Wednesday's Meetings Lingfield A/W 8 Races 1:00-4:35p.m. Uttoxeter N/H 7 Races 1:15-4:20p.m. Gowran Flat 7 Races 1:35-4:40p.m. Bath Flat 7 Races 2:10-5:15p.m. Worcester(E) N/H 7 Races 4:30-7:35p.m. Hamilton(E) Flat 7 Raced 4:50-7:50p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
Hello, crew. Hope everyone well. My main focus tomorrow won't be on the racing itself but Tattersalls re the horses in training sale. Am really looking forward to seeing what happens when 4 horses come up for sale. HMS Seahorse, from Ballydoyle, and Keeper, Tempus and Modestus from Beckhampton (the latter 3 all being sold by Juddmonte). The last pair are, incidentally, both half-brothers to one of my all-time favourite horses of all time, namely Time Test. They could, of course, end up in a myriad of different places but I'd love it if a couple ended up in the hands (or should I say 'magic hands') of a chap in Lambourn. But am really looking forward to seeing what happens, team.
Not quite, old top, not quite. As someone once said, on these very pages, 'more research required'. Must be a decent chap though, old boy Snowden, as he's got Princess Camilla on his roster of owners.
Indeed they send the Motivator filly Dark Motive to the juvenile hurdle heat at Worcester this evening. As old boy “Chips” Keswick is co-owner there must be a joke about chips and sauce in there somewhere
The 2.30 Lingfield sees Kimngrace and Sassy Rascal set the standard on ratings. The former was thrust into Listed class after a debut 4th and that looked a very stiff ask. Unable to play a part in that race when finishing 11th, she was only beaten five lengths and this is a much easier standard today. That Listed race has thrown up winners in Attagirl and Flotus, who both won Listed contests next time out, the latter filly winning most impressively and earning quotes for the Cheveley Park. Punters have cottoned on to Kimngrace's form boosts though and at 6/4 I feel she is a bit skinny. Sassy Rascal ran quite well on her first two starts but those were not great races and she probably achieved more when 8th in a Group 3 behind subsequent Lowther winner Zain Claudette. It is hard to get away from how poorly Sassy Rascal ran last time out though. Well below form that day, it is not simply explained by the 6F trip I feel and although she may prefer 5F it seems a lot to take on trust for a filly who ran two stones below form last time out. I took a chance with Live In The Dream, who returns under a seven pound penalty for winning at Wolverhampton on Monday. The son of Prince Of Lir looked very speedy last time, having the pace to get to the front for the first turn and staying in front all the way. That ability to start quickly could be an advantage and although it is unlikely that he will have progressed physically in two days, he may have learned mentally and he has that winning experience under his belt. The penalty leaves him with something to find with the best of them here but a 3lb claimer takes over from Rab Havlin and it should be a straightforward enough point and shoot ride today. 2.30 Lingfield Live In The Dream 11/2
I thought I had the winner for a moment but Sassy Rascal finished like a bullet there. The Fav also finished quite strongly. Live In The Dream ran a different sort of race today, not quite able to get to the front and then having a battle for the lead. He got the better of that but just when it looked that the first two in the betting had a bit to do, you could sense that the cavalry would come and they made the ground up to collar the selection. Perhaps the jockeys were that bit stronger in a driving finish but it was a pretty good effort from Live In The Dream, who would surely have won had he not been conceding weight all round, considering it was a neck and a short head he was beaten.
Am certainly in very poor form atm, but I'll have a go on Rintulla at Uttoxeter (15:50). Has a squeak in this for the Ben Pauling yard. Well, that didn't last long, fell at the second! hope jockey is OK, didn't look such a bad fall but rider had not got up the last I saw.
Ruben Blades said in his wonderful song "Pedro Navaja" that "Si naciste pa martillo del cielo te caen los clavos" (If you were born to be a hammer, the nails will fall from the sky). And that is where we are right now.
Actually think the new connections of these 4 got them somewhat cheaply. Hms Seahorse went to Magaret O'Toole for £24,000. Keeper to Freddy Tylicki Bloodstock / Highfield Bloodstock for £18,000. And the 2 Time Test half-brothers - Tempus to Blandford Bloodstock for £18,000 and Modetus to Paddy Aspell for £17,000. Think these last 2 could, in time, look amazingly good deals.
I thought Dark Motive ran OKish in going down by just over 10 lenghts. Plus, she did have her excuses as the vet (no, not THAT vet) reported that Dark Motive lost her right-fore shoe during the race. One more run and the filly will get a handicap mark - I guess that is where her future lies.
