Friday October 12th Daily Thread

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As said in the notes of ATR...

2.45 Carlisle - Ballybough Pat...

Anthony Honeyball brings just one horse, BALLYBOUGH PAT, on the 680-mile round trip from his stable in Mosterton and the hint should be taken.

Duly wins and i missed it...<doh>
 
4.15 York

Educate 16/1 NAP

I think this horse has a serious amount of talent and now that he has been gelded (he was an absolute monkey before this) we will see the best of him. Educate made his debut on soft ground over 10f at Sandown when running a very eye catching 7th back in June. After being posted out wide, he was outpaced slightly before getting the hang of things in the home straight. He tried to make a forward move but on at least 3 occasions his path was blocked and he clearly had an absolute ton left in the tank as he came home in nearly a walk to be beaten by only 8L. That looks a pretty good maiden with the top 3 rated 90, 85 and 83. However, he made no mistake on his next start as he got off the mark in style. 12 days after his debut Educate was again campaigned over 10f this time on good to firm ground at Yarmouth where he ran out a ready an impressive winner. After sitting just behind the pace, he travelled into the race extremely well and when asked to quicken and go and win his race he hung a bit and again showed he was still very green. He eventually responded to O'Shea's urgings and he readily drew clear in impressive fashion to score by an easy 6L. The form of that race doesn't look too bad with the 2nd finishing a neck beaten 2nd in a handicap off a mark of 67 after this. Regardless of the form, he definitely won like a horse with considerable talent.

His quirks really came to the for in his next two outings after this. He made his handicap debut off a mark of 82 at Newmarket Class 3 event on heavy ground on the 14th of July. After settling towards the rear, he was rather keen for the first 4 or so furlongs and he was still clearly a bit green. Turning into the long home straight, Educate made some eye catching progress on the bridle and when Tadhg O'Shea started to get at him under hands and heels he was making progress better than anything. Then the whip came out and Educate lost the plot. He veered left and right multiple times back and forth and he ended up throwing his chance away. He was eased in the final furlong but despite all this he still managed to finish only an 8L beaten 5th in what I think looks a decent handicap. The 3rd Communicatior won on his next start off the same mark by 9L before finishing a neck beaten 2nd off a 9lb higher mark in a Listed handicap (although he probably appreciated better ground and both efforts were at Chester). A week later off a mark of 81 he came back to the same Newmarket course and it was no surprise to see a visor applied for the first time. Under Jack Doyle, Educate was settled in the rear of the 6 runner field and he seemed to settle much better. With about 3f to go, Doyle angled Educate out and he began to make progress before Doyle brought the whip through into his left hand. As soon at that happened, it appeared as if Educate was spooked and he hung violently to the left. Knowing his chance to win were gone, Doyle stop exerting maximum pressure and after all of this he was only beaten by 4L in what again looks a decent handicap. The winner has won since off a 4lb higher mark and is now rated 14lb higher whilst the 3rd and 4th have also won again off the same mark and factoring in his quirks it represented the performance of a horse with a lot of ability to put in a performance like that.

Two starts back the visor was again retained where I think he was a bit better than the bare result. He was extremely restless in the stalls beforehand and after being prominent throughout he was hampered when probably weakening as he was allowed to come home in his own time. After this he was gelded and it worked the oracle as he returned to the winners enclosure with a decisive win off a mark of 76 over 1m at Sandown on good to firm ground last month as all his quirks disappeared with the operation. I'm still furious that I somehow missed him that day as my write up for the race prior to that said "if Educate is ever gelded then I'm going to be all over him". Over a trip that I think is his absolute bare minimum, he was pushed along and outpaced with over 3f to go but his superior stamina kicked in as he won cosily by 1.5L. He was drawing away at the finish and despite the form of that Class 4 race looking pretty poor that doesn't bother me as he decisively beat the field. He's been given a 4lb rise for that which I think is more than fair. Back to a mark of 80, I will stake my reputation that this mark is comfortably within his sphere of ability and despite the 20 runner field tomorrow I'm very bullish about a big run if things pan out for him. The step back up to 10f is a huge bonus for me and based on his two efforts on soft and heavy ground I don't think he'll have a problem handling the surface. He gets in here as top weight which is a slight concern but there is only 11lb covering the whole field so its not as if he'll have to get lumps of weight away to any of his rivals. Jamie Spencer looks an interesting booking and is 2-7 for owner Sultan Ali and I think his exaggerated hold up tactics will suit Educate perfectly as long as he times it right. With the draw in stall 9 fine, I think Educate looks set to run a big race tomorrow and it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if he progressed at a rate of noughts now he's had his dangly bits removed as I really feel he is a classy animal. Ismail Mohammed finally seems to have found his feet in England by posting a few winners recently and if all goes to plan I'm hoping this 3 year old will take a lot of stopping.

3.05 York Credit Swap 16/1
4.05 Tramore Acts Out Loud

ROTO back with a bang, 2 16/1 places and a 16/1 winner from 3! <applause>
 
One that caught my eye for later is 6.45 Wolves LastKingofScotland 33/1. Drops back into a Class 6 for the first time in ages and has won off a 7lb higher mark earlier in the year. Hayley Turner back up top tonight after missing the last two engagements and although he needs to bounce back to form from a poor draw in stall 11 (Conor Dore also in bad form which isn't great) I think 33s is definitely worth a dabble.
 
Roto, superb tipping mate!! Your explanation had me put it in a patent with a couple more and one of them won at a short price but double bubble. Many thanks for spotting it, will be having a jar or two tonight off that!
 
Shocking racing tonight so a couple of quid on Germany/Israel/Italy(inplay)/Lithuania(inplay)/Ukraine at 8/1 seemed interesting.
 
Gents, I have just posted on my blog. Something that isn't really racing related in the most but I hope you have a read, and see what racing means to me....

God aren't we a poor footballing nation!!
 
Just read your blog Nass, have to say I have also been wondering what it's all about these last few months and have come to the same conclusion as you, that we have to live for the things that give us pleasure (although I would draw the line at watching Chesterfield).

Keep positive and keep posting <ok>
 
I think it's between the top 2 Petito - although I think Swiss Art has the better credentials. He would have needed his first run for Sue Smith at Sedgefield but absolutely bolted up last time out on heavy. I think he is just the kind of horse Sue Smith excels with and he could well show significant improvement on previous form and run up a series of wins. Jonathan England is a very capable conditional as well <ok>

i know it's well after the race but thanks for this oddy (i did read it before but had to go out). a no go today but i haven't lost faith in swiss art yet. i kept my swapped in layback though :redface: not sure why i was hesitant about swiss art. there's an extra thing when i pick my horses that i don't know consciously what it is yet. i'll keep my eye out for his next race.

jonathan england is a jockey that lately doesn't make me dismiss the horse if i rate the horse. so i'm glad you reckoned similarly in the race today. it all adds to notes in my mind <ok>
 
Gents, I have just posted on my blog. Something that isn't really racing related in the most but I hope you have a read, and see what racing means to me....

God aren't we a poor footballing nation!!

i read your blog as well. i'm with you on the working out the horses. you're a million miles better than me no doubt but the racing is one thing that makes me sit down and concentrate and actually feel when i'm watching, especially if other things are not going so good. not sure that's put very well but best wishes to you. time, and doing what we enjoy is my recipe :)