Tag: Godolphin

Sandown Wednesday Preview

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The weekend racing was top class on all fronts with the St Leger at Doncaster, the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and the Arc trials in France. George Baker falling out of the side door with the race at his mercy on Cotai Glory pretty much summed up my Doncaster meeting but it is back to the daily bread and butter stuff this week.

The exception is the clash of two potentially top-class two-year-olds at Sandown on Wednesday. Latharnach and Time Test are set to meet over seven furlongs and both colts hold entries for the top two-year-old events later in the year.

Godolphin are yet to find a genuine colt this season and they are still chasing a first Group 1 victory in Europe. Latharnach made his debut in a maiden race at Newmarket that has proved to be a goldmine for punters. Incredibly, nine of the eleven runners have won since including Basateen, Best Of Times and Typhoon Season.

Last season I highlighted the maiden race won by Taghrooda which produced a high percentage of winners but that has been surpassed by the Newmarket race. Ironically, it was won by Lexington Times who has proved to be a very ordinary juvenile. Latharnach duly obliged next time out here and the form has been boosted by Elm Park who finished third.

Time Test made his debut at Newbury and looked set to win easily until weakening in the closing stages behind Stec. Whether it was fitness or inexperience I am not sure but he made no mistake next time out, beating Sweet Dreams comfortably over course and distance. I am siding with Time Test here but both colts should have a future.

My second tip on the card is for Shama’s Crown in the 4.45. Jeremy Noseda’s filly looks very nicely weighted on a line through Pleasant Valley. Shama’s Crown gave that filly a real fright on her debut and she has gone on to win easily off a mark of 78. She is now up to 87 and contests a Listed race at Yarmouth on Wednesday. That surely leaves Shama’s Crown with a great chance off a mark of 80.

Ryan Moore rode her to a comfortable success over a mile last time out at Windsor but she steps back up to a mile and a quarter here.

Time Test 3.05 Sandown Wednesday @5-6 Betfair

Shama’s Crown 4.45 Sandown Wednesday @13-8 Bet365

Doncaster Wednesday Preview

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Take Note (8-1) was one of three winners at Leicester on Tuesday for Betcirca followers, extending our winning sequence to six consecutive days on UK racing. Wednesday sees the start of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster and we have selections in the first five races on the card.

Having cashed in on Hugo Palmer’s Only Joking when she bolted up by eight lengths in a Thirsk maiden, I simply have to follow her on her handicap debut in the 2.00 race. She was very impressive that day and Palmer has picked up two Group 3 races with his two-year-olds in recent weeks. With William Buick booked for the ride, she is going to be difficult to beat off 8st 7lb. The likely danger is Richard Hannon’s When Will It End who has twice been beaten by Mark Johnston’s useful Grigolo.

I was sorely tempted to go for Markaz in the 2.30 race after the grey ran such a good race at Goodwood last time. However, the form has been let down repeatedly and he looks to have a stiff task on these terms against Angelic Lord. Tom Dascombe’s colt has been racing in top company and ran on dourly behind Ivawood at Newmarket. He was alongside a smart colt in Belardo at the line and a repeat of that run would be good enough.

The Scarborough Stakes at 3.00 looks like an ideal opportunity for Godolphin to start getting some of their money back for the purchase of Reckless Abandon. He was held back by niggling injuries last season but looked to be returning to his best when a close third to Tropics at Newmarket. I liked the way he battled all the way to the line that day and it will be disappointing if he cannot beat a field largely consisting of handicappers. Mecca’s Angel could be the main threat but she really wants a bit more give in the ground than seems likely.

I would not normally get involved in the Legends race but Michael Hills stands out like a sore thumb on Dansili Dutch. He has not long hung up his riding boots and is riding a filly in form with a perfect draw. David O’Meara is also enjoying a good run so it will be disappointing if the grey does not do the business here.

Finally, I was about to start counting my winnings on Clon Brulee at Sandown last week when he cruised to the front. Unfortunately the weight told in the closing stages and he was reeled in by a couple of lightweights. Ryan Moore will be tracking Godolphin’s second-string Cap O’Rushes and aiming to deliver a decisive late challenge here. I am a big fan of Nabucco but, like Mecca’s Angel, he really wants it softer.

Only Joking 2.00 @3-1 Paddy Power

Angelic Lord 2.30 @5-4 Ladbrokes

Reckless Abandon 3.00 @5-2 William Hill

Dansili Dutch 3.35 @6-1 Paddy Power

Clon Brulee 4.10 @2-1 Bet365

Racing Preview Aug 30th

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Time Test was a very impressive winner at Sandown on Friday and looks set to be upped in class by Roger Charlton. It looked more of a staying performance to me rather than a Guineas prospect but I’m not ready to invest in the ante-post market just yet.

Saturday’s racing action opens with an impossible sprint handicap at Sandown before some more promising two-year-olds line up for the Solario Stakes. This doesn’t look like a strong renewal and Aktabantay looks vulnerable to something with a bit more scope. Future Empire fits the bill after knuckling down well to his task when beating subsequent winner Invincible Gold at Newmarket.

Godolphin has yet to win a Group 1 race this season, something that they will surely put right before long. I’m hoping to see the blue colours dominate on Saturday as Fintry makes the trip over to France for the Atalanta Stakes. Andre Fabre does not waste money on fanciful entries so we can assume that she is pretty smart. The danger could be John Gosden’s Water Hole who has won a couple of handicaps and deserves to take her chance at this level.

A huge field of handicappers go to post for the mile and a quarter handicap at 3.50. I’ve been going through the form but keep coming back to the ease with which Clon Brulee won at Newmarket last time. I don’t know the 7lb claimer and a 14 draw may not be ideal but he should go well. Forgotten Hero and Ajmany look the obvious dangers.

Chester also stages a very competitive card and B Fifty Two looks a tempting proposition in the opener. He blazed the trail here earlier in the season and comfortably holds Forest Edge on that form. More significantly, he nearly pulled off a shock win at the York Ebor festival and is housed in stall 2. He must surely go close although I am going to have a small saver on Dungannon who likes the ground and has slipped down the weights.

The seven furlong race at 2.55 is no easier to solve and plenty of people will fancy Foxtrot Tango to end his long losing run. It is true that he was second in the Irish 2000 Guineas and would win this doing cartwheels if he could reproduce that run. However, it is a long time ago now and I prefer the claims of Sir Michael Stoute’s Russian Realm. He was forced wide at York last time and is better with some give in the ground.

Finally, Whiplash Willie can gain a deserved Listed race success at 3.30. I was very disappointed with De Rigueur in the Ebor and the fast ground was blamed for his lack lustre performance. He is the main danger.

Future Empire 2.40 Sandown @9-4 William Hill

Fintry 3.15 Sandown @13-8 Betfred

Clon Brulee 3.50 Sandown @9-1 BetVictor

B Fifty Two 2.20 Chester @5-1 Paddy Power

Dungannon 2.20 Chester @10-1 William Hill (each-way)

Russian Realm 2.55 Chester @8-1 Totesport

Whiplash Willie 3.30 Chester @4-1 BetVictor

Epsom Wednesday Preview

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Epsom stages its traditional curtain raiser for the new season on Wednesday and it is a good quality card. After a lovely sunny Easter, the rain returned on Tuesday and the going is officially soft for the fixture which includes the Derby Trial.

It is a long time since this race lived up to the title but there are some nice colts in action this season. John Gosden runs two unbeaten horses, the pick of which is Marzocco. He has been given an entry in the Dante Stakes at York so has to be respected. I am just going to side with the Godolphin horse Moontime who beat Munjaz at Newmarket last season.

In theory, Gosden will know the time of day with this one as he trains Munjaz. That colt duly won his maiden at the Craven meeting but Moontime has plenty of scope for improvement and could be another for Sheikh Mohammed’s promising bunch of three-year-olds.

The Great Met and The City And Suburban are two of the oldest handicaps on the calendar and it is good to see them attracting decent fields again. Ryan Moore is flying at the moment and he has a great chance of a big handicap double here with Red Runaway and Rock Choir.

Red Runaway is trained by Ed Dunlop and has a healthy weight advantage with Van Percy on last year’s Chester form. Van Percy did beat him at Haydock but that was on firm ground and Red Runaway will be more at home on this surface. He is yet to win over a mile and a half but Moore is not averse to offering his opinion on his mounts and this race looks to have been picked out following his easy Lingfield victory.

Rock Choir lost her way a little towards the back end of the season but only after winning twice for William Haggas and running a fair third in Listed company at Salisbury. She looked the type to progress from three to four and Moore could be a significant booking in a wide open race. Ajman Bridge was slightly disappointing last season for Luca Cumani but still has room for improvement and is rated the main danger.

Red Runaway 2.20 Epsom at 5-1 Bet365

Moontime 2.50 Epsom at 5-1 Coral

Rock Choir 3.25 Epsom at 11-2 Totesport

UAE Derby Preview

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There is a strong supporting card for the Dubai World Cup this year and one horse that I am really looking forward to seeing is Long John. He takes his chance in the UAE Derby having already bolted up in the UAE 2000 Guineas recently.

He ran in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed last year in Australia but is now in the blue of Godolphin as he attempts to make a name for himself in Europe this season. If his first run for Charlie Appleby is anything to go by, he is certainly an exciting prospect for races of a mile and beyond.

The son of Street Cry stormed clear to slam Emirates Flyer by four and a half lengths. He won the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas over a mile in Australia but finished down the field in the Cox Plate on his final start. He has a reputation for being particularly lazy at home and Appleby was warned not to expect too much. Whatever his attitude is at home, there was no doubting the manner of his victory last time and I am in no hurry to oppose the gelding.

However, he does have a serious rival here in Aidan O’Brien’s Giovanni Boldini. He looked destined to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf when Ryan Moore drove him ahead at Santa Anita but he was foiled by a late dash from Godolphin’s Outstrip. The winner is very useful and ties in closely with Toormore who is among the 2000 Guineas favourites at Newmarket.

Toormore had Giovanni Boldini back in third place in the National Stakes at the Curragh earlier in the season but there is little doubt that he improved at the Breeders’ Cup. He holds some classic entries and must be feared despite being low on O’Brien’s batting order for the Newmarket Guineas.

Asmar trounced Emirates Flyer by six lengths in a Listed race here, breaking his maiden in the process. If Emirates Flyer gave his true running, Asmar must also be in with a shot. It isn’t often that you see a colt go from a median auction at Wolverhampton to taking on classic colts but that is the case with Jamie Osborne’s Toast Of New York. It is true that he has won his last two starts by an aggregate of 28 lengths but this still looks a huge step up in class.

Safety Check disappointed me last time and appeared not to get home while Sir John Hawkins and Jallota have had plenty of chances.

Long John UAE Derby at 9-4 Betfair SB

UAE 2000 Guineas Preview

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The racing at Meydan has been a welcome ray of sunshine amongst the gloom and doom of the British winter. With the news relaying stories of the Thames floods and hurricane force winds, it is easy to see why Dubai makes plenty of appeal! The results have also been kind to this column with three wins out of four including Ihtimal’s scintillating display last week.

The colts go on show tomorrow for the UAE 2000 Guineas. On the face of it, this will have little or no bearing on the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket but there is an interesting mix of international performers taking part. Saeed bin Suroor has won this race four times already and is represented by Emirates Flyer and Paximadia.

Emirates Flyer was a winning tip for us last time out, holding off the late run of Safety Check. Five previous trial winners have gone on to win the race proper so it would hardly be a surprise to see Emirates Flyer run well. I liked his game effort in the Redcar Two-year-old Trophy last season and he’s sure to keep plugging away.

Paximadia is a Group Two winner in Australia and has reportedly been pleasing connections but it is Charlie Appleby’s Safety Check that I like for tomorrow’s race. He was a big strong two-year-old and has obviously trained on judged by his run in the trial. He was spotted going easily two furlongs out on the inside but couldn’t quite get to the winner. He’s got a good draw on the inside and is expected to appreciate the step up in distance.

His stable companion Long John could be the main threat. Appleby says that the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas winner shows nothing at home so they are really in the dark going into the race. Apparently he was the same in Australia but still produced the goods on race day.

If untangling the Godolphin runners is tough, then working through the Mike De Kock team is impossible! He has won this five times and has four runners tomorrow. Christophe Soumillon presumably had the pick and has chosen Warwick winner Wednaan. The concern about him is that he was sick when arriving over in Dubai so missed the trial. He could be one to watch for another day.

Nezar and Jallota are more familiar names that help to remind us of warmer days! Nezar was a promising youngster and landed some confident bets at Chester in a nursery before struggling in a higher grade. Jallota competed in a stack of top two-year-old races for Mick Channon last year and is a quality colt. I’m just hopeful that Safety Check can confirm the promise of that trial run.

Safety Check at 12-1 Bet365