Dam half sister to Khanata (Listed winner & placed), Kotama (Listed winner & placed), Khoraz (Group 1 placed), Kasora (Dam of multiple Group 1 & Derby winner High Chaparral).
Cape Xenia (Cape Cross x Xaphania) £16,000 Tatts Book 2 Oct 2013. First foal, dam related to 2 winners. Further back in the pedigree you find Imperial Dancer (Group 1 & multiple Group / Listed winner).
Perceived (Sir Percy x New Light) £5,000 Tatts Book 3 Oct 2013. Half sister to 1 winner. Dam a half sister to Group 3 winner Bygone Days.
A distinctly average all age maiden over 6f is the 2nd race on the card & if you enjoy betting is these type of races then you're a better man than I, best left alone in my eyes.
A tight open fillies & mares handicap over 1m4f is the 3rd race on the card. Alan King's Mystery Drama heads the weights, she only has 2 wins at Southwell & Wolverhampton to her name on the flat & a juvenile hurdle at Leicester. Although she has been running ok in similar races she looks held by her mark at present.
Dark Amber is yet to win in 8 career starts, she is extremely harshly done by in the weights being an older filly. Cosette has been narrowly beaten on her last 2 starts at Salisbury in better races, honest & tough she will be hard to beat.
What A Scorcher will appreciate the return to run against her own sex after facing an impossible task against the boys last time, in the spring she ran in some useful maidens & has received a low mark as a result, would be no surprise if she fared better here.
Opera Fan finally took advantage of her mark last time at Ripon in what was an extremely weak race for the grade, she won easily by 6 lengths & is now a 6lb higher mark in a slightly better race. Unwise to discount Mark Johnston horses as we know when they have found their form so has potential to get involved.
Sleeper has won her last 2 starts since being stepped up in trip, up a further 6lbs her but has shown she can handle a Class 4 race, respected.
Jammy Moment makes her handicap from a lowly mark & needs more on what she has shown so far. Pink Diamond is starting to steadily progress up the ranks after starting handicap life of with a win here at Salisbury from a mark of 57, she followed up that with a good 2nd at Leicester & goes up again here now running off 64, she is a decent sized filly who has scope for more so with her stable in excellent form she has a chance.
Tight little race in which I will keep my money in my pocket.
The big race of the day & of Salisbury's season is up next, it has attracted an interesting field of 11 runners from what was originally a fantastic 5 day entry stage.
Captain Cat steps into Group company for the first time on his return to the track after an excellent AW campaign earlier in the year, on the form he showed then he is well up to this class, was due to contest the Betfred Mile at Goodwood but was pulled out due to fast ground. Intriguing runner.
Fire Ship enjoyed a profitable 2013 winning a French Group 3 & a Listed event at Pontefract, he hasn't been the same this time around struggling up until his latest effort at Windsor when he didn't get the clearest of runs.
Genius Boy has progressed hugely over the last 2 months rattling up a 4 timer in class 4 & class 3 handicaps, this clearly demands more but is respected given his profile.
(Dark colours in 2nd in pic below).
Last year's Ayr Gold Cup winner Highland Colori tries 1 mile for the first time since he won a handicap by a neck at Sandown in 2012, he has looked a shadow of his former self so far this season & I cannot the step up helping him despite his trainer's good record in this over the years.
Producer surprisingly tried 1m2f last time which considering that for me he does not stay 1 mile was baffling. He has won at a mile in a useful race in Turkey last year but that race was on a easy mile & it was run to suit, every time he has tried 1 mile in the UK or in Dubai he has looked a non stayer.
Rerouted represents Mike De Kock, until his last start in a small field conditions event at Haydock where he ran well he had not been seen in England since 2011 where he mostly raced as a pacemaker for Frankel. He is another who has yet to prove he stays the mile & looked an improved performer on the Tapeta in Meydan back in 2013 but was restricted to just 1 start this time around. Ex Dubai runners so far this season do keep popping up including Energia Davos at the weekend so I would not completely discount him.
Tawhid has had a disjointed campaign so far, he is very talented but also very unpredictable, if he's on a going day then for me he is the best horse in the race. With it due to rain all day tomorrow he looks as if getting his ground & is hugely overpriced.
Master Carpenter has been a model of consistency this season & gained a deserved Group 3 win 2 starts ago, he didn't quite get home over the 1m2f last time in a better race & the drop back to 1 mile here will be fine especially if more rain falls. He is a decent sized animal who should cope fine against his elders.
Anjaal seemed to come back to form in a odd race for the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood last time, its not form I would trust as a whole & I would be concerned about him staying the mile in a slightly better race. I doubt he would be good enough even if he did stay.
Cordite does not look anywhere near up to this grade on what he has shown so far this season & is readily passed over.
Yuften had the run of the race when almost hanging on in The Group 1 Prix Jean Prat last time, he was disqualified from 2nd place in the end due to earlier interference. That form has taken a huge knock with Shifting Power's abysmal effort at Goodwood last time out. Clearly a well thought of colt & on what he showed that day he is talented who should be more at home in this kind of grade its just whether he has the experience taking on some pretty useful elders for the first time.
Looking at the race as a whole there is a good chance that this could be Tawhid's 12/1 E/W BETVICTOR day & he is well worth chancing.
A 6f fillies handicap is the penultimate race on the card;
Ada Lovelace heads the weights, she has been in grand form of late but is now back off her career high mark of 71 which has found her out in the past.
Spirea was disqualified after her jockey weighed in light last time out, she had finished a decent 3rd at Windsor after a win on her previous start, she looks steadily progressive & is respected. Lucky Di is not the easiest has shaped as if she is close to winning on her last half a dozen starts under various young apprentices. Capable but hard to know if this will be her time. Lady Phill was a very fast 2yo 2 seasons ago, on the same mark as when 3rd over this course & distance 2 starts ago so that gives her a little chance although she has yet to show that she stays any further than 5f.
Koala Bear returned from a 2 year absence this season & has been running well to a point, a bit of rain would not go amiss & she remains fairly treated.
Shilla continues to slowly drop in the handicap off the back of some poor runs so far this season, needs a bit more help & needs to show something before you could consider backing her. 10 race maiden Jersey Brown is worth a go dropping back in trip as she hasn't shaped that badly on her last 2 or 3 starts.
Catalina's Diamond has been finding things tough after finally adding a win on turf to her AW tallies, work to do. Tregarth won this race last year as a 3yo off a mark of 57, she is now 2lbs below that mark after a terrible season so far, this has clearly been the aim so a big run would be no real surprise. Night Trade well handicapped on the best of her form & showed more last time at Ffos Las off the back of a little break, can get involved.
I am sure Tregarth will go close but I am not sure enough to risk any money on her.
The last race on the biggest day of Salisbury's season is a 1m6f 3yo handicap;
Button Down a daughter of Modesta (Listed winner in her prime) makes her a half sister to the useful Model Pupil. So far this season she has been consistent with perhaps a touch of the seconditis (4 so far), she has already been beaten in a handicap off 79 but now races of 83 here, the step in trip looks bound to suit on her run style but his mark could just be a little harsh on her. Sebastian Beach a so of Yeats won a similar handicap to this at Sandown beating a runner earlier on the card Cosette, he has gone up 3 lbs which is fair & must have a big chance. Norse Star has tried this trip 3 times already & has not improved for it, he just looks a bit one paced.
Gallic Destiny was a staying on 2nd to no less than Maid In Rio last time when the step up to this trip appeared to help, he has been a month since then & must be involved from what appears to be a nice mark. Statsminister has won her last 2 starts in the style of an improving filly for this grade, she promises to be well suited by this grade & is respected. Mountain Kingdom could well be ready to break the maiden tag after 5 starts, he was stepped up to this trip last time & all he did was stay at one pace off the same mark in a slightly better grade he will most likely be well fancied by many. Taws was behind Sebastian Beach last time out, she attempted to make all that but was treading water as the better horses came into play, can see no real reason why that can be turned around here.
Not the worst race in the world & Gallic Destiny looks a bet.
@fttfracing
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