Friday's Meetings Haydock Flat 7 Races 1:00-4:20p.m. Newmarket Flat 7 Races 1:15-4:40p.m. Listowel Mixed 8 Races 1:40-5:35p.m. York Flat 7 Races 2:05-5:25p.m. Worcester N/H 6 Races 2:17-5:07p.m. Dundalk(E) A/W 8 Races 4:45-8:15p.m. Newcastle(E) A/W 8 Races 4:50-8:30p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
The Rockfel has at least got a few more runners this season. A disappointing field of 5 lined up for the Group 2 contest last season when Isabella Giles was successful. We have 10 lined up at the moment at the moment and it is pretty competitive with the Fav a 3/1 shot at the moment. Oscula is the highest rated filly coming into this with her 104 Official Rating. The Boughey filly has been well travelled and been pretty busy with seven starts but her finest moments have come in France in races that haven't been working out that well. I feel she is vulnerable to an improving type today. Majestic Glory has been progressing well and took a good step forward when stepping up to 7F for the first time and beating Wild Beauty, who went on to win a Grade 1 at Woodbine next time. Trained by Andrew Balding, Majestic Glory is a daughter of Frankel and she seemed to be progressing quietly before her latest race but that then represented a good step forward. Her previous win hasn't been working out and it is probable that she needs a bit more, so is 3/1 a good price? Hello You made a spectacular start to her racing career and has run some good races without winning since. There is a look to her of a horse who has levelled out about her though. A new stable has not worked the oracle and others look to have more scope. Girl On Film is one from one and Frankie has been booked for her. Her winning race has not been working out though and I feel she is short enough on her form so far. The one I like also needs improvement to win here but I think she is very promising. Jumbly is by Gleneagles out of Thistle Bird and the dam was a favourite of mine in her day. Like Thistle Bird, Jumbly is trained by Roger Charlton and although not my favourite trainer, he is going well at the moment on 24%. A comfortable debut over 6F was followed by an easy win over 7F at Kempton, where she was odds on but value for a good bit more that day. Ready for a step up in grade now but with more needed from a 93 Official Rating, I am trusting that Jumbly has the potential to make up into a decent filly. She seemed to learn a bit last time, sitting in behind until ready to make her move and then coming through to put the race to bed in grand style. 3.00 Newmarket Jumbly 11/2
The Joel Stakes sees the return of Guineas runner up Master Of The Seas after an injury that caused him to miss Royal Ascot and other targets since. Having backed Master Of The Seas ante-post some time before the race it was galling to see him caught and beaten a short head by Poetic Flare in the 2000 Guineas. He is favourite to gain some compensation on his comeback but I feel he is too short to be any value. For all that Poetic Flare has been been excellent at times this season, he represents the best of the Guineas form pretty much all by himself, with only one other winner in 31 starts since the May race. Mutasaabeq was that winner, in a Class 3 conditions race. Benbatl is pretty exposed but it is at a decent level. He has won this race before and when third last season it was on his debut for the year. This time he has a narrow second under his belt and with the same official rating as the Fav, I feel the advantage of a run can offset the 4 lbs he concedes to the younger horse. At 11/4, he just seems a better bit of value than Master Of The Seas at 6/4 and nearly half the odds. Queen Supreme is interesting making her debut for Andrew Balding. She was very successful for Mike De Kock in South Africa and has won half of her 14 career races and placed in 5 of the others. She may outrun her 20/1 odds with Ryan Moore doing the steering. Laneqash looks to perhaps need 5 to 7 lbs improvement to win this. I felt Benbatl was sure to be involved and played him at 11/4. 3.35 Newmarket Benbatl 11/4 Rule 4 now that Sir Busker is pulled out.
Listowel 17,00 Light Brigade 16/1 e/w bet365 three places, others 11/1 Edit: Sorry no 17/1 , was 16/1 obviously.
Morning, all. Hope everyone well. With no rain forecast, this side of the old weekend, it does make you wonder how firm that ground at Newmarket is going to get. Ten non-runners at the meet, so far, today and you would only imagine that number would rise, re this afternoon and then tomorrow. Shame for the connections of Albaflora (Group 1 and Group 2 placed in her last pair of races) as they had seemingly found the ideal contest for the old girl to win her first Group race...until Mother Nature intervened.
16:35 Worcester - Brorson (Form suggests selection is up to running a decent race int this Class-4 Hurdle. Good breeding for NH racing. Sean Bowen rides for the successful Martin Keighley yard, who are very hopeful of a good run too; seems they like the gelding a lot! 11/2 best price at time of writing, available in three places.) Edit: After all that, Brorson is a Non-Runner! (I think it was Nassau who intimated a day or two ago, don't get too excited about what appears on a trainer's website. How true! A stable's comments are worth reading for future races, I would say?)
Well it was the three most exposed fillies in the field who came to the fore, with Hello You bouncing back to winning form, with Cachet second and Oscula 3rd. Jumbly was 4th after not really going the pace to get involved at any stage. The time was quick by 0.18 seconds and I suspect some of them were undone by the conditions today. Hard to be fancying any of these for next year's Guineas. The favourite Majestic Glory was only 6th at 9/4 and I felt she was short at those odds. Perhaps too much was made of Wild Beauty winning a Grade 1 at Woodbine. The collateral form filly from the Applby yard was rated 97 and she was 11/8 Fav for the race, so perhaps was just converting on a good opportunity, rather than enhancing the form of her earlier race. Benbatl saved the day winning with something in hand in the Joel Stakes. Master Of The Seas started a promising run but could only keep on at the one pace in 3rd place with Pogo splitting the pair. With Pogo rated 110 I would suspect Benbatl has won without being at his best and Master Of The Seas has probably run below his Guineas form but not by that much. The 3YO was entitled to need the race today and he can probably build on that. Hopefully, with so much of this season missed, they might keep him in training next season.
Yep, racing can be cruel sometimes. The Martin Keighley yard won the first at Worcester with Sarasota Star at 13/2. The other two entries were scratched. Never had a shekel on the stable winner either. Somehow, I think Zeus, the supreme God of Greek mythology, is trying to tell me something, like, "quit now Mr. Swan, there's a good chap!" Oh well!
Had a lovely day out today with Stick, visiting the good Dr and then an afternoon at Worcester racecourse. Tell you what, he knows how to pick a horse in the paddock!! Not so good at backing them!!
Hope the good Doctor cured your ailment / ailments (delete as appropriate). What about Father John then?!? Cor blimey am still kicking myself at missing that one. Eighteen to bally one!
Father John was my paddock pick but as Nass alludes to, I didnt back it. 28/1 was on show in the ring!
that’s not like you to be put off by a price ? hope you’re enjoying your visit to this cursed island , !
