Tag: Grandeur

Lingfield Winter Derby Trial day preview

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It is Winter Derby Trial day at Lingfield on Saturday with a fine supporting card. The action starts at 1.15 with eight races including the valuable Ladbrokes Handicap and the Listed Cleves Stakes.

Ryan Moore is in attendance, mainly to ride Grandeur in the big race but he is also certain to have his supporters on Nigel’s Destiny in the opening race at 1.15. The lightly-raced four-year-old will be having only the seventh race of his career and could be one to follow this season. He is up against some in-form opponents here including Presumido and Until Midnight. They won last time out at Kempton and Chelmsford respectively but I am going to go for Franco’s Secret.

Peter Hedger’s gelding has improved steadily in recent months and showed an electric turn of foot to win here last time. Charles Bishop has ridden him in each of his starts to date and will be planning to arrive fast and late again here.

I am a big fan of Andrew Balding’s Intransigent who went from strength to strength last season. He seems equally effective at six and seven furlongs and starts his new campaign in the Listed race at 1.45. My only concern is that he seems a better horse in the autumn and winter and may not quite be at his peak at present. Foxtrot Romeo was runner-up in the Irish 2000 Guineas in 2012 and recorded his first win since at Wolverhampton in November. Marco Botti may have finally unlocked the key to the son of Danehill Dancer and he just gets the vote.

The Ladbrokes Handicap looks like a minefield for punters with various lines of form. The key to the race could be the form of Shyron’s recent victory when he beat Grey Mirage, Brave Echo, Brigliadoro, Related and Firmdecisions here. Having watched the re-run several times, I see no real reason to think that the placings should be any different here. I would expect Related to finish closer but Shyron can confirm the form.

Godolphin are mopping up the maiden races on the all-weather tracks and Chorus Of Lies could be another winner for them at 2.50. He showed plenty of potential on turf last winter and has only Balding’s Opera Lad to fear, a promising third on his racecourse debut.

In the Winter Derby Trial, I am reluctant to oppose Grandeur who has done us a few good turns in the past. He won this race last season but was beaten by the draw in the Winter Derby. He faces some useful opponents including course specialist Maverick Wave and the promising Cloudscape. The latter could be one to follow this season but I am siding with another Botti runner in Grendisar. He does not always find as much off the bridle as appears likely but he is ultra-consistent and could just take this if Grandeur is a little rusty.

Franco’s Secret 1.15 Lingfield @4-1 Betfair

Foxtrot Romeo 1.45 Lingfield @6-1 Bet365

Shyron 2.15 Lingfield @7-2 William Hill

Chorus Of Lies 2.50 Lingfield @11-4 Bet365

Grendisar 3.25 Lingfield @5-1 Betfair

Goodwood Wednesday Preview

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Air Pilot (9-2) gave us a profit on Saturday although we were out of luck in the Ayr Gold Cup with Blaine finishing only third. Air Pilot is now favourite for Saturday’s Cambridgeshire at Newmarket and we shall be previewing that race later in the week.

Goodwood holds an interesting midweek card on Wednesday with our old friend Grandeur returning to one of his happy hunting grounds. Jeremy Noseda’s grey won this race a year ago and has been busy clocking up the air miles since.

He has been running consistently in Grade 1 races in America and was unlucky not to come back with at least one victory. Noseda blamed Gary Stevens for an ill-judged ride when fourth in the Manhattan Stakes and Grandeur received a hefty bump last time when beaten in a photo in the Bowling Green Handicap.

If he is anything like that kind of form on Wednesday, he should beat Danadana on level weights. There must be a slight concern about fitness after a 74-day absence but he has only been defeated once in four races at the Sussex course and is difficult to oppose.

Dissolution gets an opportunity to restore his reputation after being beaten favourite in his last two starts for Sir Michael Stoute. He ran a race full of promise at Newbury on his debut but has since been beaten at York and Haydock. James Doyle had to give him a smack after only a furlong last time and a visor is being tried on Wednesday. He ran on strongly but could not catch Lord Ben Stack. The winner could turn out to be useful and the third was left trailing by five lengths so Dissolution gets one more chance.

One horse that has already been transformed by the headgear is Ganymede. Eve Johnson Houghton applied the blinkers at Kempton where he ran out a most impressive winner before following up at Salisbury. He had previously raced too keenly over longer trips but seems to be settling much better in the blinkers. A 7lbs hike in the weights was inevitable after a couple of facile victories but I’m sure he can go well here for Jim Crowley. The big field should not be a concern as the likes of Belle Bayardo can give him a nice lead into the race. The veteran Parisian Pyramid is the danger after his good effort at Epsom last time.

Dissolution 2.40 @Bet365

Grandeur 3.50 @11-10 Paddy Power

Ganymede 4.55 @6-1 Bet365

Lingfield Friday Preview

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Lingfield stages the All-Weather Championships on Friday with a seven-race card offering excellent prize money. I am not a particular fan of the all-weather and I’m not convinced that this meeting with improve the level of competition. Dubai World Cup night it is not but you have to applaud them for trying.

At the last big meeting here we had hopes of a double with Grandeur and Ertijaal. Unfortunately the former let us down as Ryan Moore was unable to get cover from his wide draw. Both horses are back for more and have been treated much more kindly by the draw on this occasion.

Ertijaal has drawn four in the 3-year-old championship as he bids to follow up his course and distance victory over American Hope. The winning margin was only a head that day but it is worth remembering that he was drawn 13 and was having only the third run of his life. In the circumstances he did well to hang on under a determined drive from Paul Hanagan. Talk of a tilt at the 2000 Guineas seems to have been shelved and I see no reason to desert him here.

I am not quite sure what to make of Grandeur after his disappointing defeat last time. I had concerns, not just because of his being drawn in the car park but also the fact that he was fitted with cheek pieces for the first time. Ryan Moore felt that he had been lazy when hitting the front on his previous start but it is impossible to say whether they had any effect.

Robin Hoods Bay seized his opportunity to win well and Rebellious Guest continues to run well for George Margarson. John Gosden’s winning machine struck on the opening day of Newmarket with a double and he relies on Dick Doughtywylie. I’ll stick with Grandeur who should be able to settle nicely from stall 2.

Roger Charlton has faith in Captain Cat despite being edged out by Robin Hoods Bay last time. The five-year-old son of Dylan Thomas was on a few short-lists for the Lincoln at Doncaster but Charlton withdrew him due to the soft ground. He could be worth a bet in the mile race with his form working out nicely.

Perhaps the toughest race on the card is the Sprint with many old favourites joined in combat once again. I’m not convinced that Hawkeyethenoo is completely in love with this all-weather lark while Stepper Point goes beyond five furlongs for the first time. It may be worth taking a chance with Valbchek for the Noseda and Moore combination at the available odds.

Lingfield

2.55 Ertijaal

4.05 Valbchek at 7-1 Coral

4.40 Captain Cat at 6-1 Ladbrokes

5.20 Grandeur at 5-2 Bet365

Winter Derby 2014 Preview

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Jeremy Noseda’s Grandeur has already done us a few good turns including when winning the Winter Derby Trial recently. He looked a class above his rivals that day and the race will have brought him to his peak nicely for Saturday.

The £100,000 Winter has attracted a good class field but Grandeur still comes out on top on official figures. Surprisingly, he is yet to win above Listed class in Britain although he has won twice at Grade 2 level in America. He was runner-up to Mukhadram at York in July and also picked up a decent race at Goodwood in good style. His main target was the Arlington Million but he faced an impossible task from a wide draw that day and finished only seventh.

He had over a stone in hand on official ratings here last time but credit to Modernstone for getting fairly close in the closing stages. Ryan Moore gets on well with Grandeur and is already booked for Saturday. It looks like being a maximum field so hopefully he can avoid a wide draw.

The classiest performer in the opposition is 2011 Dewhurst Stakes winner Parish Hall. His last race was in the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October when ninth to Farhh. That was possibly flying a bit high and he would be a threat if he’s fit enough.

The former Mark Johnston-trained Windhoek won a handicap on his first start for Godolphin in January. He was a useful three-year-old last season, competing in several classic trials. His best chance is probably to be up with the pace as he seemed to lack a real turn of foot.

It will be interesting to see how Rebellious Guest gets on in this company. He did us a favour here a few weeks ago and I was kicking myself for deserting him at Kempton last time where he set a new track record. That was his first attempt at a mile and a quarter so there could be further improvement in him.

Graphic was progressive for William Haggas last season and I have plenty of respect for him too. He could develop into a group performer this season. It’s certainly shaping up to be a very good renewal of a race that hasn’t quite captured the imagination in recent years.

Grandeur at 6-4 Bet365

Winter Derby Trial Preview

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There is a full programme of racing this weekend for a change with good quality action on the flat and over jumps. Kempton and Newcastle take centre stage but the Winter Derby Trial at Lingfied is also worth a second look.

Jeremy Noseda’s Grandeur leaps out of the page as being in a different class to tomorrow’s rivals. His nine rivals have some decent all-weather form between them but Grandeur has shown himself more than capable in Grade 2 events worldwide and I’ll be disappointed if he is beaten tomorrow.

The son of Verglas was a very decent handicapper as a three-year-old, winning twice at Goodwood and progressing right through the summer. Noseda felt that he would prove ideally suited by racing in America and took him over to the States in the Autumn.

It proved to be an inspired move with victory at Santa Anita in the Grade 2 Twilight Stakes at the first time of asking. He went on from there to finish second in the Hollywood Derby behind Unbridled Comment and rounded off a very profitable stay in America by winning the Grade 2 Hollywood Cup.

Noseda was in no particular rush with him last summer but he showed that he was as good as ever when finishing strongly in second place behind Mukhadram in the Group 2 York Stakes in July. The winner had just come from a fine run in the Eclipse so that was top notch form. The Arlington Million was his next target but he could never get competitive from his wide draw and ran on into seventh place.

He then won easily at Goodwood in Listed company before being sent over to contest the Hong Kong Cup in December. Ryan Moore did not enjoy the best of runs that day but he was not beaten that far behind Akeed Mofeed.

I can’t see any form of that quality in the opposition on Saturday. Robin Hoods Bay was tried at this level after winning a Haydock handicap but struggled. He beat Captain Cat by a head when returning to handicap company while Modernstone has done well for William Knight. I thought she was unlucky to beaten by Castilo Del Diablo in a handicap before reversing the form in a conditions race last time.

Chookie Royale is tough and consistent but the Wolverhampton race he won by seven lengths was a long way short of anything Grandeur has contested. Hajras did finish second to Mull Of Killough at Newmarket two seasons ago but has obviously had problems since.

Grandeur at 9-4 Coral

Hong Kong Cup Preview

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Bookmakers Sportingbet are featuring the four main races from Sha Tin this weekend and they are offering some great value bets on the European runners.

I have already previewed the prospects of The Fugue (Vase) and Moonlight Cloud (Mile) and am confident that they will give us a great run for our money. I am concerned about the prospect of fast ground for Moonlight Cloud but her class may see her through.

The Hong Kong Cup sets a similar poser with Cirrus Des Aigles clearly the best horse in the race but not certain to reproduce his best form on a fast surface. Sportingbet offer him at 5-1 which is very tempting! I would love to see him win this at the age of seven but I am haunted by his performance at Ascot in the King George where he patently hated the fast ground.

Normally I wouldn’t put Grandeur in the same league as Cirrus Des Aigles but the going can be a great leveller and the grey absolutely bounces off fast ground. Five of his seven victories have been on a fast surface and he comes here on the back of a light campaign.

He looked to have a leading chance in the Arlington Million this year before drawn in the car park. He made late headway into seventh place and can be rated a lot better than that. He went on to win nicely at Goodwood and Jeremy Noseda has had this race in mind for him all season. He is priced as high as 40-1 with Sportingbet and must have an each-way chance.

According to the bookies, the Sprint is going to be won by Lord Kanaloa. Admittedly he has an impressive wins to runs ratio and will be tough to beat, especially as the Europeans have never won the sprint here. However, I think that the two Irish horses are overpriced on their best form.

Sole Power won at Royal Ascot and Slade Power won on Champions’ day. Both of them like to hear their hooves rattle but the fact remains that Sole Power has yet to win beyond five furlongs. For that reason, I prefer the claims of Slade Power at a generous 14-1 with BetVictor.

Sportingbet also seem to be underestimating the claims of Galileo Rock in the Vase. They have priced him at 9-1 whilst he is a top priced 6-1 in the UK. The colt was third in the Epsom Derby, second in the Irish Derby and third in the St Leger. He is lightly raced and loves fast ground so I could see him sneaking into the frame.

Hong Kong Vase – Galileo Rock (each-way) 9-1 Sportingbet

Hong Kong Sprint – Slade Power (each-way) 14-1 BetVictor

Hong Kong Cup – Grandeur (each-way) 40-1 Sportingbet