5.30 Wolves Dream Lodge 12/1 This looks a fascinating debutant for Scott Dixon and if back to anywhere near his best he is absolutely thrown in at the weights. This 8 year old gelding in his prime was once rated 109 for Richard Fahey, with the highlight of his career probably finishing a 1L beaten 2nd in a Group 3 back in August 2009. Barring a smattering of ok efforts after this, including a very good nose 2nd in a Conditions race conceding 3lb to a 104 rated horse in April 2010, Dream Lodge has really fallen a long way from the heights of his early career and after showing next to nothing since joining Dandy Nicholls in February last year he has now fallen to a handicap mark of 74 and competes in a Class 5 handicap today. This C+D winner, although probably better on turf, is now winless since July 2009 but shares a similar profile to Thunderstruck who won on debut for Dixon so I draw a lot of positives from that. Dream Lodge has to overcome a 130 day absence but has run well after a break before, including that 2nd in the conditions race after a nearly 7 month absence, so that is not a concern for me. Dixon has decided to try reimplementing a visor which has been absent for more than a year (won in the headgear once impressively) and this could certainly help reinvigorate Dream Lodge. It is also very interesting to note that Ian Mongan goes to Wolves for just this one ride and this perhaps demonstrates that he may have rediscovered his love of racing. Although not one to go nuts with considering he has really lost his way, Dixon has helped other horses to find their way again after a break on debut and he is far too well handicapped on his old form to leave be. With a good draw in stall 4 allowing him to adopt whatever tactics he wishes, this former Group 3 2nd looks very overpriced at 12/1 in my opinion and if Dixon and the reintroduction of a visor can work the oracle on Dream Lodge than hopefully Mongan's trip to Wolves for one ride can result in a victory.
Thought I'd take a flier at the Wetherby 14:15. According to Sporting Life, the fences are a bit stiff, so I thought that with a few soft patches,the race over the 25f might be a tough old trip. I liked the look of Mission Complete but the weight scares me some. So I ended up with the bottom one Oniz Tiptoes who gets in on a flat 10 stone. What I like about him is his form over the extended trip. He won last time out over 27f in soft conditions at Sedgefield in a C5 event. Before that he put in a sterling over 29f at Market Rasen again in soft going when he finished second. I'm hoping that they start hitting the wall a mile out. Wetherby. 14:15. Oniz Tiptoes. EW to run 1-2.
Wetherby 1.45 GREY CRUZENE 3/1 - T Vaughan does well with horses that he picks up, has dropped 21lb from his initial mark so races of of just 10-4 today. If he can get the normal improvement out of him for switching yards he should take some beating.
Nothing for me today, too busy catching up with all the action from the weekend. Still annoyed by the rides given to Joseph Lister and also Vhujon, but you can't get good results all the time.
Nass: Agree, looking at video replays they were poor rides, bad luck indeed. Just one for me today and that's Blue Destination in the first at Wetherby. Sure to strip a lot fitter and wiser after his first promising run over hurdles. Out most of day so GL to all having a punt!
The Joseph Lister one was poor but he is a 7lb claimer who got outdone by professionals, he is still learning so I didn't mind it as much as the one with Vhujon, who was just given a torrid ride throughout.
Nass I can understand frustration at Joseph Lister ride as you never had the chance for a return but think of it this way there is no chance what so ever he would have beaten Smad Place on Saturday not even with AP , Ruby or Gerraghty on. If you backed him E.W then it is different all together
RV, don't think thats fair to say, the horse got messed around throughout the race and was still cantering when Ciceron and his jockey decided to barge him right out of the way. I backed it EW early doors and thought he was set for a place at least, and given a proper ride he might have run a lot better. I am not saying that he would have won the race but I think he would have run a lot better than the bare result shows. He was given a poor ride throughout too, he was yo-yoing through the field and not being allowed to settle into the race. Smad was given a brilliant ride in the race and won nicely, shows how much a jockey can do to help a horse win/lose a race. JL is in the notebook, I wonder if they will go the conditional handicap route at the festival? Is the lad a relative of hendo btw?
Nass . I just thought Smad Place was all class on Saturday. Was very impressed with that performance off 144 (I think it was 144) first time out. Looked as if the step up in trip is all he needed. Joseph Lister ran a good race considering the ride and I think you are right to have him in your notebook as he could be potentially well handicaped. Not sure who the lad is have never heard of him before Sat
Have to say that I think you guys are a bit hard on the lad. Sure he got out well and then settled just behind the winner for almost the entire race. But he then put in a bad one mid-race. The lad then maybe pushed a little too hard after that, but I don't think he spent all that much extra fuel. He was the victim on the corner when Thomas (I think) hit him midships on the bend. He had to switch back inside in the straight, but the horse was a spent force. Personally, I don't think even Ruby could have ridden the horse into the money.
Morning, all. Nothing for me today as it doesn’t look particularly inspiring on the old racing front. I see though that old boy Pricewise is doing the ‘World Hurdle’ tomorrow. Any ideas who he will go for?!? I’m guessing he’ll go for something 20/1+ each-way as he’s hardly going to recommend lumping on the Big Buck’s as that ain‘t his style! Maybe Mourad or Featherbed Lane but not really certain. By the way, RV, I really hope that Thomas Edison lights up the Festival for you!
Nass, I think we could have 2 races in the World Hurdle this year. One for Big Bucks and those prepared to take him on and one for those who are ridden solely to place behind him. The battle is though identifying those from the latter brigade!
SBC 10/10 for that one Smad Place SBC just the type he would put up. Nass not saying its good enough before you start
RV, is that the target for the horse? Game Spirit or whatever is being rumoured as its next target. The issue I have with the World Hurdle is that a good few will have different targets just because Big Bucks is in the heat. Impossible race for me to suggest a proper alternative to BB.
Not 100% sure Nass but I would like to think so . I agree btw. I will probs just back something E.W on the day like Zaidpour if he turns up
"The trip would not be a problem, but Big Buck's just might and we will probably make a decision after he has run in the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell."
I reckon he'll put up that other Nicholls horse who finished 2nd behind Big Bucks on his last 2 starts - can't for the life of me remember his name
