Saturday's Meetings Goodwood Flat 7 Races 1:00-4:20p.m. Newmarket Flat 7 Races 1:15-5:25p.m. Uttoxeter N/H 8 Races 1:22-5:10p.m. Thirsk Flat 7 Races 1:35-4:55p.m. Punchestown Festival N/H 8 Races 2:15-6:10p.m. Doncaster(E) Flat7 Races 5:00-8:10p.m. Hexham(E) N/H 7 Races 5:20-8:25p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Place a bet in the Virtual Betting shop here Good Luck
Interesting that Crowley rides Maydanny tomorrow in the 13.50 Newmarket D O'Neill has ridden the horse twice - 1 win 1 2nd (second outing) S De Sousa - 1 ride, 1 win Crowley - 5 rides, 2nd (on debut) followed by 7th of 22,, 5th of 6, 14th of 15 and 6th of 11
Got a feeling Thunder Moon runs like lightning and wins tomorow Beaten some of these already and excuses in the dewhurst due to the ground and Altho Young Joseph can’t train a jumps horse he’s pretty good at the flat kind.
Each way play for me at Newmarket 1.50-Dubai Legacy @ 12-1...4 places For the old firm of Suroor/Dettori
Came From The Dark just let me down when a narrow 3rd at Musselburgh earlier in the season. I thought he was a bit unlucky that day and went with him again last time and he narrowly got up that time. He owes me nothing and I thought he might just be worth backing again to go up in class in a weak looking Group 3 Palace House Stakes. You wouldn't normally think a horse rated 105 could win a Group 3 but the top rated horse in the field is only rated 109 and that is not a daunting target. Lazuli is that top rated horse and he looked good early last season but then disappointed after that apart from one win later in the season from Tis Marvelous and he has a 3 lbs penalty to carry now. Came From The Dark is only now becoming established as a 5F sprinter and this could just be the ideal scenario for him. 2.25 Newmarket Came From The Dark 5/1
Saturday's Telly Terribles Nmkt 150 Graphite ew rated at 110 at the end of 2019, his first run since and a 543 day absence he has been dropped to 95. That first run was in the Lincoln, where he was very prominent for 6f before emptying out and sliding back through the field. Tenderly handled by Luois Steward, I can see him making the frame at least and 66-1 boosted to 75-1 was too good to pass up. Also Dubai Legacy ew 225 Emaraaty Anna 300 Al Zaraqaan 340 Master Of The Seas sky 11-1 5 plcs Good 205 Lilac Road Thirsk 240 Acquitted Good luck all
Last time out I was told to get on Came From The Dark which it duly obliged. They think a lot of this horse and recently Ed gave a glowing review of this horse in the Racing Post. As Grendel mentioned before it's not the strongest of races. The Hills runner is 4lbs better of than the selection but the way it was held up to swoop late may indicate there's more to come... Hopefully that's from the dark or in this case the grey! GL
Good morning all. Singles, doubles, trebles and an acca on these at Newmarket and Thirsk for me today. 1.50 New Bell Rock 2.25 New Came From The Dark 2.40 Thirsk Astro King 3.40 New Mutasaabeq Have a good weekend gents. All the best with yours
Odd days racing in many accounts, again we've got lots of small fields and far too many races. I have ignored Goodwood, because its Goodwood. Newmarket I am still expecting a pace bias in races where the pace isn't overly contested, which means - 1:50 - Overwrite - has the course form and I can forgive his run last time as he didn't go to the front. It will be interesting to see if Maydanny goes forward again this year, if he doesn't I think Overwrite can dominate from the front. At double figures I thought he was very interesting. Just hope his draw isn't a massive negative. EW bet. 2:50 - Judicial - course form is good, started last season with a good run in this race and also finished 2nd in the race in 2018. Both times were first race out for the season so not particularly worried that he hasn't had a recent run. I've also backed Garrus as a cover as I like his recent form and think he can reverse form with Came From The Dark given their running styles. 3:40 - Poetic Flare - I just think he is overpriced on form. Not a confident selection in what looks a puzzling race which probably lacks a top superstar horse. Pace of the race looks fairly strong so hopefully we won't have too many hard luck stories. EW Bet.
Ew Lucky 63/Acca/Scoop6: 1:50 Newmarket - Mascat 6/1 2:25 Newmarket - Judicial 13/2 2:40 Thirsk - Hartswood 11/1 3:40 Newmarket - Lucky Vega 12/1 4:00 Punchestown - Quilixios 2/1 4:30 Punchestown - Popong 13/2 Also done ew single on Chindit 14/1 in the 3:40 Newmarket and rev fc with Lucky Vega.
5.05 Punchestown- Power Of Pause- 14/1 ew Came with a big reputation in to his bumper campaign but failed to deliver. Then won his first two hurdle starts and stepped in to grade 2 2m company and didn’t run bad at all behind Ganapathi (who was running before cooper decided to Jump off haha) and the dreal dreal who has since disappointed at Aintree. But more interestingly he beat Magic Tricks who has run well since and Echoes of rain who did go off like a scolded cat and who has improved since but she put to bed Belfast Banter very easily and won this week very well too. She imo is definitely a champion hurdle contender next year. Howver she was behind power of pause that day. On the bare form that is strong. He seemed to put his bad run behind him last time and was travelling well when he was bought down at Fairyhouse over Easter. He really seemed to appreciate the step up to 21/2 that day and the ground is apparently softer than they are making it out to be too which he will love makes his handicap debut today and off a mark of 136 that could massively underestimate him. Bryan Cooper rode Asterion Forlonge to win yday so willie will put him up on a good horse. And also willies record in this race winning the last 6/10 renewals he does seem to do better with this second and third strings the last 3 winners have all been 20/1 14/1 and 20/1. So the price doesn’t put me off at all. There has been a bit of market support for him this morning which is encouraging but I just think he is better than his mark in conditions that are in his favour
Two months ago, nobody would have predicted the situation now facing us in the season’s first two Classics. It is not inconceivable that the favourites for both races could have amassed just three races between them and not contested any pattern races. Could anybody have predicted the three contenders from Ballydoyle that line up for the 2000 Guineas and the jockey bookings? With just the ten victories to his name, who would have thought that Aidan O’Brien’s most likely favourite would be Wembley? He took his time to open his juvenile account but his last two efforts saw him runner-up in the National Stakes and the Dewhurst; however, I can see punters opposing a horse who only has one win to his name and a middle distance pedigree. Equally, I can see punters passing on Van Gogh, winner of two from seven, the final one a heavy ground race at Saint Cloud. So the most likely Ballydoyle winner looks like Battleground, the horse who was favourite a couple of weeks ago and now has Frankie aboard trying to go one better than Wichita last term. My list of horses to watch this season is not very long (yet) but the top of the list is Mutasaabeq, who put up a striking effort on seasonal debut in good time and, despite his inexperience, justifies his presence in an open year. He comes from a yard in form and should give a good account but lacks experience of the big field having beaten an aggregate nine rivals in two starts. Can he emulate his mum and win a Guineas on two starts? There was plenty to like about Chindit’s performance at Newbury but I cannot see him winning the Guineas with a repeat performance because of the track. He either needs to get going earlier (i.e. before the dip) or he will need to finish faster and hope that something else has not got an irretrievable lead. They will only find out if he stays when the race is run. HQ is the scene of his only defeat to date. I was a fan of Master Of The Seas but it is difficult to ignore the lacklustre effort in Ireland last autumn, although he did win the Craven. His Meydan conqueror Naval Crown ran second in the Free Handicap and that suggests that neither of the stablemates may be up to the required standard. That Buick deserts One Ruler – favourite for the race a few days ago – suggests that he could drift in the betting but the promise of his two year old races could be borne out. This may turn out to be the Derby trial for One Ruler, staying on for a place up the hill. Lucky Vega won the Phoenix Stakes but then disappointed in the National Stakes, with excuses made, but I cannot see any grounds for backing him first time out with the doubt about him getting the mile. There are other potential fast finishers in the line up that I would rather be on. Despite my ante-post selection Battleground having made it to the start, I can see son beating father today with National Stakes winner Thunder Moon leading the field home for Joseph as I am happy to ignore the Dewhurst form reversal with Wembley because of the ground that day. The supporting races at HQ are a bit disappointing. The Jockey Club Stakes quintet features placed horses from the last two St Leger runnings. Sir Ron Priestley collected a Listed race on his first run for over a year; however, is this a stepping stone to the Yorkshire Cup? Ryan Moore gets the spare on Thunderous but he ran like a drain when I backed him in the Gordon Richards, hardly inspiring confidence. The top rated runner is last year’s St Leger third Pyledriver, twice a winner at this trip and with only fitness to be taken on trust. Even if he is a little ring rusty, he should still be good enough to win today. The other two need to find quite a bit of improvement, although Al Zaraqaan is race fit from winning the Rosebery at Kempton and Pablo Escobarr is a Group 3 winner. The first pattern race of the day, the Palace House Stakes, only features a couple of the familiar old sprinting crowd. Old boy Judicial must be the one for the forecast having been runner-up in this twice in three attempts. The five year olds Came From The Dark and Garrus fought out the finish to a Newbury handicap last time, step up in class here and have race fitness on their side. Garrus is 4lb better off for a neck defeat and ought to reverse the running for the Hills team. Former Gimcrack winner Emaraaty Ana ran well in the Abernant at this track last time but does he want the drop to five here? The five year old won on his juvenile debut over the minimum but was last in the Nunthorpe only his only other attempt. That leads me to the favourite LAZULI, twice a winner over five but penalised here for his Group 3 win. The Godolphin gelding may just about be good enough to defy the extra 3lb.
5.05 Punchestown. Tronador 14/1 Bet Victor. This lightly raced 5 year old has obviously progressed with age and a step up in distance. He looked in a hopeless position at the Grand National Meeting. In a packed 22 runner field, he had only 4 behind him at the fourth last and a dozen in front at the second last. Quickening well he weaved his way through and joined the leaders at the last. Sprinting away he won decisively. Despite his 7lb rise, this course and a repeat two and a half miles should suit.
Selections from Punchy today... 2:15 - Neverushacon, 2/1 2:50 - Young Dev, 9/1* 3:20 - Concertista, 8/11 4:00 - Quilixios, 2/1 4:30 - Jerandme, 10/1* ew 5:05 - Sayo, 16/1* ew 5:40 - Klassy Kay, 4/1* * ones get to carry my money... Good luck to all if you are playing today...
A fine spring day in Berlin and for the first time in a while I'm feeling a tickle of early season excitement as the first classics are upon us. A cracking day of sport - first up Owls v Forest to see whether we can take the relegation battle to a last-day showdown with Derby. I'm hardly optimistic. Then Newmarket on ITV racing (where I will be once again frustrated by the ITV player repeatedly stalling through my VPN) followed by Punchestown on RTE2 (whose player work famously through my VPN without the hint of a stall). I'd better go and get some beer ...................