Tag: Gatewood

Newmarket Saturday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Things have been very quiet on the racing front this week following Royal Ascot but the Irish Derby and some excellent action from Newcastle and Newmarket should bring some entertainment. Punters could do with a break from all of the amateur dramatics from the World Cup!

Ryan Moore and William Buick dominated proceedings at Royal Ascot and it would be no surprise to see them both among the winners on Saturday. Moore has a full book of rides and is employed by seven different trainers while Buick is kept busy by the powerful Gosden and Appleby yards.

There are some speedy fillies in the Listed two-year-old race at 2.20 with Moore riding Tigrilla for Roger Varian. The favourite will be Littlemissblakeney who was fifth in the Queen Mary but Zeb Un Misa and Accipiter also look smart. Moore’s mount is just preferred after travelling nicely last time out at Haydock.

Unless the rains arrive, I think Battalion will be taken out of the Fred Archer Stakes which would leave the way clear for Gatewood and Buick. The six-year-old has done well to get back on track after his abortive attempt at the Melbourne Cup and could have the class to defy his 3lbs penalty.

Richard Fahey has finally resorted to blinkers for Gatewood in the Group 3 Criterion Stakes and it remains to be seen if that makes life any easier for his jockey. Moore managed to get him home at Goodwood last season and this should be the right trip. Gregorian probably needed his run at Epsom last time and could be yet another for Gosden.

Manderley looks difficult to oppose in the Listed Eternal Stakes having followed up her fourth in the 1000 Guineas with an effortless win in maiden company. Gosden and Buick have another fine chance with Seagull in the 4.40. She won over a mile and a quarter and was always going to find it tough dropping back to a mile last time. She did well to finish second and should relish going up to a mile and a half on Saturday.

Llanarmon Lad struggled with the camber at Epsom last time but finished strongly to be second to Abseil. Kieren Fallon did the pushing that day and Ryan Moore takes over in the 5.15 here. Most of the opposition have been running below par recently and Llanarmon Lad can go one better.

Tigrilla 2.20  at 100-30 BetVictor

Gatewood 2.55 at 4-1 BetVictor, Paddy Power

Gregorian 3.30 at 11-2 William Hill

Manderley 4.05 at 11-4 BetVictor

Seagull 4.40 at 15-8 Bet365

Llanarmon Lad 5.15 at 7-2 BetVictor, Coral

Doncaster Day 1 Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The opening day of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster lacks the quality of the remainder of the week and has been deemed not worthy of the attendance of Channel 4 cameras. It seems a strange bit of scheduling to start a classic meeting with a card that does not have a single Group race on the menu but I’m sure that the race planners have their reasons.

Once again, the weather is threatening to intervene with heavy downpours predicted for around midday. The going is reported to be good at the moment so I’d imagine it wouldn’t be worse than good to soft by the time they go to post for the 2.30.

The one I am interested in here is the Olly Stevens-trained filly Lightning Thunder. I’m a big fan of maiden races from Newbury and Newmarket and the daughter of Dutch Art beat a useful Hannon horse that had the benefit of a previous outing in Tea In Transvaal. That may not sound like top class form but it was the manner of her victory that impressed me.

She was held up in midfield before moving up smoothly on the near side and then quickening up to challenge the favourite. She ducked away slightly from the whip but she can be forgiven that on her racecourse debut and the trainer believes she could be a Group 1 filly. If all goes well at Doncaster, she may finish her season in either the Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket or at Longchamp on Arc day in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

The trainer’s words suggest that nothing short of victory is expected tomorrow. He said: “From the first time we saw her at the sales she looked the part. It is too soon to aim her at Pattern company so she will run in a conditions race at Doncaster next week before looking to bigger pots. I would expect her to show definite improvement at Doncaster.”

Justice Day has the best form in the book having been beaten only 3 lengths in the Gimcrack last time whilst Expert represents the Hannon-Hughes combination. The grey by Mastercraftsman has had his limitations exposed in better company and may have to play second fiddle to Lightning Thunder.

With concerns about the state of the ground it is difficult to get too excited about the rest of the card. It will be interesting to see how Gatewood fares now that he is back in the care of John Gosden. His Australian campaign faltered after a rushed preparation to try to make the Melbourne Cup line up and he has been sent back to Newmarket in the hope of rekindling his enthusiasm. He may be a difficult horse to place now that he has exhausted handicap options so a watching brief is advised.

Lightning Thunder 5-2 (Ladbrokes)