I must say Primevere catches the old eye today. Looks well worth a dabble. Meanwhile up at Perth Lucinda Russell looks to have a strong team out so I decided to check her website for the preview. I must say, she does a most thorough job in briefing the public and I applause her and the team for always getting a good guide up on the net for each days racing . Something much bigger yards could do well to aspire to. Here's what she thinks about Perth today: "Very windy and persistant rain through the day. This morning the going at Perth was described as good to firm, watering, it will be interesting what it is by tomorrow morning. In the first Dotties Dilema makes his hurdles debut. Despite winning his bumper at Hexham Dotties Dilema was green last season but he seems to have matured over the summer and looks taller and tougher. He should stay the trip, and has had plenty of schooling in recent weeks. Cadore is a talented but tricky type who needs to be produced at the right time in his races. Grant gets on well with him and rides again tomorrow afternoon. In the novice handicap chase we run three. Kai Broon is an honest horse who jumps well and likes it round Perth. Beidh Tine Anseo needs good ground and has been running consistently this summer. Porridge makes his chase debut and has had a wind operatin through the summer. Susie and Mark Russell bought Greyhope last spring, and while they have had some fun racing him on the flat the longterm aim has always been hurdling. He is from the family of two mile chaser Davoski and has schooled competently. In the three mile chase, a race we won seventeen years ago with our first runner as a public trainer with Fiveleigh Builds (pictured), we run two. Blazin White Face is a genuine type who loves Perth. She has won two races this year, and this is her toughest race to date. Bescot Springs makes his seasonal debut and has been schooling most days in preparation." Best of luck to Lucinda and team and indeed to all of you having a play today. Finally we run Vallani in the three mile handicap hurdle. A winner of her prevous two races she is another who is steping up in class but should give her usual gutsy effort.
Morning, pilgrims. Decent action today, methinks, and I'll nominate to the regular readers: Pythagorean (1.30 Goodwood) - horse with a big reputation who will have to deliver and deliver big today if he is to fulfil those expectations. Has been placed in decent Newbury maidens in both his starts to date but this looks the perfect opportunity for the horse to break his maiden tag. Mr Charlton’s charge is entered in all the big end of term 2YO heats and the theory is that he may even end up in one should he oblige in style here. Potential and promise have been displayed in both his homework and early visits to the track but now hopefully Pythagorean will turn this into a really creditable run. Goodwood Atlantis (3.10 Goodwood) – is another to have run creditably this term without winning and I’m a big fan of his latest run when he was beaten just 2.75 lengths by Sir Graham Wade, off levels, here last month in a rich handicap. Sir Graham won recently off a whopping 96 but Goodwood Atlantis races here off a much more modest perch of 82. Consequently, he looks well ahead of the handicapper today. The horses previous two efforts were also highly commendable and a win here would most certainly not be out of turn. The Bells O Peover (8.20 Kempton Park) - dual winner last season who races off an exploitable perch of 77 here (began the term on 88). Has gone close in each of his last 2 races and is obviously in good heart right now. The combination of ‘King’ Kieren and Mark Johnston is a formidable one and punters should be rewarded, once again, for following the ‘dynamic duo’ here. Good luck, all.
Aegaeus (3.10) looks very interesting to me, this gelded son of Ouija Board looks ideally handicapped to make the frame on his debut in the handicap sphere. He ran a creditable race on his last maiden start, finishing 6th at Sandown in a race that has subsequently worked out well. He was then gelded and has been given time off, be it through injury or not, and I expect a further improvement now that he is able to race off a modest handicap mark. His half brother improved when he was gelded and it would be no surprise to me to see him win off this mark before improving further as he gets older. The yard are in fair form too and Frankie is good at Goodwood so it all seems to add up to a good chance for the horse.
GOODWOOD ATLANTIS a non-runner, I say a non-runner, people. Try to hide your disappointment stoically regular readers.
+1 for Primevere, just came on to do a write up on her. Al Maktoum horses have let me down far too many times of late so am staying clear for the foreseeable future... Which means Ektihaam will romp home
Hmmmmmmm... this may not be the straightforwrd race people are seeing it as .. I offer you a view that Pisco Sour could well spoil the party - class animal on its day - cheekpieces for the first time and a confirmed good/soft ground lover .... just a thought ...good luck to everyone today ..
Soft ground again, Dunlop has pulled two of his, Pythagorean wont mind it, well thats the impression I got last time, right after the race as I said, serious engine, wont mind a bit of cut. One horse I would be concerned about ground wise would be Cardinal Walter, both on pedigree and action, I certainly dont think it will be ideal for him anyway, add that to the fact that he is up 5 pounds for two staying on too late performances, the latter of which over 2 furlongs further than todays trip and I have to be against him at 2/1. I suppose the ground brings Rosslyn Castle right into it, he looked a smart horse early in the season and I wouldnt be surprised to see him bounce back today but whether he is well handicapped at this moment off 95 I dont know. Not sure about the ground for Eagles Peak, he has quite a unique action and its hard to tell, he seems to hit the ground quite hard but its not a typical soft ground style, I would be worried for him especially as he wont be given a hard time on his first run back in these sort of conditions, im going to stick my neck on the block and say he wont be winning today. If im right, there must be a nice price to be found here, I cant have Enery on the ground either, you never know with the Jonhston horses who seem to keep imrpvoing but the extra 6 pounds and conditions might just stop him today. The 3 im narrowing it down to are Cubanita, Rosslyn Castle and Alkimos, I cant split the two 3yo's so ill stick with the 4yo Alkimos who ive already backed at 12/1, think he is a 9/1 shot just now and that looks a fair price to me. Of course I could be badly wrong and Eagles Peak wins on the bridle from Cardinal Walter clear second
Goodwood lucky 15 2.35 - Signed Up - Me 3.10 - Aegaeus - Nass 3.40 - Primevere - Me/Oddy 4.15 - Eagles Peak - RV
I think it is closer between Pythagorean and Zamoyski than the betting suggests. Obviously if Pythagorean is straightened out he will win easy but theres no guarentee he will be, form line through Empiricist has them pretty closely matched, and Zamoyski should come on from his first run. I won't be backing either but Zamoyski at 5/1 and Pythagorean at 2/5 seems a bit short for the later
Could Pisco Sour be #74 in an interesting review titled "100 Horses I've Ruined" by Saeed bin Suroor?
Fair comment Sir Barney. On a brighter note, any idea when we can expect to read Mr Henderson's stable tour for the forthcoming season?
Now now gents ... it's only a bit of fun to Saeed .. don't be taking him to task ... who hasn't made thousand sof mistakes ??? Let's see how the horse goes and then we can pour scorn on him ....
Disappointing, not sure why they stuck a hood on him anyway but it hasnt worked, was always doing too much in front and winner is probably a decent horse. I was not expecting that move today, for a horse who has been held up out the back on his first two runs to suddenly go off like that in front was strange. Thankfully he was too short to back, I would have have done my brains at evens. Not a Guineas horse on that evidence, not that I said he was, still potentially a decent horse but he is beginning to look like a bit of a nutter, at least he will be a backable price next time.
One big fancy today and i'm having a decent bet on it.Let the show begin is 2/1 to win the 6.10 at down paddy.He beat a decent horse in shakervilz last time out and the rest of this field isnt up to much so i'm expecting a bold showe here
I meant of course the 2013 running of 'The Newton Abbot Classic Selling Juvenile Hurdle'. Oddy, Mr Henderson did one in the 'Racing Post' a week or so ago following his 'Media Open Day'. It was rather general to be honest however. I know though that the stable have produced a brochure for this event which goes into much further detail on all his stock. It costs £12.99 but I couldn't find it just now on an google search.
