Thursday's Meetings Salisbury Flat 7 Races 1:00-4:18p.m. York Flat 7 Races 1:50-5:20p.m. Perth N/H 7 Races 2:15-5:30p.m. Clonmel(E) N/H 8 Races 4:30-8:25p.m. Fontwell(E) N/H 7 Races 4:37-8:05p.m. Newmarket(E) Flat 7 Races 4:50-8:20p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
Off to York today. Looks a minefield but with interesting races. No doubt SBC will instruct me to take an interest in a NH trainer's runner in the getting out stakes.
York 1.50 Zargun Has run well at York in 3 runs last year (course form reads 332). Has run well when fresh in the past (winner for former connections after 4 month off) Jonathan Fisher takes off valuable 5 lb.Worth a small each way to start todays racing.
Good onya Desert Crown! My little ante-post now looks a worthwhile punt! Quite impressive as quite obviously there's still improvement in him to come? Very happy for Richard Kingscote. It is great that Sir Michael Stoute has given him the big chance he deserves. Now he's on the Derby favourite in 23-days time! Long-standing members will remember dear old Oldest who always backed Richard during his apprentice days, and he did very well by him too. Will be interested in Bustino's comments on the Dante when he gets home. Hope he has had a successful afternoon punting!
Hopeful Ravenscraig Castle will run well in the 17:20 at York. The son of Nathaniel will certainly appreciate the 2-mile trip.
Difficult day at York. The eclipse of the fancied horses in the Middleton Stakes led the way for the day. Didn't think it was a great looking field for the Dante. A number of horses looked well but not great lookers. Desert Crown is not a big colt but finely made, but he didn't particularly stand out in the paddock. He wasn't as muscled as other runners and I'm sure there's improvement in him. In the race they seemed to go a sensible gallop and on similar going to yesterday they beat the Musidora time by about 1&1/2 seconds. They also beat the Middleton Stakes time by nearly 2 seconds and that wasn't bad as the 2nd in that race set a searching gallop. Desert Crown travelled easily in the race and, although there could have been any one of 5 winning the race two furlongs out, as soon as Kingscote asked for an effort he found another gear to everyone else. Once he was 2 lengths up he started to run green and Kingscote gave him a couple of smacks and he kept going well. I've little doubt Stoute can get more out of this colt and he must have a great chance at Epsom in 3 weeks time. In the 2yo race I thought the nicest looking horse/colt was Catch the Paddy. I liked the Hannon filly, Oh Sweet Tabu. She looked nothing near ready so her performance was creditable as she only tired in the last half furlong taking 3rd. The winner was fully wound up and ready to win. She'll probably win again but she may not have the scope of the two I mention. Thunder Cat didn't catch the eye and despite being backed ran very green, despite the commentator saying there were good reports coming from Kingsclere. He got the idea in the last 2f, but again, while he may win he may not be a future star. My 3 to follow from today were Desert Crown, Catch the Paddy and Oh Sweet Tabu. Actually Last Crusader was pretty impressive. He catapulted out of the stalls and led them all a merry dance. Just before the distance you'd have said 2 or 3 of the others were going to engulf him, but he then seemed to go away from his field. If he can always gate like that he'll win races.
Don’t talk to me about that one. My friends told me I HAD to back that one just because of its name. They did, I didn’t.
