KENYAN CAT 7.25 Chester 9-2 loves it round here, goes on any ground and can win off this mark. Yard hitting form and worth a bet. Earlier on the card Sir Mark Prescott's SAVANNA LA MAR 6.15 can confirm the promise of his Kempton debut by winning this. Prescott has a cracking record with his juveniles here and I am confident that this one will only enhance that record.
3.55 Folkestone Lunar Deity 16/1 NAP This looks a very difficult race and one in which I've tipped up two other runners recently in the shape of Ginger Ted and We Have A Dream. Ginger Ted has been woeful in his 4 starts this year and the good to firm ground is unsuitable but I couldn't put anyone off backing We Have A Dream in this race. He won this race last year off a 2lb higher mark and put in a very good 3rd at Windsor LTO on ground that probably went against him and he should have ideal conditions today. However, I'm going to plump for Eve Johnson Houghton's 3 year old who takes on his elders for the first time instead who at 16/1 seems a truly massive price. Lunar Deity make his debut last July as a 2 year old and for the first three furlongs he pulled the arms off Cathy Gannon and he desperately needed that racecourse experience. On his 2nd start he definitely showed some promise under Tom Queally when running well for a long way before being eased towards the finish. On his 3rd start he took a massive step forward when sauntering to a 5L success when dropped back to 6f at Ffos Las last July and it was an extremely impressive visual display. Sitting up near enough to the pace, Lunar Deity cruised to the front under hands and heels riding under tomorrows jockey John Fahy as he pulled well clear of the rest of the field to such an extent that he was eased close home. The form of that race isn't too bad with the 3rd winning on his next start impressively and he is now a 77 rated animal. Furthermore, the 4th horse Melenoras is a 70 rated horse so considering the ease in which Lunar Deity won that day I think it looks his mark of 80 looks rather lenient. Lunar Deity was assigned an initial handicap mark of 82 as he was stepped into a Class 2 handicap at York on Good to Soft ground last August. However, he ran too poor to be true and you have to ignore that effort. On the back of this, Lunar Deity took a 9 month break before putting in what I thought was a very good effort on his seasonal reappearance and first start as a 3 year old. Over the 7f trip in a Class 3 handicap at Salisbury last month, Lunar Deity travelled but I don't think he was able to quicken on the ground as he ended up finishing a distantly beaten 3rd. However, it certainly looked to me as if he would need the run and he put in an excellent display after this on his next start.Lunar Deity was stepped into a Listed contest at Epsom where he ran an absolutely cracking race to finish only a 4.25L beaten 4th on good ground. After sitting close enough to the pace, Lunar Deity came with a very good run about 3f out before taking 2nd only to be passed by a couple of rivals in the final furlong over the 7f trip. It really was a terrific effort, especially considering the ratings of the horses around him were 99, 102, 98 and 107 and I tend to believe it was a truly run race given both the positive Topspeed figures and the fact it was 1.6 seconds faster than the Class 2 event that proceeded it over the same trip. The form of this race took a huge boost with the 1st and 3rd running excellent races in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot with the pair beaten by less than 2L. On his final start off his current mark of 80, Lunar Deity was very well backed from 15/2 into 7/2 but the rain came and changed the ground to good to soft and again I think he was unable to quicken on the ground over 6f at Leicester. He travelled into the race better than anything and after having to be switched he tried to come with his effort but he seemed very one paced as a result of what I think was the ground as he finished a 4.25L beaten 5th. I think that effort could be a blessing in disguise for this Colt as surely the handicapped was going to up him significantly from his mark of 80 as a result of his performance in a Listed contest but his mark has remained static on the back of this effort. It seems very clear to me that Lunar Deity is a top of the ground horse and he'll relish the return to good to firm ground - the first time since his Maiden success. He remains over 6f in a Class 4 handicap and both are positives for when looking back to his 2nd last start as the drop in trip and significant ease in grade look sure to suit. Neil Callan takes the ride after being on board him in the Listed race and trainer Eve Johnson Houghton is in good form with 3 winners in the past couple of weeks. The big negative for Lunar Deity tomorrow is he has to overcome the worst draw in stall 1 but I don't think this will be an insurmountable task as he comes from off the pace. I'm quite wary of We Have A Dream and I've had a saver at 17/2 but I think Lunar Deity looks rather well handicapped off a mark of 80 and I think he could take a lot of beating tomorrow. I'll also be playing a RFC between Lunar Deity and We Have A Dream as they seem the likeliest first two home to me.
3.00 Doncaster- Dashing David 7/4 18.30 Curragh- Shamooda- 9/2 19.00 Curragh- Ursa Major 2 from my tracker are in the same race 20.05 Newmarket- Ultrasonic- & Hallelujah. The former is on the upward curve after her performaance in the scurry stakes, and Hallelujah looks very hard to train but has won 3/4. So it will be a no bet race but if I had to I would go for Hallelujah
Morning all. strong fancy for me today: 3.00 Maxentius - 4/1 - very impressive debut, won by 4L easily so think there is more to come.
Good morning fellow punters. What a week it's been, especially if you are north of the Watford Gap (which has to be better than being south of it) . Next door's menage flooded and the road outside looks like a beach. The Spanish march on, although it is a tired looking march. The Italians failed to surrender for once knocking those arragant germans off their perch. Now was it Alan Hanson who announced on MOTD that Bolatelli would not be seen in the premiership again!!! I'm not a great fan but those two goals were stunning! To top it all Mr Nadal had a Spanish hangover and opened it up for our charasmatic Scot to raise expectations in SW19, I'd guess not too many on here would be risking their hard earned on that one. SO all in all a pretty boring few days. Todays speculative fancies are going to be singles and doubles in the first three races and that will dictate the days play. Botti's March 2:00 donny is attracting attention currently 7/1 2:10 Muss, Athletic to get Graham the new star Lee off to a flyer Gosdon's odds on fav, Palmette in the opener at Folkestone Good luck to all who are enjoying a wee wager.
ROTO, I was just coming on to say the same thing about LUNAR DEITY. My boss knows one of his part owners who will be at Lords today, but will be taking 10 minutes out to go and watch the race in the betting shop The 2yo Fillies Maiden at The Curragh tonight has some very interesting newcomers, including HANKY PANKY - a Galileo half-sister to Giant's Causeway and WHERE - a Danehill Dancer daughter out of Virginia Waters.
A week is a long time in politics, and even longer in the life of a 2yold. Last week The Sixties, Mick Channon's gelded son of Sixties Icon, ran in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot, today he contests a Class 6 Maiden at Folkestone. A repeat of last weeks run, where he led a decent field for 5 furlongs before getting swallowed up in the final 2, should be enough to take this. Paul d'arcy's Super Simon is being backed against him, but I can't see why on the back of his runs in a pair of ordinary maidens at Lingfield and Nottingham. More of a threat may come from one of the debutants, but there doesn't seem to be much market confidence behind any of those.
I take it is still a bit wet up there - what are the chances that the Nortumberland Plate Day goes ahead tomorrow?
"Who (IRE)" will become available in the next few years as the last horse to carry the name (a gelding) is now 18. "What", however is available
It is indeed TopClass's birthday today so I'm popping on to see if there is anything I can put into a fun birthday yankee! Won't be around much as there might be a few public houses to visit throughout the day as it is a day off work as well, bonus! 2 stand out: 2.00Doncaster PEARL SEA 10/1 e.w This looks a nicely bred 2YO from the Brown stable again and Spencer does well for these owners on newcomers, though usually with Ted Barron. I thought the fav was way too short and thought any abover average newcomer with a good pedigree might be up to taking this and I thought this looked particularly interesting. My 2nd selection will make ROTO smile I'm sure because I'll be backing LA FORTUNATA 20/1 e.w in Newmarkets 8:05. Is 2 from 3 over 6f, will appreciate the good ground, is 1 from 2 at Newmarket and has a very handy 5lb claim in the shape of Charles Bishop on board today. Most people would oppose because she is on unfavourable terms at the weights (it is a stakes event, if it was a handicap she'd carry 12lb less than Ultrasonic if you took into account Bishops 5lb claim) BUT the interesting thing here is that she will be allowed to dictate this race as she likes and I think the tactical advantage that she will and should gain counters the weight disadvantage. She has always needed the run in the past so she will be fitter for reappearance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkua3S0hhQQ&feature=player_embedded amazing video apart from the moron who filmed it - squeaky twat
