Friday's Meetings Uttoxeter N/H 8 Races 1:00-4:52p.m. Thirsk Flat 7 Races 1:10-4:35p.m. Ascot Flat 7 Races 1:20-4:40p.m. Down Royal(E) Flat 7 Races 4:30-7:35p.m. Cork(E) Flat 8 Races 4:45-8:15p.m. Newmarket(E) Flat 7 Races 5:22-8:22p.m. York(E) Flat 6 Races 6:00-8:30p.m. Chepstow(E) Flat 6 Races 6:10-8:40p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
Significantly seems to have turned over a new leaf this year. I backed him last season when he ended up 5th to Steel Bull at Goodwood in the Molecombe. He hit a bad patch after that, with three defeats as favourite, twice when odds on. This season Significantly had bumped into useful horses like Rohaan, Creative Force and Dragon Symbol but he has got his mojo back in narrow wins here the last twice and seems consistent now. He should be right in the mix and has won on heavy and good the last twice, so seems versatile but my worries are that he is up 5 lbs for winning by a short head and his wins came in 18 and 19 runner fields and only 6 face the starter today. Jawaal is also on the hat-trick and I did see him described as an "Upwardly mobile sprinter". That seems an odd description for a 6YO though. Up to 99 now for his latest win, that represents a career high mark. He did come there absolutely cruising last time out at Doncaster though. There is little between him and Caspian Price on an earlier meeting this season and the Appleby horse also seeks his own hat-trick here but he is 12YO now and although he is a legend after 114 starts and 23 wins, old age catches up eventually and he's up to 104 now. What a servant though. Tis Marvellous is a horse I have never managed to catch right. He won the Prix Robert Papin as a 2YO but that was 5 years ago and he doesn't win often enough for my liking. 4th to Significantly was a decent effort in a big field. He's 5 lbs better in for a length and a quarter this time around but the strike rate remains a bugbear for me. Mountain Peak seems to win a race or two each season but has not got of the mark so far this time around. 4th to Jawaal earlier this year, he then ran below form next time out when 5th of 6. Dropped a couple of pounds since that effort and although that does not come into effect for this race he is still better in with both Jawaal and Caspian Prince from earlier in the season. At 7/1 his chance is probably better than the odds suggest. Bedford Flyer seems the forgotten horse here and I have seen zero love for him from the media tipsters. The son of Clovodil was very progressive last season when he managed to win three nurseries. He was beaten in a couple of soft ground nurseries but landed his first off 69 then progressed to win from a mark of 75 before taking another off 86. He bumped into Rohaan when 4th on his seasonal debut but that race was over 6F and also had Diligent Harry in the field. Bedford Flyer was second next time in a Thirsk race but he gained revenge in no uncertain terms next time at York when making all. Down the field behind Significantly next time but the ground was heavy that day and perhaps it is worth bearing in mind that Bedford Flyer finished ahead of Significantly when 4th to Rohaan and is 3lbs better off now. Bedford Flyer had led in that 6F race but weakened and lost two places in the last half furlong that day. I feel you could give the entire field a shout here. Significantly seems to have found some consistency this season and Jawaal was beguiling in the way he eased into contention and won with zero fuss last time. Mountain Peak looks like he is coming into the form and rating where he could score but doesn't get his 2 lbs drop in this race. Caspian Prince is as tough as the proverbial teak but would need to capture some of his halcyon form from this mark. Tis Marvellous has a chance on the revised ratings with Significantly but he doesn't look one to trust the farm on. At the odds I went with Bedford Flyer off bottom weight. He's been progressive and if you take the soft ground runs and the 6F run out he looks even more like a horse on the up. He has form with some of these and gets 5F on Good To Firm here. They have popped the blinkers on for the first time and hopefully that will assist. The stable form is a downside but they run plenty of no-hopers. In a tight one I felt 9/1 was not a true reflection of his chance. 4.10 Ascot Bedford Flyer 9/1
Morning Taking a chance on this outsider in France.... 3.25 Vichy-Lalyrose Each Way @ 16-1 [Betfred] 5 places
Very disappointed to see that Lieutenant Henderson won't be taking his Crane to Uttoxeter on Sunday afternoon.
Uttoxeter 1.35 Long Call Before this one's last outing at Worcester I wrote: " Long Call was a running on 2nd that day. Robbie Dunne keeps the ride. Could go one better today.
Relieved to see some support at last for SIGNIFICANTLY as it looked rather ominous earlier on. I take on board Grendels comments but my fancy has been on an upward curve all season and hasnt stopped progressing. This all coincides with a change of tactics and letting him have his own way to some extent. The yard think he is better than handicap class, we shall see.
16:40 Ascot - Havagomecca (Lots of salt on this please guys, as it seems I'm back in poor form again! However, selection today should put in a good run over favoured minimum distance. Will be capably ridden by David Probert for trainer Michael Dods. 5/1 freely available at time of writing.)
Some may remember that I put Ideal Guest up on his debut. He finished 5th that day but there was a glimmer of potential. I commented that he looked ready for 6F, so when I saw him at the distance last night I had a tiny bet each-way at 33/1. The Hannon horse was odds-on and Meade's runner a clear second favourite so expectations were low but he managed to snare 3rd place with a nice drift to 50/1 so that was pleasing enough. This looked a case of him taking on opponents he had plenty to find with and I feel that when he is in a more run of the mill maiden, he can win a race.
"letting him have his own way" So why the chuffing hell does Clifford Lee drop him out the back in a six runner race and race solo. Unlucky to get chinned in that race Grendel and I can only assume the Significantly camp wanted to avoid a burn up. Poor tactics!
Thank you, Stick, that's what made the difference! But what a beautiful chestnut filly Havagomecca is, with a lot of white on face and superb physique. A patient and sensible ride by David Probert. A big bravo too to trainer Michael Dods, bringing her all the way down from a stable close-by Darlington. Nice drift to 13/2 SP. Apologies guys, but feeling very chuffed atm
I thought I had a winner there. Backed into half the odds I took, Bedford Flyer was smartly enough away and got the better of the one who went with him in front. I could see Significantly was too far back to catch him but the cavalry always seem to come from the back, even in a 5F, race and it was Mountain Peak who came with a run. When you are struggling for winners it always seems that you get nailed, so it was inevitable that Bedford Flyer was caught. I was pleased with the horse's run and there was not one tipster who put him up on the Racing Post website, so I felt my studying had paid off in that respect, in seeing a 9/1 shot whose chance was greater than the 10% that the odds suggested. Close but, yet again, no cigar.
The long wait for Indigo Girl was finally over today when she lined up at Ascot. After so long off the track, I felt she was vulnerable taking on older horses today as 11/8 favourite. I have put Dreamloper up several times with no success and most frustratingly when beaten a short head by Lights On. I had Dreamloper at Royal Ascot in a Handicap and she stank the place out in 10th place. Into Group 3 today and taking on Lights On again, I couldn't bring myself to back anything in the race despite wanting to take Indigo Girl on. By now you will know the script and Dreamloper romped home by four and a half lengths from old sparring partner Lights On, with Indigo Girl disappointing in 4th place. Beaten Fav at 4/1 in a Handicap and then skates up at 13/2 in a Group 3. Enough to make one bite one's own reproductive member, as Sir John Geilgud said in the movie Arthur.
Although Crane misses tomorrow at Uttoxeter the Lieutenant still seems very keen on getting him over hurdles with immediate effect as he now has an entry in a 3YO Hurdle at Stratford on Thursday. Interestingly, Princess Camilla also has one entered in the same race, at this stage!
