Saturday's Meetings Curragh Flat 8 Races 1:20-5:25p.m. Beverley Flat 8 Races 1:30-5:29p.m. Newmarket Flat 7 Races 1:35-4:58p.m. Goodwood Flat 7 Races 1:50-5:20p.m. Cartmel N/H 7 Races 2:50-6:10p.m. Windsor(E) Flat 8 Races 3:55-7:35p.m. Redcar(E) Flat 8 Races 4:05-7:50p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
Will be visiting friends until mid-to-late afternoon, so I'll put this up now as it's an early race: The Class-4 Handicap at Beverley over an extended 7f. (13:30) caught my eye. The Society Rock gelding, Tangled, has a real sqeak in this at a decent price. Pace almost certain to be generous, and I'm hoping the selection will run them down in the straight which has a stiff uphill finish. However, he'd certainly better not get too far behind! Kevin Stott rides for the Gemma Tutty yard. 10/1 best price at time of writing, expect SP to be shorter than this. E/W best option. Have a successful and enjoyable day's racing, folks!
Another shocking Group 2 headlining Saturday racing. I’m not sure what the „Celebration Mile“ is supposed to celebrate but it made me wonder exactly what flat racing has to celebrate? The top races are a niche market farmed by a small number of international breeding operations. British flat racing is over-populated with dross and the only attempt in recent years to try and refresh the hopelessly outdated pattern has been the disastrous champions day (deliberately with a small c). Oh well, not long to the Persian War meeting at Chepstow
I'm afraid this won't get sorted until someone with a brain and ruthless streak is put in to do the job. The funding is wrong, the scheduling management is wrong, the whole structure is wrong. It won't get sorted because no-one has any financial interest in an overhaul. Any proposals for a radical change will meet with too much opposition. Oh dear, what a bleak outlook. On that note, I'll bugger off back to my busy workload
When I saw during the week that the Celebration Mile had only attracted twelve entries, it looked like a carve up and so it has turned out. In a few weeks time the usual suspects will be moaning about lack of opportunities for their second-tier horses yet 112-rated Mutasaabeq will go off favourite for a Group 2 race against four rivals having been second of six in a similar race last time. He is the only entire in the field, nine year old Stormy Atlantic was last in 2021 and third in 2018; and eight year old Escobar is really a handicapper, just touched off in a big race last time. Clearly £70,888 is not enough incentive to get the horsebox fuelled up for others.
With the welcome rain hitting the South East and East Anglia in the last couple of days, the form book has completely gone out the window at HQ with the going now Soft and Goodwood now Good to Soft, Soft in places. When I saw the HQ Friday fields, the one I fancied was odds on looking to extend a winning sequence to six (and duly did so at Evens) so I left it alone. I shall be giving today’s HQ card a miss – Soapy Stevens has let me down the last twice so he will probably bolt up. Derby runner up Hoo Ya Mal looks like a penalty kick in the March Stakes, top-rated by more than a stone against three rivals. I have been told two today at Beverley from the Roger Varian barn. Cell Sa Beela will open her account in the 4:20 and Kitsune Power is expected to beat four rivals in the 2:05; however, I think the two year old is short enough to leave with her Group entry and I would rather be on the topweight Wait To Excel in the 2:05. So I am just passing that along. Top rated in the Beverley Bullet is Tis Marvellous and Clive Cox’s eight year old won the race and a couple of others last year but I cannot be having him on this year’s form where he has been out of his depth in Group company. In the first at Beverley (1:30), topweight Majestic is making his handicap bow after easily winning a five runner novice event over a mile last time to make his 2022 flat figures read 4321. The runner up that day was an unrated 80/1 shot but I think I will pass up the Channon gelding dropped in trip. Seven year old Tangled is a dual course and distance winner two years ago but is fitted with a visor after a respectable effort over a mile at Pontefract and I do not see why. Eight year old Eldelbar won a weak course and distance affair last time (eight year old Proud Archi fourth). Barney’s Bay last won in 2021 over six furlongs, was a moderate third in a poor race at HQ last time but a respectable third at Chester in a similar race to this one on his penultimate start, so he would enter considerations if reproducing that effort with a claimer aboard today. The favourite should be Richard Fahey’s Outrun The Storm, who made most of the running in a five-runner HQ handicap until caught close home. Fahey is hardly effusive about its chances in his SportingLife.com column so that leads me to IT JUST TAKES TIME. Mark Walford’s four year old failed to settle last time when chasing a hat-trick at Doncaster (Homer Stokes behind) and will be 4lb higher today as he was claimer ridden on Town Moor. Jack Garrity was aboard when he won at Thirsk before winning an apprentice race at York and is reunited with the gelding today; and he gets weight off his main rivals. In the Beverley 3:10, I am sure that there is some good reason why the topweights have 10st 2lb and the bottom weight has 9st (in Division 2 at 3:45 the same except bottom weight is 9st 3lb). Three of the runners come from the Midgley yard but James Watt has shown little in his last three starts, a remark that can be similarly applied to Prospect whilst Van Gerwen was a close fourth under today’s jockey in a similar race at the track last time and might be the best chance of a bullseye. Late Arrival has been plying his trade over six furlongs, was a good third at Pontefract last time and has won over five before. The two draw is good if Joanna Mason wants to try and make the running. David O’Meara’s SOUL SEEKER had a sudden return to form last time at Pontefract with cheekpieces fitted, where Van Gerwen was second, Melody King third and Prospect sixth; and I think he won with enough in hand to defy the 5lb rise today.
Curragh 16,15 Jungle Cove 14/1 e/w bet365 seven places, betfair six places 16,50 San Aer 7/1 e/w bet365 five places, others 13/2 Newmarket 15,15 Mo Celita 14/1 e/w three places, 12/1 sky four places
Ground has changed in Newmarket, now it is good, which is against Mo Celita. I think they will remove the horse, but if he runs I advise a small investment.
Afternoon all, Just a lazy favs treble today @ 11/1 3.35 Good MUTASAABEQ 6.35 Win GROCER JACK 7.50 Red ISLE OF DREAMS Good luck
The calendar has once again swung around to the Cengiz Sadik Memorial Chase at Cartmel and Cengiz' father Aytach Sadik is looking to break a winless streak going back 2958 days with rank outsider Old Page from 2lbs out of the handicap. Old Page won a point in Ireland for Peter Flood but since joining Sadik his record is 000. Firstly, 9th of 9 beaten 68L in a maiden hurdle at Worcester, then 5th of 9 beaten 53L in a maiden hurdle at Newton Abbot and finally 7th of 9 beaten 57L in another maiden hurdle at Newton Abbot. Time for a change of direction Aytach? It just isn't working as a trainer of horses.
Well done to QMII with the good winner, It Just Takes Time! My selection had every chance and possiblly lookd the winner with a furlong to go, but did not see it out and finished 3rd. 6/1 SP, and was well-backed. So, with my Saturday form usually lousy, will take the 10/1 E/W, for a modest profit. Not so bad!
Cartmel 325 Used a boost on this from 2s to 4s Simply Red , i would not risk it at 2s but 4s is a fair risk
4/1 Simply Red, how on earth did you manage that? I can only surmise that your bookie is a lady, and fancies you? (Just kidding!)
W hill have some great offers with boosts but i like to shop around like a woman when it comes to odds lol
