Hi all,
Not long now to Derby & Oaks Weekend. But before all the action on the Epsom Downs. On Thursday Sandown hosts the best evening racing of the season with the Brigadier Gerard meeting with two Group 3’s and two Listed races. That same afternoon it’s day one of Goodwood’s three-day May festival which also includes the annual Goodwood Food Festival so tasty action both on and off the track.
On Saturday there plenty of racing both sides of the Irish Sea. Magna Grecia bids to do the English/Irish 2,000 Guineas double at the Curragh.
At Haydock It’s the Group 2 Temple Stakes over 5f. Battaash, looks set to return action in the race and could face Nunthorpe winner Alpha Delphini and the mare Mabs Cross.
York hosts its first Saturday card with feature race being the, the 1m 6f, Group 3 William Hill Brontë Cup.
The big race action continues the Sunday with the highlight being the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh.
However, as ever let’s look back to last weeks action first and those horse’s worth adding to your trackers.
Last Week’s Horses to Follow
Three days on the Knavesmire provided us with a few horses to follow.
Wednesday 15th May
York
Corgi, trained by Hughie Morrison. The 4-year-old had run better than his final position of 6th in last year’s Melrose Handicap suggests. Over the winter he had a wind-op and a gelding op. Both seemed to have worked as he made an encouraging seasonal reappearance to finish 3rd of 18, beaten 2 ½ lengths behind First Eleven. His run can be slightly marked up as he made his effort down the stands side and the two who finished in front of him made their efforts on the side of the track.
Trainer Hughie Morrison was talking about the Ebor handicap as possible target for the horse later in the season. Whatever his fate in that big race he can pay his way this season and should be all the better for this run.
Aljady, trained by Richard Fahey, came in to the 6f handicap with the most unexposed of profiles having won two of his four starts last season. Steadily progressive as a 3-year-old he ended last year with a career best when beaten just a length at Ascot in October. Returning from a 222-day lay off and a gelding operation. He was doing all his best work at the end of the race to finish 3rd of 21.
The form of last weeks looks strong and given he would have found 6f at York a shade quick for him there should be more to come as the season progresses over stiffer 6f. There should be valuable sprint handicap in the gelding in the coming months, with the Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot looking an ideal race.
Thursday 16th May
York
Now a couple of horses that I mentioned in Monday’s Daily Punt Blog Post.
Eeh Bah Gum, trained by Tim Easterby. The 4-year-old was well placed by his trainer to win four races in the early part of last season on quick ground between May & June. Was well beaten on his seasonal reappearance in a hot handicap at Musselburgh but he did show some good speed out wide from a poor draw.
This was a much-improved performance from Musselburgh for the gelding when 4th of 21 behind stablemate Copper Knight. He loves quick ground, all his best performances have come on good or quicker ground, which he got here. His wide draw probably didn’t help as he was away from the pace. The Epsom Dash could be an ideal race for the 4-year-old if the going is on the quick side. A race He’s a best priced 20/1 with BetVictor & Betfred.
When he gets top of the ground he can placed to advantage by his shrewd trainer.
Bless Him, trained by David Simcock. The 5-year-old has changed ownership but remains with trainer David Simcock. He missed the break by 3 or 4 lengths and at the finish was beaten just over 4 lengths into 7th in the Hambleton Handicap won by What’s The Story.
This was the horses first run since last August and an off-season gelding operation so connection should be encouraged by this run especially given his poor start from the stalls. Granted he hasn’t won since landing the valuable Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot as 3-year-old, but he’s gradually dropped back down to a competitive mark and the handicapper has dropped him a further 1lb for this run.
I’m sure he can win a mile handicap this season off this sort of mark. He was beaten 5 ½ lengths in last years Hunt Cup, off 6lb higher, and no doubt that race will be agenda again.
Friday 17th May
York
Moss Gill, trained by James Bethall. The 3-year-old was making his handicap debut what looked a workable mark off 74 in this 5f handicap. The son of No Nay Never looked like he would run the race when skipping a couple of lengths clear of the field at the furlong mark. However, he probably paid the price for chasing the strong early pace and was just caught in the shadow of the post and had to settle for second.
The handicapper has raised him 4lb for this run, but he should remain on a competitive mark. But This was a much-improved performance from the gelding who can be placed to a win handicap at this level in the coming weeks.
Newbury
Buckland Boy, trained by Charlie Fellowes, had finally got off the mark at the 8th attempt when winning at Thirsk 18-days ago. His win was more notable for the fact that he was slow away from the stalls but still went onto win by 1 ¼ lengths. After that race his jockey told the Racing Post that the horse would prefer a more galloping track.
He got the right sort of track at Newbury on Friday but once again he fluffed the start like had done at Thirsk. This time he lost at least 15 lengths. He managed to latch onto the back of the field after 4 furlongs. He managed to get into contention two furlongs out and made good headway on the outside, his effort not surprisingly flattened inside the final furlong and he finished 9th of 15.
Given his earlier exertions to catch up with the rest of the field it was a good run and showed he remains a on a good handicap mark. He can’t afford to miss the start like he did here but when gets off on level terms he will win again. However, not one to take a short price given he could be developing quirks.
Saturday 18th May
The final three of this week’s eyecatchers come from handicap races at Newmarket & Thirsk.
Newmarket
Dominus, trained by Brian Meehan, had won a 7f novice race at Goodwood on his previous start. Dropped back to 6f for his handicap debut the 3-year-old improved again to run useful sprint handicapper Dazzling Dan to ½ length at the finish.
The drop back to sprint distances clearly worked for the son of Zoffany. The lightly raced colt is improving with racing and can win a sprint handicap in the coming months on the evidence of this run. The handicapper has raised him 3lb but he remains on a competitive mark.
Rio Ronaldo, trained by Mike Murphy, can be hard to win with as he needs to be produced as late as possible to win his race. The 7-year-old had made a low-key seasonal reappearance at Ascot 17-days earlier, but this was a much better effort to get within a neck & a nose of Daschas in the 5f handicap. He’s been known to be slow away from the stalls but as he showed here if he gets off on level terms, he’s on a winnable mark.
A stiff 5f like at Sandown & Salisbury brings out the best in him but a sharp 6f, twice a winner over that distance at Windsor in the past, also suits
He’s a well handicapped sprinter at Class 4 level and will win again when all the cards fall right.
Thirsk
Al Erayg, trained by Tim Easterby, has previous as he went into my tracker after an eyecatching first start for the trainer at Chester last September.
The 6-year-old only ran up to that Chester form once in five subsequent starts last autumn. That came when beaten only ½ length into 3rd in a Class 2 handicap at Musselburgh in October.
The gelding had put in a decent seasonal reappearance when 5th of 12 back at Chester, from a wide draw six days earlier.
They went no real gallop in the early stages of this 7f handicap and the race developed into more of 3f sprint to the line. There had been plenty of money around for the gelding prior to the race and he was sent off the 4/1 second favourite.
He did well to finish, a 2 ½ length 5th of 10 considering being held up wasn’t the place to be given the slow early pace of the race.
The market support suggests connections think their horse is on a winnable mark, dropped a further 1lb by the handicapper, and indeed he now races off 10lb lower than he started last season off.
Another who probably needs all the cards to fall right in his race but when they do he can win a handicap at this level.
Cheers
John