Saturday's Meetings Goodwood Flat 8 Races 1:40-5:50p.m. Uttoxeter N/H 7 Races 1:45-5:20p.m. Newmarket Flat 7 Races 2:00-5:30p.m. 2000 Guineas Off @ 3:45p.m. Thirsk Flat 7 Races 2:10-5:40p.m. Punchestown Festival N/H 8 Races 2:35-6:40p.m. Doncaster(E) Flat 7 Races 5:10-8:15p.m. Hexham(E) N/H 7 Races 5:25-8:30p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Good Luck
Three strong fancies for tomorrow all at Punchestown: 15.50 Katie T 6/1 ew - obviously Annie Power should win but this one is in great form and an each-way shot to nothing if anything goes wrong with the super mare. 16.25 - Business Sivola 9/2 (Coral/ Betfair) - he is much shorter with PP who is close to the Mullins yard. Horse is an improver in what seems a very weak race. Petite Persieanne well exposed at this stage. 17.00 Gallant Oscar 8/1 ew - Has been withdrawn from sandown and ayr due to ground issues showing they know a big race is in him. Sue to go very close. He was favourite for the Theystes in Gowran Park that Djakadam won.
I love Katie T but think they've missed a really good opportunity to run away with a handicap off her current mark. She's comfortably the best horse in the race after Annie P but that one's so far ahead that you're basically hoping the fall LTO has left a mark. I suppose they're getting the black type secure. No shame in that. Looking ahead to the flat season for her, there is definitely a nice handicap to be won. Just have to work out which one.
Exotic - where the hell is the 8/1 Gallant Oscar? Best i've seen is 5/1. He'd be a bet at 8's. Quite like the fact Nicholls sends one over this week and it runs tomorrow - Qualando. Fiscal Focus is interesting as well. He ran very well for a very long time in the Irish Champion Hurdle but bombed out at the end. However for 14 of the 16 furlongs he was very much in the mix with Hurricane Fly, Jezki and Arctic Fire. Terrific form for a juvenile and even stronger in the context of this race. That was his second race over hurdles - a frankly ridiculous ask by a dreamer of a trainer. I think something went wrong at the end of the Irish Champion and that's why we've not seen him since. If all is right on Saturday and he sees his race out (much like he did to win his grade two on hurdle debut) then 10/1 is a fair price. It's a tough heat but i fancy Qualando to win with Fiscal Focus an interesting danger.
That 4 year old race is impossible to weigh up as they just take turns in beating each other. You could run it a dozen times and get a different result. Remember Hargam at Aintree, 'buying it' they said! I do find juvenile races generally ones to avoid (but then again I probably should avoid them all!)
Newmarket 200- Balty Boys 230- Kingsgate Native 305- Telescope 345- Gleneagles 420- Twilight Sons 455- Best Of Times 530- Greatest Journey Punchestown 235- Sizing Australia 310- Miss Xian 350- Annie Power 425- Fiscal Focus 500- Daring Article 535- Pleasant Company
The fact 19 go to post proves nobody has a certain idea of the winner of the 2000 Guineas as much as one likes to speculate. Ol' Man River 13/2 is the one I'm on. Joey O'Brien's mount. 2 from 2 as a juvenile and both were very satisfactory wins. He'll have learned an awful lot from that and will have come on a fair bit in the past few months for it. The horse has pace and might stay beyond a mile eventually but this is a good stating point for him. Hopefully the ground stays sound enough and he can land the spoils. Over at Punchestown it's a pair of Tony Martin handicappers that will be carrying my load also in the shape of: Heathfield 6/1 Punchestown 3:10 Gallant Oscar 5/1 Punchestown 5:00 Bit of money about for both early this evening and both appear to have serious chances on bare form regardless. Best of luck folks.
Made back home. Back to business at home. Two from Newmarket stepper point/ Elm Park if we get the rain
In the Palace House Stakes there is no Sole Power, perhaps because of his Group 1 penalty, which does at least open up the betting. The problem is that the fitness of several of the principals, like Pearl Secret, Kingsgate Native and Wind Fire has to be taken on trust. Likely favourite Watchable chased home Astaire on the course at the Craven Meeting and has to be respected, although dropping back to five furlongs. Stepper Point has to give away a Group 3 penalty but strips race fit from Meydan and acquitted himself well in top sprints last year, including this one. The Jockey Club Stakes is very disappointing and all attention will undoubtedly be on Sir Michael Stoute’s Telescope. Andre Fabre’s Manatee (owned by Godolphin France) was entered but they have decided to stay at home. Whilst chief opponent Pether’s Moon is race fit it is hard to see him giving weight away. The 2000 Guineas throws up two conundrums: can we rely on those who are coming here fresh to uphold their two-year-old form or do we take the scant three-year-old form available at face value? Gleneagles passed the post first in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère but that does not match up to Elm Park’s impressive win in the Racing Post Trophy (Celestial Path behind). The question mark about the latter may be the ground. Ol’ Man River puts his unbeaten record on the line and would not be the first Ballydoyle second string to come good. Neither Estidhkaar nor Ivawood won their trial race but at least they have race fitness, as does over-priced Kool Kompany, who appears to be the stable second string despite winning the Craven with Moheet and Hail The Hero behind. Free Handicap winner Home Of The Brave may have competition for the lead from maiden winner Intilaaq and Kool Kompany. This could set the race up for the Andre Fabre runner for Godolphin France, Territories, who has clearly been diverted here from Longchamp because connections see this as an open race with more prestige than the French equivalent. He finished behind Gleneagles in a rough Lagardère and got promoted to second but he won the Prix de Fontainbleau easily on debut so he has race fitness on his old rival. The Newmarket Stakes looks dangerously like a penalty kick for Racing Post Trophy runner-up Aloft, although that was on soft ground. Rocky Rider and Azmaam were beaten by Ballydoyle’s Cape Clear Island at the Craven Meeting, so they should have a line on them; whilst Tempus Temporis and Balios have only raced on polytrack and are unknowns. That pretty much leaves Godolphin’s Best Of Times as the one having picked up a couple of small races last autumn and still having plenty of potential. Newmarket 14:30 Stepper Point 15:45 Territories 16:55 Best Of Times
Frankie has some eyecatching rides today so I've had a little e/w patent on 3 of them: 2.00 All Set To Go 14/1 2.30 Tangerine Trees 12/1 3.45 Moheet 16/1 Why not .................
Did anyone watch virtual running of Legends 2,000 Guineas on The Morning Line? Brigadier Gerard was 1st, El Gran Senor 2nd and Frankel 3rd. I know El Gran Senor was only beaten once in his career (in the Derby by Secreto), but to finish in front of Frankel? Really?
Morning, team. Strange days racing today and it's so cold it so does not feel like 2,000 Guineas day! Slightly topical then that yesterday, on the other thread, I said I expect CHILL to outrun his massive odds in the card commencer at Gooders (1.45). What, what?!? Although please note he's not trained by OUR Mr Henderson. Tomorrow in the county there is a really good maiden (3.50 Salisbury) which was won in ’12 by Estimate and expect old boy Gosden’s NIGEL to have come on a lot for his debut at Newmarket a couple of weeks ago. Good luck all.
Dortmund may have to settle for the Champs Lge positions as American Pharoah hoses in hard held. I didn't get involved at the 4/1 MOG stated some weeks back but 11/4 is still ok. Best of luck BayernK.
Felix Leiter 4 20 n 12/1 Fieldsman 530 n 9/1 Kilmurvy 3 30 u 4/1 Evawood 12/1 345 n my l15 for today .......
Such a Legend, 2.20 Uttoxeter 7/2 for the inform Kim Bailey stable. Federici, 2.35 Punchestown 10/1. The outsider of the 3 Bolger runners but fancied by connections. Territories, 2000 Guineas 11/2. Determined to give the punting a rest over the flat season but it's a Classic and a Bank Holiday weekend FFS! Nice little patent. Good luck all.
Today's lucky 15. Newmarket,2-00. Top Tug. Goodwood,2-15.Criteria. Newmarket,2-30.Kingsgate Native. Punchestown,4-25.Qualando. Good luck to all.
