Racing today is a bit thin on the ground, coming from just FOLKESTONE, NEWTON ABBOT and BALLINROBE. The Prix Morny is run at Deauville. It would be nice to see Frederick Engels make off with the spoils, but the French are always hard to beat at home. After great wins at Ascot and Newmarket, he ran into a world of trouble in running at the Curragh last time out. Fingers crossed. I've been going through the videos on the first at FOLKESTONE. I liked the value on the William's trained STANS DEELYTE who has enough pace to be in it up to his ears over this trip. 6-1 looks great value. FOLKESTONE. 14:10 STANS DEELYTE. cyc. 17:15 CAPTIVATOR. Nass. WON 5-2 NEWTON ABBOT. 15:00 PILGRIMS LANE. EW Oddy. BALLINROBE. 16:25 GRACCUS. Dexter. What's the difference between praying at church and at the track? At the track you really mean it!
Morning Cyc - hope you are well mate. Nice summer jumps card at Newton Abbot today and I've had a good old study of the feature race, the Lord Mildmay Memorial Handicap Chase - a listed race over 2m 5 1/2f. The one I really like here is Pilgrims Lane (E/W NAP). The 7 year-old gelding has recently moved stabled from Milton Harris to Martin Keighley and on his first outing for the new yard he put in his usual gutsy effort when faced with an almost impossible task off 145 in the Summer Plate at Market Rasen, finishing a gallant 3rd to David Pipe's Quinlinton. However it is his last 2 runs for Milton Harris which make me think he has a real chance today. He won a handicap chase at Ludlow over 3m1f off a mark of 119 and then went on to beat Knight Legend over today's trip at Fakenham. The winning margin that day was only a short head but he was giving over a stone to Knight Legend but Knight Legend won at Market Rasen last night off 128 which to me pays a huge compliment to Pilgrims Lane. My slight worry is the ground, officially Good with Good-Soft in places but with good weather forecast I'm hopeful of a sound surface. The 16/1 available this morning looks a storming e/w bet for this tough, proven chaser. Good luck everyone
No harder than the 2.50 at Newton Abbot yesterday Cyc ;-) I need a couplr of big-priced ones to beat Nass in the naps comp
Morning all Today is one of those days that you look through the cards and think why do I bother. However as you all know I am a patient sort and finally managed to get to the last race at Folkestone and I found a really good fillies handicap which has a few really taking sorts lining up. The key point about Folkestone today is that it seems to have missed all the recent rain and is still down as Good-Firm, and this could be the most important aspect of the race. We have three four year olds taking on three three year olds (tongue twister) with a weight for age allowance of 8lbs. This makes me wonder whether its best to be with the three year olds, who are receiving lumps of weight in a late season handicap. Bilidn is pitched back into more sensible company here after being put in the Cheshire Oaks and Lancashire Oaks but still seems very high in the handicap for what she achieved in her two maiden attempts as a juvenile. She obviously could improve for being pitched back into more modest company but I think she is one to watch here, especially given the yards poor record this season. Sacred Shield is a consistent three year old filly from the Henry Cecil yard, and whilst she is no world beater she demands respect in this grade. She ran a good race last time out at Sandown on rain softened ground, that day she led the group that came stand side for most of the race without being able to get on top of the progressive Tenby Lady who ran solo up the far rail. She weakened close home that day to finish fourth but there is grounds to believe that she would be more suited by this firmer ground at a sharper track. I also think she will be ridden positively and I can see her troubling the judge. Medaille D'Or is the final three year old in the field and this filly is one who is on a nice progression gradient having started the season with a handicap win on the polytrack off a mark of 62. She has progressed with every run and last time out she won convincingly over course and distance off a mark of 70. She has been put up 6lbs for that effort, a rise that seems very fair, and therefore has to improve again to take this race. This trip looks her optimum and she is another who should be given a positive ride and could easily be up to troubling the judge once more. The going should be fine for her. Captivator carries top weight and this four year old filly is in rude health this season. She has gone from strength to strength since they fitted the hood to her on seasonal reappearance and she took her maiden in convincing style before following up in a handicap off a mark of 75. She was then beaten at Chester last time out off a mark of 82 but I think the rain softened ground could have played a part in her defeat. She traveled much the best that day but just wasn't able to quicken when she found a gap in the closing stages. This return to firmer ground should suit her perfectly and I also think she may have a true pace to run against. Love Over Gold is one that probably needs to improve to figure here, especially on this faster ground with her recent form looking substandard when compared to Captivator. She is another pace angle in the race and I do think she will find at least one too good here. One to watch and cannot completely write off here. Finally we have Goldtrek from the Roger Charlton yard, and that fact alone makes her very interesting here. The yard are in great form, however this filly ran terribly ten days ago in a similarly competitive handicap at Salisbury, however that run could be just a blip for the filly and a return to her Epsom winning form would make her one to beat here. She made all that day and likes to run prominently and over this shorter trip she could set sail for home and try to get them off the bridle from some way out. I think others are more likely here. The fascinating thing about this race is that the pace could be quite strong with all but Captivator likely to have positive rides from the off here. That could set it up for the strong traveling Captivator who I think will bounce back to her best on this firmer ground. I am backing her in a win bet and also in forecasts with Sacred Shield and Medaille D'or
Hello lads. Moderate fare today but some interesting contests.Kept my powder dry yesterday due to a golfing stag do which,thankfully,kept me away from anything turf related,save my divots. A few are of interest today but I like Gracchus (nap) most of all in the 4.25 at Ballinrobe,a course boasting some of the finest dry stone wall architecture i've ever seen...if you like that sort of thing. His form is very solid and he appears to be still improving. The presence of the interesting,enigmatic and exasperating Free World will ensure my selection will go off at a reasonable price,currently 5/2. Also interested in Mamlook in the marquee event at NA. GL everyone.
Jack Spratt could eat no fat..... Arthur Moore can't get anything out of Stewarts House and then TV improves him to win the big'un at Sir Barneys favourite dogging spot....then Moore proceeds to improve a Paul Nichols cast off to hose up at Ballinrobe...swingers and reacharounds...I despair...
In that last race at Folkestone, by the time the commentator had burbled "in the British Stallion Studs Supporting British Racing E.B.F. Fillies' Handicap", the horses had already done a furlong? Well done NassauBoard, by the way, for the successful nap.
