Friday's Meetings Ayr N/H 7 Races 1:00-4:27p.m. Newbury Flat 8 Races 1:10-5:05p.m. Fontwell N/H 7 Races 1:20-4:45p.m. Ballinrobe(E) N/H 7 Races 4:20-7:30p.m. Bath(E) Flat 7 Races 4:40-7:40p.m. Exeter(E) N/H 7 Races 4:50-7:50p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Place a bet in the Virtual Betting shop here Good Luck
Loads of Maidens on the Newbury card and not many betting opportunities. The 3.25 looks interesting though. Michael Stoute's Maximal looked a decent sort in the making last season and after going down a nostril on debut he filled the same spot, albeit beaten a bit further, by none other than One Ruler, who is nearing favourite for the 2000 Guineas now. Maximal made no mistake when long odds on for his 3rd start, where he came clear easily to score by five lengths. Despite winners coming from that race, the form looks pretty weak overall and his position in the market today owes itself to him then having run in the Autumn Stakes, where he crossed swords again with One Ruler but cam off a lot worse in 8th place. Maximal was short enough that day for a colt stepping up markedly and although he may have been beaten a fair way due to the softness of the ground, winner One Ruler franked the form when second in a group 1 and runner up Van Gogh went on to score in a French group 1. Maximal may well improve again but I think he is a bit short for a colt rated 92 and horses like Megallan and today's runner Akmaam give the rest of the Autumn Stakes form a more mediocre look. John Gosden's Senita needs looking at after two 2nd places and a win last year. I could see how some may be thinking of Frankly Darling who placed in the Oaks last year but Senita was beaten at 1/6 on her second start and was then 2/7 in winning a race at Redcar. More races under her belt than Frankly Darling starting out last season, she is also only rated 88 and that is 10 lbs behind the highest rated in this race thus far. I don't see her as a selection here at 4/1. River Alwen is highest rated of those with an official figure and he is on 98. Third to Cloudbridge on debut, he then landed a race at Haydock before going on to be 4th to stable companion Fancy Man in a Listed race back at the same venue. That run was described as similar form to his win in a preview I later read but the handicapper pushed him up from 86 to 98 after that run. That race has not panned out well, with Fancy Man himself beaten quite a long way in the Fielden recently. That calls River Alwen's mark into some question and I wouldn't be sure the son of Dark Angel is going to thrive at 10F, Scope ran today and may not turn out, so Latest Generation is examined instead. Well bred by Frankel, out of Rizeena who was very talented for Clive Brittain, Latese Generation seemed to be going the right way before being 7th in the Autumn Stakes, one place ahead of Maximal. Available at double the odds of the Stoute horse, he appeals more for a bet. Like Maximal however, the mediocrity of the form behind the first two is a shade concerning. In the end I went with Hurricane Lane at 6/1. The Godolphin horse won his only start on quite bad ground and while that may have flattered him, he has been supplemented at the second stage for the Derby. He looks sure to stay 12F and 10F on this ground might be a minimum for him but with the stable going well amd any amount of scope after just one start, I thought it was worth a bet in the chance that the Derby entry isn't just a pipe dream. He certainly needs to win this to have any hope of getting to Epsom with any realistic hope I have seen Senita heavily tipped up but I can't take a Redcar Novice winner at 2/7 here at the prices, when the 3rd there was later last in a handicap off 77. This looks a Gosden honey-trap to me. 3.25 New Hurricane Lane 6/1 to continue the Appleby form.
Hurricane Lane now 9/4. Maximal is steady but Senita is very weak looking with everything else. As expected Scope was taken out after running yesterday, not sure why they bothered quoting him to be honest. The money is a positive sign but if only it meant they would actually win.
Lucky Flight Always Resolute Both horses should be competitive and (hopefully) there or thereabouts off their current marks.
https://www.attheraces.com/news/2021/April/15/dual-cheltenham-festival-winner-presenting-percy-dies What a damn shame, Presenting Percy put down after a bad blood infection...
Ayr 16,27 Tomorrow's Angel 9/1 e/w Ballinrobe 18,00 Fairyhill Run 20/1 e/w bet365 three places, 18/1 WH four places 18,30 Springfield Logde 3/1
14:25 Fontwell - Ballydoyle (Decent chance in this event. Distance and ground should suit. The local trainer/jockey combination G.L.Moore/J.E.Moore always worth considering at this track. Danger could well be stablemate Big Jimbo, ridden by the younger Joshua Moore, but this is the horse's handicap debut and I (reluctantly) would prefer to see how it gets on first. Hope this is not a mistake! 15/2 generally available for selection at time of writing.) Would be surprised if SP is more than that.)
Always my favourite week of the year, always full of surprises good and bad. They've messed around with the cards and it's fillies maiden day today whereas formally there used to be a colt's maiden farmed by Dick Hern and Henry Cecil. In 1990 the Derby winner won that maiden but it's now almost the same race run on Saturday (though Sunday this year). I'm surprised Set Point is the near outsider for the Graduation race. His debut was behind Maximal, where he got the idea late on and ran on to finish 4th. He then won his next outing. Despite only two places he might be worth an EW punt. The last race is always a bit of a lottery but Miss Scaletta stands out on pedigree.
A dreadful performance. If he wasn't already knackered, knocking the bar out of the top of a hurdle mid-race finally finished him off. Time for a 'Pause' for me; that would be a damn good idea methinks!
Hurricane Lane had to battle back there but I knew this was probably going to be his minimum trip on good ground. Maximal travelled more sweetly and looked like he might claim it but perhaps he wasn't fully wound up, or was just outstayed in the closing stages. The Dam of Maximal, Joyeuse, was basically a sprinter and was an Oasis Dream half sister to Frankel, so pretty hard to see the Stoute colt getting the Derby trip. This was a two horse race from a fair way out. Maximal's old sparring partner Latest Generation was very weak in the early betting, however he did attract some support before being very disappointing. Senita had plenty to find in my mind to be involved today but she was the darling of the Tips Box with five nominations to Hurricane Lane's one and Maximal with three. Well enough backed at 7/2 she was keen early and never got into it at all in finishing last. I would think that Handicap's will be a better sphere for her and she should be dropped a few pounds from her 88 mark on the evidence of this. These well bred fillies tend to be aimed at black type for marketing them as mares but she would struggle in those races on today's evidence. This didn't look Derby form from Hurricane Lane but another 2F should help and as a starting off point for the St Leger it looked a useful step. Not quoted for the Leger though but is 25/1 for the Derby. Maximal is the same price in places but I would be struggling to see how 2F further would help him reverse form from today. A good day for me, as I also gave Came From The Dark another go. I was on him at Musselburgh last time and thought he was unlucky in going down a short head and the same in third place. Fortune was with him today and he got up by a neck but will no doubt get a few more pounds from the Handicapper now.
