Thursday's Meetings Salisbury Flat 6 Races 1:00-3:35p.m. Sedgefield N/H 6 Races 1:15-3:55p.m. Haydock Flat 7 Races 2:10-5:25p.m. Dundalk A/W 8 Races 3:00-6:30p.m. Clonmel(E) Flat 7 Races 4:15-7:15p.m. Chelmsford(E) A/W 7 Raced 5:55-8:55p.m. Newcastle(E) A/W 6 Races 6:05-8:35p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
I like, Aptly Put, in the 3.25 at Sedgefield. Looks to have been running well in better races than this and has won in this grade before. Not worried about the quick turnaround (ran on Monday) as won in June running 4 days after a previous go. Does anybody know when the new handicap scoring system comes into play? I know very little about it apart from the older horses will now recieve bigger drops in their ratings after a defeat. I'm not sure what else is changing...
Morning 1.30 Salisbury-Viadelamore Each Way @ 14-1 [Bet 365] Pretty sure he is better than 8th place finish on debut suggested
Sedgefield 2.55 River Frost C&D winner off 10lb higher last summer in a small field like today. The Haslam yard has been amongst the winners recently and there is some market support for the horse at the moment.
6:35 Newcastle - Ace Rothstein 7/2 (i backed it at 5/2 but bigger prices now, available and i have BOG). Won very easily last time out after a long lay off and I'd be surprised if it didn't follow up today
Sedgefield 15,25 Tomorrow's Angel 7/2 Newcastle 18,35 Oslo 9/1 e/w PP anf betfair three places, Sky 8/1 four places
Interesting Group 3 race at Longchamp with UK interest today. Karl Burke sends Illustrating, who takes on William Haggas' Caononized again, after defeating her last time. There is 4 lbs between them on official ratings, which may not be irreversible but Canonized has had seven starts, compared to Illustrating's three outings. This probably explains the big gap in the betting, with Illustrating 15/8 and Canonized 15/2. Weighing up the form, it was Dizzy Bizu who stood out for me. A shade disappointing behind Atomic Force, when fifth in a race where the Ryan horse stamped himself as one of the top juveniles in winning by five lengths, The Caravaggio filly was better next time when second in a Group 3. The 3rd there was Trident, who went on to be runner up in the Group 1 Prix Morny next time and that looks a solid boost to the form. I feel Dizzy Bizu may be suited by the return to 5F and the Wattel stable are firing with 8/30 this past fortnight. 14.52 Longchamp Dizzy Bizu 11/4
The 4.20 Haydock is tight between Evident Beauty and True Scarlet for favouritism. They are hovering around about 7/4 on average. I thought it worth chancing Alpha Cru at bigger odds. Transferred to David O'Meara after one run in Ireland, the daughter of Australia has won her two starts since and now steps up in trip for her Handicap debut. I thought there was the possibility that the extra two furlongs can wring more improvement and that she may be well weighted off her mark of 80. 9/2 was quite an appealing price for an unexposed runner with potential. 4.20 Haydock Alpha Cru 9/2
I thought Dizzy Bizu had that won. She battled her way to the front and looked like going on to win by about a length but then seemed to falter in front and Corazon rallied to get up and win by a neck. Illustrating was a further neck away in 3rd place. Frustrating when a horse comes to take it up and then fades to let the passed horse back up.
Alpha Cru held a handy spot but was swamped by the finishers. True Scarlet came from last to first for yet another win for William Buick on the day. I was surprised that Alpha Cru was kept as handy as she was stepping up in trip today. Most times a horse going up in distance will be ridden patiently but perhaps they felt it necessary to ensure a stronger pace. She should get a pound or two off based on today's run I would feel. My father often said to me that it was simpler to just follow a jockey and it looked like one of those days today. Mind you, many gussets would have been a bit damp after watching New Kingdom scramble home by a nose at odds of 1/2 earlier.
