3.05 Ripon Compton Park 6/1 Although the draw in stall 2 could have been a little better, I think Compton Park is going to take an awful lot of beating and 6/1 rates an excellent price to me. Trained by Les Eyre who has recently returned to Britain having spent 10 years in Spain and is best known for winning the 1997 Ebor with Far Ahead, Compton Park was a great servant to his trainer in Spain where he won 5 times and I thought he made a hugely promising return to British soil (trained by Hughie Morrison until 3) at Doncaster on the opening weekend of the flat season. Having being assigned a mark of 82 by the handicapper for his Spanish exploits, this 7 year old ran a blinder to be a never nearer 4th in testing conditions over 7f under David Allan. Held up throughout the contest, Compton Park travelled very well throughout the contest and was too far back in a race that suited those up with the pace but he made up an awful lot of ground quickly until being eased in the final furlong when it was clear he couldn't catch the leading trio. The form of that race has already taken a significant boost when the 3rd home Trade Secret won in good style by 4L off the same mark subsequently and I think the handicapper dropping Compton Park 1lb to a mark of 81 looks lenient. Sure to come on for the run on his first start since leaving Spain, Compton Park is returned to 6f on good ground which should suit him (won in these conditions in Spain) and I think he looks primed for a massive showing. With Les Eyre training his first winner since returning to Britain with Real Tigress yesterday, I firmly believe Compton Park will follow her into the winners enclosure if stall 2 doesn't prove a massive negative and I have backed him with confidence at a really generous 6/1.
Morning All. Today's Lucky 15. Newmarket,3-30.Aljamaaheer. Newmarket,4-05.Toormore. Newmarkrt,4-40.Fencing. Newmarket,5-40.Top Tug. Good Luck to all.
I looked at the Craven earlier, and it is so intriguing to see what happens to these horses now they are a year older. Toormore is the clear form pick, but could one of the others be very smart? It could well be that he gets beaten at odds on. Really interesting race.
I think it's the most exciting race of the day. Toormore looks really nice, but so too does Be Ready. Who knows what going on with the rest, some horses can grow an extra leg during these breaks. These two and Johann Strauss make the day for me. I think O'Brien might be sending this one out as a sort of sighter for other better types at home. It will be interesting to see how the New Approach colt Sudden Wonder goes against the Irish horse.
EXPOSE 4.50 Ripon @ 4/1 He has won twice for M. Appleby on the sand since leaving the Haggas barn late last year, the trainer believes he is fairly handicapped for his return to turf, with George Buckell taking the mount in this boys race, (100% strike rate for this trainer in 2013 (2 from 2), and with the trainers 25% strike rate at the track, he'll do for me. Good Luck!
Johann Strauss is favourite for the next race yet Seagull Star on his sole outing beat him into 4th. Now OK it was both of their debuts and maybe JS improved more. But we don't know if Seagull Star has improved. Maybe a race to watch but I'd be interested in SS if I was there. Observational also looks interesting but Charlton expects him to improve.
A lot of jockeys get stick for not walking the course - Paul Hanagan it appears did not know his horse was dropped in distance today. On a positive note however great ride from Jamie from the front, not a phrase you get to use often.
I agree Dex, it's not really possible to get stuck in to a race in which it's likely half are just having a racecourse gallop. It used to be said the flat started at the Craven meeting but I now feel it begins proper at the guineas meeting.
perhaps lack of tv coverage of the Craven meeting too. Really is poor, surely C4 and the BHA can work more racing on in the week? After all, those stay at home people up in the North like nothing better than spending their dole down at the bookies.
"Horse Racing Posted at 15:33 History will be made as horse racing takes place for the first time in the UK on Good Friday - at Lingfield in Surrey and Scottish track Musselburgh. Lingfield's finale to a new all-weather racing championships boasts a total of £1m in prize money for seven races. Track officials expect a crowd of about 6,000, with Musselburgh set to welcome 4,000 racegoers." 6000 crowd? For a million pounds worth of prizemoney? It really does say it all about this dreadful event. How on earth do they think this is sustainable, and well done the BHA for giving the day over to the bookmakers. Absolute buffoons. Yet they are charging Brendan Powell for trying to get Battle Group to start in the Scottish National. They really have lost it in my book.
They lost it a long time ago when they shared a platform at a press conference with Godolphin to announce a joint inquiry into the drug cheating/equine abuse perpetrated by Godolphin. Completely staggering but the subsequent whitewash certainly wasn't.
It was a rogue member of staff, albeit it carried on even when that person wasn't in the country. Perhaps he used unmanned drones to drug the horses? Typical racing, if it can shoot itself in the foot, it not only shoots one foot, but continues onto the other just for consistencies sake.
If I was MPR I would be selling Toormore to the highest bidder after that today. He looks like he needs a bit further, but he didn't look to be in the class of Kingman
I thought that after the race...usual suspects from Qatar and Dubai sharpening the pencils no doubt. Strange they didn't sell in the closed season though.
