Saturday's Meetings Down Royal N/H 8 Races 11:50-3:50p.m. Newmarket Flat 7 Races 12:32-4:00p.m. Wetherby N/H 7 Races 12:40-4:05p.m. Ayr N/H 7 Races 12:48-4:15p.m. Ascot N/H 7 Races 12:55-4:20p.m. Newcastle(E) A/W 8 Races 3:35-7:15p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
I'm sticking to Newmarket and 2YO races. In the opener the Appleby horse carries a 7lb penalty offset by a 7lb claimed. I don't know much about the jockey but although a winner Dancing Flower won a modest race last time and I think she could be vulnerable to one of the maidens. My money went on Areti from the Oliver Cole stable. A promising 3rd on debut, she obviously copes at 7F and doesn't have to improve too much to be involved. The Cole stable hasn't had many runners of late but are 2/9 for a 22% strike rate. At 5/1, Areti appealed most to me. In the Montrose Stakes there are a few promising sorts from good stables, and unbeaten winners at that. Pintara impressed me most last time and the Beckett stable won this last year. Yard in decent form and 9/2 an OK price in an open affair. Already won at the distance which helps. 12.32 Newmarket ARETI 5/1 13.07 Newmarket PINTARA 9/2 Two singles and a double.
We already have the first Grade 1 of the Irish jumps season at Down Royal today and you have to wonder what Flash Collonges is doing in the field. Officially rated 115, he is at least 40lbs below what it would take just to be competitive and you just have to hope it doesn't end in tears. There really ought to be restrictions in the race conditions to prevent horses running in races where they are clearly out of their depth. The remainder of the field does look up to scratch though, for all there is no Closutton runner (they historically haven't targetted this meeting, I guess it is too early in the season for them). Envoi Allen has been a standing fixture at this meeting with 5 wins here in the last 6 years and he will no doubt be tuned to the minute for what is likely his "cup final" this season. Spillane's Tower ran arguably his best race last season in the John Durkan, showing he goes well fresh, and he ought to be right in the mix here. Galway Plate winner Western Fold comes here on a 5-timer but the one I like is his stablemate Found A Fifty, who steps up to 3 miles for the first time. Wetherby hosts a couple of Grade 2 events. The West Yorkshire Hurdle has attracted a small but select field, with Pertemps Final winner Doddie The Great the outsider of 5 . I'll be hoping Potters Charm can step up from his very solid novice form but he will have to do so to beat a very good stayer in Strong Leader. The Charlie Hall has lost a bit of its appeal with the defection of Protektorat and the market is struggling to find a favourite right now. I'm going to stick with the "horses for courses" maxim and will take The Real Whacker to become the first dual winner since the wonderful Ollie Magern. Over at Ascot we have a plethora of non-runners (I assume due to the going) but I will be hoping for a good day for the Tizzards in the shape of Alexei (3.10) and The Changing Man (3.45) who should both be suited by prevailing conditions.
