Hi all,
My weekly notebook returns from a week’s absence due to the St Leger Festival. I wont go on about the poor field sizes for the Class 2 handicaps at the meeting, as I covered it in my Monday Daily Punt column, but they were dreadful and the last three races on Saturday’s card were a poor advertisement for the sport.
Plenty of big race action this week. Tomorrow see the start of Ayr’s Gold Cup Festival which climaxes with the Ayr Gold Cup on Saturday. At Newbury it’s the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes that is the feature race of a seven-race card. Meanwhile at Newmarket we have the Cesarewitch Trial Handicap.
The weather looks set to pleasantly warm and sunny for the rest of the week so racing will be likely taking place on good or quicker ground at the various tracks.
Before I look at this weekend’s action let’s look back at last week’s action and a few horses that could be worth adding to your trackers.
It’s that time in the time in the flat season when I start to look at 2-year-old who go into the notebook for next season but there are still some flat handicapper’s worth adding for races in the coming weeks.
This weeks eyecatchers are from Doncaster and Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown & the Curragh. .
Eyecatchers – W/e September 15th
Wednesday 11th September
Doncaster
Fox Tal – Andrew Balding
The 3-year-old returned from a 319-day absence to land a 1m 2f Class 2 conditions race. The colt clearly hasn’t been the easiest to train given his long layoff.
Sent off an unfancied 16/1. Travelling well in the rear, it looked like he night not a clear run coming to the final furlong but once he got into the clear, he showed a good burst of speed to come clear inside the final furlong.
He looked a bit awkward when asked for his effort but that probably was down to inexperience on his part. Physically he looks capable of more improvement and with racing experience can make up into a Group horse as a 4-year-old.
Thursday 12th September
Doncaster
Special Secret – Eve Johnson Houghton
The daughter of Kodiac looked like she was on a competitive mark for her nursery debut and so it proved.
The filly was a little keen in the early stages of the race but was keeping on nicely from the rear inside the final furlong to finish ¾ length 4th, behind stablemate Graceful Magic in the opening race of day two of the St Leger Festival.
The 6 ½ f trip was just too short for her and she can win a handicap of her present mark of 81 when stepped up distance.
Tommy G – Jim Goldie
The 6-year-old didn’t break to well from the stalls in the Lady Rider 6f handicap. Held up in the rear he was travelling better than most of his rivals, but behind a wall of horses, coming to two out. He had to switched to the stands side to make his effort and made good headway under a hands and heels ride to finish 7th of 16, beaten 3 ¼ lengths.
He was third in the Goodwood Stewards Cup consolation race; he remains on a competitive mark. Eight in last years Bronze Cup at Ayr on heavy ground, he can race off 8lb lower in this year’s race should he take up his entry and will benefit from stronger handling.
Friday 13th September
Doncaster
Not really an eyecatcher as such but I liked the performance of the Roger Varian trained Molatham in winning the 7f ‘Flying Scotsman’ Listed race. The son of Night Of Thunder had won York’s valuable Convivial Maiden Stakes on his previous start and he ran out a good winner here.
They didn’t go much of a gallop and it turned into a 2 ½ f sprint to the line. Showing signs of greenness when hitting the front, he ran out a decent winner at the finish. He didn’t blow me away like Pinatubo was to do on Sunday but he’s got a good professional attitude and has the scope to do well as a 3-year-old.
Saturday 14th September
Leopardstown
The 1m 5f “Petingo” Handicap attracted a competitive field of 17 runners. Th form of the race looks strong and should be worth following over the coming weeks.
Progressive filly Kastasa kept finding for pressure inside the final furlong to hold off her rivals to land the valuable prize.
Buildmeupbuttercup ran a big race for Willie Mullins to finish second. Runner up in the 2m 4f Ascot Stakes Handicap at Royal meeting she stays well and looks to have a favourites chance in next month’s Cesarewitch Stakes for which she is a best priced 10/1 with Paddy Power.
Two to really catch the eye, however, were Buildmeupbuttercup’s stablemate Nessum Dorma and the fast finishing 4th Edification.
Edification – Mark Fahey
Did best of those drawn in a single figure draw when finishing best of all to take 4th. Twice a winner this season, this was a career best on the flat by the 6-year-old who’s now 1 win from 4 runs 3 placed when racing over 1m 4f +.
He’s got plenty of ability and holds his form well but does need things to fall right. Being covered up in a big field suited him well here and he should remain competitive in big field handicaps like this.
Nessum Dorma – Willie Mullins
The 6-year-old ran a cracker returning from a 314-day break to grab 5th. He was tapped for speed coming to three furlongs but stayed on all the way to the line. He’s only had seven starts on the flat and remains unexposed over staying trips, was 4th of 24 in last year’s Irish Cesarewitch over 2m. The market expected a big run from him, sent off 8/1, and looks on a workable mark going forward.
Ice Cold In Alex – Ken Condon
The five-year-old once again ran a cracker putting in a career best to finish 3rd of 17 in the concluding race of the Leopardstown card. A close fourth in the Irish Cambridgeshire on his previous start. He deserves to get his head in front in one of these big field handicaps and if he gets luck in the run and good ground he might do so before the end of the season.
Sunday 15th September
Curragh
The concluding race of Irish Champions Weekend the 1m 2f “Northfields” Handicap looks strong form to follow. One Cool Poet, who had remarkably won three races at the Galway Festival came from last to first to win the race but there were two runners who finished behind him that interest me.
Tudor City – Tony Martin
Recent Galway Hurdle winner Tudor City bounced back to form after a disappointing run at York to finish 4th of 16. The 7-year-old ran on all the way to the line but just found 1m 2f a bit short in this company.
A winner over 1m 3 ½ f he stays 1m 4f, onn the evidence of this run he can land a decent handicap on the flat when stepped back up in distance.
Nickajack Cave – Ger Lyons
A winner at Navan back in June, off 8lb lower, before a close 2nd of 14 over C&D. The 3-year-old had little chance at the weights when 5th in a Group 3 over C&D last month. Back in handicap company he did much better. He seemed to be travelling well on the inside two furlongs out but got caught behind horses, By the time he found racing room inside the final furlong he had no chance of getting to the first four home.
The gelding has only had six career starts so could yet rate higher. Not certain to stay further than 1m 2f but he races like a step up in distance would suit.
Any selections for day one of Ayr’s Western Meeting will be up on Thursday morning.
Cheers
John