Hi all,
We are coming to the end of that ‘dead zone’ period between the end of Goodwood and the start of York’s Ebor Meeting.
The last seven days didn’t provide the best week of racing and means a quiet week on the eyecatchers front.
This weekend it’s Newbury which plays host to Saturday’s feature meeting with the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes, the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes and the Listed Denford Stakes, formerly known as the Washington Singer Stakes, for 2-year-olds the main highlights.
At HQ Newmarket has a competitive looking card which lacks Group action but has three Class 2 handicaps and the Grey Horse Handicap, which surprisingly enough is just for grey horses.
Ripon holds its most valuable race day of the year, with the highlight being the weekend’s big betting race the 6f William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap with £46,688 on offer to the winner of this historic race.
More on the weekend action later. Back to last week’s horses for the tracker of which there are five.
Friday August 9th
Curragh
Face Off, trained by Charles O’Brien, a winner at Navan back in June the filly returned to action for the first time since that win when finishing 3rd of 16 at the Curragh on Friday evening. She had been 8lb for that win, but the form of the race had worked out well and she was expected to remain competitive despite her rise in the weights. And competitive she was as the 4-year-old showed she remains a progressive handicap sprinter.
The handicapper has raised her a further 1lb for her Curragh run but she can win again over 5f before the season is out.
Newmarket
Blakeney Point, trained by Roger Charlton, seems like he’s been around for ever but he’s only a 6-year-old. Last seasons Ebor 5th has only had three starts in 2019 but on Friday he showed that he could be about to return to winning form when returning from an 86-day absence to finish a staying on 4th of 6 in a competitive 1m 4f Class 2 handicap.
This was a step back in the right direction after a couple of low-key efforts earlier in the season. Five of the geldings seven career wins have come in September/October and if you look at his record on good ground or softer, over 1m 4f to 2m his record is healthy 7 wins from 14 runs 50% +30.66 6 placed 57%.
He’s dropped down to a winnable mark and is 6lb lower than when racing in last years Ebor Handicap. I doubt he’s up to winning a race as competitive as that these days but a decent stamina test over 1m 4f/1m 6f is what he needs. Once he gets his ground conditions there is a race to be won off his present mark.
Thirsk
Grimsdyke, trained by Tim Easterby, had seemed to leave his previous form behind when winning at Redcar 9-days previously, beating a well fancied stablemate in the process. Had a 6lb penalty to carry for that win.
Racing more towards the centre, the winner and other placed horses came stand side, he beat all those who were in his group down the middle and in the circumstances his second placing can be marked up.
His Redcar win came on good ground, but he showed on Friday that he can be just as effective on soft, as indeed his half siblings were. The 3-year-old has just had seven career runs and is bred to be a better than a 51 rated horse. On the evidence of this run he’s more than capable of winning more races.
Saturday August 10th
Ascot
Recon Mission, trained by Tony Carroll. I put him up as an eyecatcher in Monday Daily Punt column and this is what I wrote.
“An all the way winner of a valuable 6f York handicap back in June off 7lb lower. The colt bounced back to form here, after a poor run at Newbury, with an excellent 4th, beaten just a ½ length in the 5f sprint.
The ground which was officially described as good which would have been a shade to quick for him so in the circumstances it was an excellent effort
The 3-year-old’s career record is a healthy 3 wins from 12 runs +26.5 6 placed 50%. Breaking that down he’s 0 wins from 5 runs 0 places on good or quicker ground. But with ease in the ground he’s 3 wins from 7 runs 43% + 31.5 6 placed 86%. Taking out his Group 3 run then his form figures on good to soft and worse are 112321.
He remains on a winnable mark when getting his optimum ground conditions and there’s another decent pot to be won.
Given he goes well at York. I would think we will see him run in one of the sprint handicaps at the upcoming Ebor Festival. Connections will be hoping the unsettled weather continues in the run up to the meeting”.
Chelmsford
Crossing The Line, trained by Andrew Balding, put in an excellent effort when finishing 3rd to Lady Lawyer in the Class 2 fillies handicap. The 4-year-old had a great 2018 with form figures of 212111 and had returned to action with a win at Kempton back in March. Not quite up to that level on subsequent starts although she was only beaten a length in a 7f Listed race at Chelmsford back in June. She put a poor run in the Bunbury Cup when 3rd of 9 here on Saturday. On a day when it was hard to make up ground from behind, the two who finished in front of here were first and second from the start, her effort can be upgraded.
She won the 7f fillies handicap at last years Ebor Festival off 7lb lower and that could be her target again if the ground is quick enough. Whatever her fate should she go to York again, the daughter of Cape Cross who’s effective on both polytrack and a sound surface on turf shouldn’t be waiting too long to for another career win.
Cheers
John