Good morning guys, I must apologise for the lateness of this blog but I am only partially to blame. I spent all evening watching the Vancouver Canucks play off game against the San Jose Sharks, with a late Sharks goal we were forced into overtime. Unfortunately an ex Canucks Raffi Torres scored the winning goal putting us 2-0 down in the series heading in a two game San Jose road trip. But enough of the depressing stuff!!
Last week we had just the one winner with Sire De Grugy in the Celebration Chase, however a 7/1 winner is nothing to moan about. He looks one with a very bright future but with the strength of the 2 mile division right now I'd imagine he will be stepping up in trip sooner rather than later. Quentin Collonges won the Bet365 Gold Cup by out battling Same Difference who again ran his heart out. Annoyingly one of the talking points of the day was Sanctuaire returning to his old ways and misbehaving at the start, resulting in him starting 10 lengths behind the field. When he did get going he jumped with awesome fluency though and ran a brilliant race to finish as close as he did.
This week I will be doing something a little bit different. One of my friends has agreed to take part in a tipping challenge against me and we have both made selections against each other. His name is George Gorman and if you are unfamiliar with him he is an up and coming jumps jockey riding for Gary Moore. He also takes part in Point to Points at the weekend and is no stranger to the winners enclosure with horses such as She is a Cracker. I'm certain this wont be his last appearance on this blog so make him feel welcome with your comments and keep one eye open for him.
Luke George
3:40 Uttoxeter - Trip The Light Billy Twyford
3:50 Newmarket - Toronado Dawn Approach
4:05 Goodwood - Burke's Rock 2:20 Goodwood - Coquet
5:15 Goodwood - Countess Lovelace Couloir Extreme
Hopefully between us we come up with a few winners and depending on how this segment goes down I may make it a permanent feature.
One last thing to mention is my interview with Racheal Kneller, I posted it earlier in the week and everyone seemed to like it. If you haven't seen it and would like to please click on this link http://lukeelder.blogspot.ca/2013/04/racheal-kneller-best-turned-out.html I hope you enjoy it.
Onto the weeks action however!
2:35 Newmarket - Kingsgate Native
We start off in the Palace House stakes which will be an all out sprint down 5 furlongs of the Rowley Mile. Mayson took this last year before going on to bigger things, including the July Cup and a second in the Prix De L'abbaye. There are a few more unexposed types in the field, none more so than Pearl Secret who's only defeat came in the nunthorpe against older horses. Preference however is for the one time top class Kingsgate Native for Robert Cowell, lightly campaigned last year he can be considered unlucky. Newbury gave him a luckless passage and it's clear that he was the winner that day with a clear run, but before that ran a blinder on his comeback. He then didn't get through the mud at Ascot and didn't enjoy himself at all round Dundalk on the fibresand, them efforts are best forgotten. However great confidence can be taken in his previous runs after a break and the fact he has gone well at Newmarket before. As an ex Group 1 winner he is too big of a price in a wide open race and could well be a bit of each way value. (33/1)
3:10 Newmarket - Noble Mission
It was clear last time that Noble Mission needed the run badly when going down narrowly to Universal at Newbury. Tom Queally was motionless on him until just before the furlong marker when it became apparent he was holding on to very little. Eventually he was beaten back in to third but was only a neck behind the winner of the race who reopposes here today. With that run under his belt he can put it behind him and get his season off the mark in a small but talented Jockey Club field. Wigmore Hall appears better after he travels a few thousand miles to all parts of the world and Dandino is far from a straight forward ride. Preference is for Noble Mission and he shouldn't be beaten here today. (2/1)
3:50 Newmarket - Toronado
The 2000 Guineas this year looks on paper, a two horse race between Dawn Approach and Toronado who are both unbeaten. Toronado has the advantage of a run this year to put him straight but is slightly less experienced than Dawn Approach. You would be a fool for thinking that Jim Bolger would bring his horse all this way without being 100% fit and we know he is more than good enough. Toronado will take some beating today and with the noises coming out of his camp this week could be the one to side with. Last year he looked useful at best, but his reappearance in the Craven showed us he has improved greatly from 2 years old to 3 as many horses do. The first Classic of the year can go to Richard Hannon and Richard Hughes with Toronado, the yard can also fill the third spot with Van Der Neer who is an impressive type also. Toronado (9/4) Van Der Neer (20/1)
4:05 Goodwood - Burke's Rock
Jeremy Noseda's filly is one that I absolutely adore and have followed for some time now, in fact since debut. I'm not fully convinced she was right halfway through the middle of last year, although that is just my opinion. She posted two very lack lustre efforts at Sandown and Newmarket before going down by a head to Sentaril at Lingfield. She benefits from a three pound pull at the weights today and arrives in better heart than she did at Lingfield filling us with a bit of confidence. Her last run was the eye catching one though, in the first furlong she was almost bought down and had to be pulled back off heels. This was a move that cost her plenty of ground and certainly plenty of momentum and probably cost her the race. Despite that she stayed on very quickly late on in the manner of a horse who had a lot more to give but was slightly keen throughout the race. Without her accident earlier on in the race I have no doubt she would have beaten Stirring Ballad and would probably have troubled the classy Lily's Angel. She has been weak in the market early on but I see no reason for that and she remains a strong fancy for today. A quick pace would suit her down to the ground. (6/1)
5:05 Doncaster - Moment In Time
For those of you who are regular reader's of this blog, the name Siobhan Miller will be a familiar one to you. She was the first jockey I got the chance to interview and despite being a really lovely person she is also a very talented jockey. In her last three rides she has just been held when coming with a strong finish showing she is no slouch in the saddle, however her first win eludes her. In my eyes this is her first winner today aboard Her boss' horse Moment In Time who arguably has the best form in the book. The only slight worry is whether she handles the faster ground which I see as being absolutely no problem for her. Last time out at Bath she was just held in the closing stages by Boonga Roogeta (who has since won and runs in the opener at Newmarket) which looks rock solid form. Siobhan Miller's 7 pound claim with be more than handy as its the biggest claim in the field and undoes a rising mark from her last runs. Moment in time is a very strong bet today and id be expecting her to oblige. (13/8)
NAP - Noble Mission
Nb - Burke's Rock
I'd like to thank George Gorman for taking part and helping out in this week's blog, especially if he finds a winner amongst his selections. You can follow him on twitter on @GeorgeFGorman, hopefully to thank him for a winner! You can also follow me on @Lukeyboy1325. Thank you for reading this week guys.
Happy Punting!
No comments:
Post a Comment