Saturday's Meetings Newbury Flat 7 Races 1:25-4:55p.m. Newmarket Flat 7 Races 1:45-5:10p.m. Bangor-on-Dee N/H 7 Races 1:50-5:15p.m. Thirsk Flat 8 Races 1:55-5:55p.m. Punchestown N/H 7 Races 2:05-5:35p.m. Uttoxeter (E) N/H 7 Races 5:30-8:30p.m. Doncaster (E) Flat 7 Races 5:45-8:45p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Good Luck
Hello, all. Hope everyone well. Have been wittering, and I do mean wittering, on all week about there being a Group horse in a handicap, from the county, of the morrow and can now reveal that animal is called TIME TEST and he runs across the county line at Newbury (3.10). This one is wonderfully bred being by Dubawi and out of Passage of Time – a Group 1 winner for Sir Henry. As a 2YO he was never out of the first 2 in 3 races but the suspicion was that he was always somewhat mentally immature as a juvenile (most notably on debut when appearing clueless at the business end of the race). He has though over the winter and spring matured both physically and mentally and should now be ready to deliver the goods on the racecourse. Time Test’s maiden win was most impressive (had the now 103 rated Master Apprentice back in 3rd and the 109 rated Commemorative back in 4th) whilst last time out he wasn’t disgraced in being beaten by Latharnach – who connections think an awful lot of and runs in a Listed race tomorrow. Off 93 tomorrow Time Test should be ultra competitive in a race his barn won in 2011 with no less a horse than subsequent Group 1 victor Al Kazeem. Ryan Moore has been booked to ride so he should want for nothing in the saddle. He also holds an entry in Royal Ascot’s Group 2 ‘King Eddie The Seventh’ and that is where Time Test may well be headed after this handicap. Good luck to him and you, troops.
skybet are money-back if Telescope wins tomorrow - which all things being equal he should given last years form and the fact he should have won his reappearance but I think that makes ELITE ARMY a nice 5/1 shot to nothing. Boys in blue in great form and providing he's fit looks the only one in the field who may have more to come.
Curb your enthusiasm, boys, and let's have a closer look at this London Gold Cup tomorrow. 1. We've been here before with an SMS 'group horse in a handicap'. Two years ago, to be precise, when Hillstar (Stoute and Moore) went off at 10/11 and got beaten by High Troja. The trouble then - and possibly now - is that he was indeed a group horse, but at 12 furlongs and upwards, and by 2014 was running in races like the Ormonde. 2. Moore has certainly been booked for Time Test, but he's ridden Dissolution before, and the gossip suggests that he would have been on him tomorrow if he could do the weight. 3. Time Test has no headgear on tomorrow. I can't prove this one way or the other, but when a 3yo of SMS runs well in furniture and then they leave it off, it's usually an experiment. If he doesn't improve on his previous runs, expect to see the hood (or more) back on for the next race. 4. The ground tomorrow will probably be quicker than it was today (Fri). That might not be a hindrance, but his action suggests that he'd prefer cut. All in all, this horse looks to me like a work in progress. He may well win tomorrow - and 5/1 isn't a silly price in a 12-horse field - but I doubt if he's been laid out for it, whereas the same owner's Dissolution (still got a Derby entry, I think, though that seems a bit exotic) isn't going to be weighted in the 80s again and must surely want to capitalise on today's weight. If Barney brings the money home, I'll applaud with the rest, but I really don't think this is a wheelbarrow job.
Newbury First of all what a ****er bet here 15.10 Dissolotion 9/2 and Time Test 11/2 Max 200 point each to win
Aaargh, you're right, CH - don't know what I was thinking ! Anyway, apologies all round, and ignore most of the above; but I'd still rather lay him than back him at 5-1). Sorry, Barney.
Plenty of good points Rainer but probably worth saving that analysis when Barney's tipping a Stoute horse. Roger Charlton trains Test Time.
Now the rest of Newbury 13.25 Eltezam 14.00 Elite Army 14.35 Salt Island 15.45 Night Of Thunder 16.20 Martlet 16.55 Munaaser
Think William Buick could have a good day at Newmarket tomorrow, he's got a ride in every race and is on a fancied horse (so the market would suggest) in each one. It's the sort of day where nothing is really sticking out and there's a lot of tricky races all around, so will follow Buick through the card in hope that he has a few winners.
Looks a great bet to me. Surely the winner will come from one of them, the rest don't look to be in the same class. Of the 2 I'd go with Dissolution just because it's had a recent run
What's with all the fuss over Time Test? Obviously stood out to me that Moore is riding this one but a lot of you getting excited about it on here?
It pays to listen when the County Set are on to something Smokey I see the forum's favourite trainer and sport's leading light, Mr Mullins, sends a couple over to Auteuil for the Grade 2 Hurdle today. Gitane Du Berlais with just 9-10 on her back stands out
Finally a day with two decent betting flat cards, Newbury and Newmarket... In the second at Headquarters, the pace looks to be coming from either Norab or Maid In Rio. When it comes to the business end of the race, I would rather be on Keiren Fallon’s mount MAID IN RIO than the apprentice! Free Handicap runner-up Tupi is over-priced in the King Charles II at 2:50 and plenty will fancy Latharnach although his last juvenile win was a four-runner affair; however, MARKAZ was runner-up in a Group 3 at this distance and that is better form and he has race fitness. At Newbury, Telescope clearly looks the one to beat in the Aston Park Stakes, but he looked like he was going to win by half the track at Newmarket and went down to Second Step; so a chance is taken on GATEWOOD’s fitness provided it does not dry up too much. In the Carnarvon Stakes, there are several with good pattern form last term including Baitha Alga and Ahlan Emarati, and Elysian Flyer is unbeaten; however, preference is for those with known fitness of whom Jungle Cat did not stay last time, Adaay was well beaten in a Group 3 and SALT ISLAND was an easy winner of a Newmarket handicap and can step up in class here. The London Gold Cup often throws up a decent type and I expect that most eyes will be on Khalid Abdullah’s two runners Time Test and Dissolution in a race where there are several unexposed contenders from big yards. First time in a handicap, I cannot go with Passage Of Time’s son (but wish his followers well) and will take DISSOLUTION (Ryan Moore cannot do the weight) in the belief that the re-application of the visor is not a negative after his blanket finish win at Newmarket. Whilst the field for the Lockinge is numerically large for a Group 1 contest, many of them can easily be discounted with the caveat that they do not get in the way of the main contenders! I had been hoping that this would be a ‘Clash of the Guineas Winners’ but last year’s Poulains winner Karakontie has defected. Night Of Thunder will always be the one horse that beat Kingman, but he failed to win subsequently (although he does hold stablemate Toormore on form). Expectation is that Custom Cut, from the in-form O’Meara yard, will try to make all (had Here Comes When and Top Notch Tonto behind last time) and has a fair chance if those following are caught napping; however, Sir Michael Stoute’s mare INTEGRAL is taken to be fit enough and Ryan Moore tactically astute enough.
