Its back to the flat season as that takes centre stage today with Doncaster and Kempton, not forgetting the World Cup later on with So You Think looking a strong challenger for Aidan O'Brien. But big fields today so lets crack on with the racing.
2:05 - Doncaster - Spring Mile
As always the Spring Mile starts off the Flat season and like every year it looks a real easy race to dissect. Richard Fahey is treble handed here today with KAY GEE BE, KYLLACHY STAR and ARABIAN SPIRIT. The latter two have claimers on board with will only help them today but the first string is the first mentioned. KAY GEE BE looks to have an outstanding chance today even though (like most others) its his first run of the year. He seems to run well fresh, he has never been out of the first 3 after more than a 60 day lay off so is one to really put in the note books today. CAPTAIN BERTIE was Pricewise this morning however he hasnt shown much liking for the big field handicaps so far, saying that if he has progressed well into a 4 year old he could take all the beating. Joe Fanning won the all weather jockeys title yesterday and he rides CROWN COUNSEL today who will be one of the race fit horses after a spin round Kempton where he did look in need of a run and will strip alot fitter than last time out. REVE DE NUIT had KINGSCROFT behind him last time when giving him weight, he gets a pound from his rival today and Pat Smullen coming over to take the ride is a huge positive. He is better on the all weather though it looks. SHAMDARLEY is an ultra consistent type who always runs his race, but it is possible he will need the run. REDVERS was 3rd over a furlong shorter here last year and tackles a mile for the first time, if he steps up for the the extra furlong he could be there mixing it in the finish. One who will have no trouble getting the trip is the Dave O'Meara trained MONT RAS who comes off the longest layoff of the race, though he is a 5 year old he is one of the most unexposed ones in the field. He may just need it today though. SNOW BAY just seemed a bit short of the best in the big handicaps on last years form and LEVIATHAN is another that looks a bit short of the top ones here. WEAPON OF CHOICE is another consistent performer but he is yet to have a good crack in the big handicaps. Preference today is for the first mentioned KAY GEE BE for Richard Fahey.
2:40 - Doncaster - Cammidge Trophy
BANNOCK ran a good enough race first time out this year at Lingfield to come third, for that run he will come on no end and last year was a very tough 2 year old. It's hard to rule him out today. WAFFLE was second to Deacon Blues in the Wokingham when giving him weight, a reproduction of that form will see him very close, but he lost his way at the back end of last year. ROYAL ROCK also has form with Deacon Blues and is the highest rated in the field after winning a group 3 at Ascot. He isnt getting any younger however but has gone well fresh before. Dean Ivory is confident that SIRIUS PROSPECT can make it into a Group 1 performer by the end of the year, i think i will have to prove himself to run well fresh today and is opposed. MAYSON could be his biggest challenger and represents strong connections, he was only a neck behind the favourite in his last outing and today gets 3 pounds. Surely that is enough to reverse the form. He should be bang there with a chance. THE CHEKA re-found himself last year with some solid performances, more is needed today though. INTERNATIONALDEBUT has been running really well in Dubai when second over the 6 furlongs there, as long as the trip doesnt have too much of an effect on him he should be mixing it at the end. Another who has been in Dubai is last years winner JIMMY STYLES, he won this for me last year at fancy odds and i cant find any reason to oppose him again today. He runs well at Doncaster and is definitely good enough to win the race. Rated a pound higher than last year and off the same racing weight he is the strongest bet of the day at 16/1.
3:15 - Doncaster - William Hill Lincoln Heritage handicap
The main event today with 22 going down to post and all 22 with chances. ETON FOREVER has been favourite for a long time and has been targeted at this race since winning on this card last year. Like last year Neil Callan takes the ride, he does seem to love it here with only 2 runs and coming first and second both times. He does have to overcome a layoff today and others are preferred. There is strong support behind EDINBURGH KNIGHT from the stable. He landed a massive Handicap at Ascot last year so will handle the hustle and bustle of the Lincoln. SMARTY SOCKS is an admirable type who always runs his heart out, but he may just be better over 7 furlongs than the mile. I fancied FURY until i saw his price this week and Pricewise has shortened it again. last year he was very disappointing and has been gelded since then, you would still have to be brave to back a horse who hasnt beaten a rival home in his last 3 runs. BARREN BROOK gets in at the bottom of the weights and has been backed this morning for each way money. He was in fine form last summer but it seems he does take a while to get going through the season. BRAE HILL hasnt won over further than 7 furlongs but knows what the big fields are about. MIA'S BOY is entering the veteran stage of his career but has lost none of his hunger for the game on the evidence of his last runs, he never seems to perform at his best in this race though which is a worry. STEVIE THUNDER was running over hurdles not too long ago, but has been fantastic since coming back to the flat. A good each way contender today. COCOZZA has never ran outside of Ireland and i cant see him winning a race like this with his lack of experience and on what he has done so far. MAN OF ACTION and START RIGHT are the two Godolphin horses who have to be mentioned, you can forgive the former's latest run as he never got a run in the Cambridgeshire, there should be no worries about that today and the latter has been running well at Meydan since his switch to Saeed Bin Suroor. We are going for a big priced horse today in DUBAI DYNAMO who knows all about these handicaps and believe it or not there is a bit of confidence behind him from the stable. He has run well on his two returns this year (the first was far too short for him) and he is a better horse on the turf than on the all weather.
We are going to divert our attention over to Meydan now
2:45 - Meydan
OPINION POLL is the class act of the race (from the English aspect anyway) but was beaten by stable mate FOX HUNT last time out who is unbeaten since joining the stable. The former will strip much fitter for that run however and should reverse the order. MIKHAIL GLINKA has been running well lately but will need to step up again to land this race. It would be lovely to see KASBAH BLISS win this in his veteran years, but he does look up against it and a place may be his best chance. BARBICAN did nothing wrong last year and deserves his chance in this company, he is the selection for the race. Note that trainer reports he has travelled over very well.
4:00 - Meydan
MARGOT DID flies the flag for england today and will be much better for her run first time out, but she was never really in it that day and will have to improve no end for the run. I dont know much about JOY AND FUN if im honest but he is fancied (like every other horse in the field) so i cant really comment too much on his chance. One i can comment on is SOLE POWER who is the selection for the race after just getting touched off last time by INVINCIBLE ASH. Johnny Murtagh's race will be much fitter for the run and should take all the beating.
6:00 - Meydan
CIRRUS DES AIGLES won the Champion Stakes last year but wasn't himself when he ran last time out back in France, improvement should see him close. Johnny Murtagh was really looking forward to riding the unbeaten BEATEN UP who takes a step up in class today. His biggest threat could be Aidan O'Brien's ST NICHOLAS ABBEY who won well at the Breeders Cup, but im going for BEATEN UP to remain unbeaten.
6:40 - Meydan
A ridiculous amount of prize money here just for a horse race but i wouldnt turn it down. SO YOU THINK was disappointing in America when only managing 6th. Excuses were available then as he had been on the go a long time. The surface shouldnt be a problem for him at all. The Japanese horse SMART FALCON is very strongly fancied back in his own country but they would fancy a donkey in this if it was running and from Japan. In fairness though the horse hasnt done anything wrong whatsoever. We are going for the Breeders Cup classic runner up in GAME ON DUDE who loves this surface and should go close if he shows his best. Chantal Sutherland takes the ride again rightly after the cracker she gave him in the Breeders Cup.
I hope you enjoy today's racing and i hope there are a few decent priced winners above.
Happy Punting
No comments:
Post a Comment