Sunday's Meetings Hexham N/H 7 Races 1:45-4:53p.m. Ffos Las Flat 7 Races 2:00-5:05p.m. Pontefract(E) Flat 7 Races 3:45-6:45p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
The three year old handicap at 6:15 appears to contain a gift horse that should be looked in the mouth. There are three trainers double handed but of the six horses, Tim Easterby’s maiden Tasever looks good for at least a place after his course and distance second last time and Charlie Johnston’s Venetian is almost certainly the pace angle here as stablemate Ludo’s Landing appears to be a hold-up horse. Overrule has not troubled the judge in three starts so would need to show some signs of improvement to be worth considering whilst Star Player makes his second start from the De Foy barn and the same applies. Dancing In Paris returns to this trip after disappointing over further last time and may outrun his odds given that Star Player was behind him when he was second on his penultimate start. However, I think this is between the two topweights. Silver Sword won his maiden on the kitty litter at Southwell at this trip but then was an excellent second on handicap debut at Epsom over further. He has been raised 4lb for that and it looks like he has overcome his juvenile habit of refusing to race so he should go well here. George Boughey’s CONCORDE arrives seeking a hat-trick but should be unbeaten in four as he was caught on the line when 1/6 as jockey Pat Cosgrave eased him down. The quick ground is an unknown and he has been long odds on in small fields but he is surely good enough to beat eleven rivals today even off a 13lb higher mark (7lb more than last race having won by ten lengths over course and distance in penultimate race). I backed Eeetee a fortnight ago in the last at Beverley and it was with the leading bunch until the final two furlongs and then two or three passed him. Now in the 4:15 he drops back to ten furlongs off the same mark and I presume they will get back to the previous winning tactic of sitting at the back and coming late; however, I am not chasing my losses. I cannot make a case for topweight Oneforthegutter, who was fourth at this trip at York last term but his only ever win was over six furlongs on debut in 2021. Million Thanks last won in May 2022 over a mile and ran a promising second over that trip last time when favourite but was beaten out of sight over this trip on the kitty litter. Knight Of Honour really needs to show some sign of form before making the shortlist for consideration and was third the last time he ran over this trip but that was on heavy ground. Much the same applies to seven year old Highwaygrey, a modest fifth at York last time but dropped a pound by the handicapper. The Fahey first string My Little Queens was well backed at Beverley in the fillies’ handicap but never got in the race after missing the kick so is perhaps better judged on her previous win at Hamilton; and she is obviously targeting the bonus as this is her third Sunday Series race. Eight year old Cockalorum failed in his hat-trick bid at Chester last time from the widest draw in the field and last won off this high a mark in 2021 but I expect him to try to make all here as he did for his two Ripon wins. The two three year olds here are difficult to assess. Paddy The Squire is a thrice-raced maiden that has never run on quick ground. Only connections can know if he is thrown in off 79 on handicap debut but he does not look it. Forceful Speed has also never run on quick ground, won a novice over course and distance last year but was a modest fifth in his only race since being gelded. Shimmering Sands started his 2023 campaign with a fair third here over a mile after missing the kick and then won with plenty to spare at Doncaster. The 6lb rise he was given may have underestimated the value of that win so he is most feared. PROPHET’S DREAM made all in his penultimate race, winning easily by a wide margin, for which the handicapper raised him 11lb. He then followed up – just – in a four runner race at Leicester under today’s jockey. The handicapper only raised him 1lb for that, which I feel may have been lenient too. The risk I see here is that the two confirmed front runners may cut each other’s throats; hopefully one can take a pull. It is always notable when the likes of Sir Michael Stoute send one horse to a meeting at one of the northern courses. So Fox Journey is obviously a short price to win the 5:45 having been beaten at Epsom when favourite (the race where Silver Sword was second) off a 9lb higher mark than when winning his seasonal debut. Off the same mark today he takes on his elders over two furlongs further. He is no good thing against this lesser opposition so I might look to take him on if I have winnings from the 4:15. Blow Your Horn won the stayers’ handicap at Beverley a fortnight ago and victory in the 5:15 would set him up for a tilt at the £100k bonus. I hope Ian Williams’ charge goes well today as I can remember last year when Keith Dalgleish’s Evaluation got beat in a photo for the bonus at the last Sunday Series fixture. I actually think the sponsors wanted it won because the publicity is worth more than the bonus.
I do like the chance of Mauna Loa in the opener at Pontefract (15:45), a Class-4 dash over 6f on good/good-to-firm ground. Richard Fahey speaks very kindly of his filly and obviously thinks a lot of her. Oisin Orr on board for the Fahey stable. 7/2 best price (in several places) at time of writing.
Richard Fahey was so right, what a game filly Mauna Loa is. Really buckled-down to it and just wore-down the second. Trainer had every reason to think such a lot of her.
