Tag: John Gosden

Lingfield All-Weather Championships Preview

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Lingfield stages the All-Weather Championship meeting on Friday with seven good quality races highlighted by the Coral Easter Classic.

It may not be Dubai World Cup night but the blue of Godolphin are very much in evidence once again and Tryster is likely to go off odds-on favourite. The four-year-old is on a winning streak of four after cutting down Grendisar to win the Winter Derby last time out.

I had tipped Grendisar each-way that day after a string of fine efforts but was hoping that Martin Harley would be able to hold him up a little longer. The horse only has one short burst of acceleration and practically pulls himself up in front so I knew what to expect when he led at the furlong pole. In fairness to Harley, it was a very slow early pace and he was probably frightened to get blocked off in his run.

Grendisar has now been in the first two in all of his last ten races and is again available at an each-way price. I’d rather take my chances on him that support Tryster at odds-on.

The All-Weather Mile has attracted a very competitive field including Mindurownbusiness and Sovereign Debt. We tipped both of them when successful at the last big meeting here so we are left with a tricky decision. Both Roger Varian and David Nicholls decided to bypass the Lincoln to wait for this and it is Sovereign Debt who is top on official figures. He is best held up so Joe Fanning will have to weave his way through a big field here.

There seems to be plenty of confidence behind Lexington Times in the three-year-old mile championship. He still holds a 2000 Guineas entry but has a tough rival in John Gosden’s Tempus Temporis. Blinkers seem to have been the making of the son of Dynaformer and he has run away with his last two races impressively.

James Tate has his stable in good form and I like the chances of Lamar in the Fillies’ And Mares’ at 1.40. She was just denied by Grendisar last time out and has most to fear from French raider Fresles. She was a close second to Intransigent here over six furlongs in November so will be familiar with the surface.

Lingfield Friday

Lamar 1.40 @7-1 Coral

Tempus Temporis 2.40 @3-1 Ladbrokes

Sovereign Debt 3.15 @7-2 Bet365

Grendisar 3.45 @6-1 Betfair (each-way)

Lincoln Ante-Post Preview

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With Cheltenham now behind us, Flat racing fans will be getting excited about the new turf season. Apparently Gleneagles has been catching pigeons at Ballydoyle and has been backed off the boards for the 2000 Guineas while the powers-that-be have been tinkering with the jockeys’ championship dates. Of more immediate interest is the Lincoln Handicap, the traditional cavalry charge at Town Moor.

There will be all of the usual debate about the draw and the going and the last four results makes you wonder whether or not it is wise to get involved. They have been 16-1, 25-1, 20-1 and 20-1. Prior to that there were two well-backed favourites in Expresso Star and Penitent. They were trained by John Gosden and William Haggas respectively so that is a good place to start.

At present, the Haggas-trained Mange All is 6-1 favourite with the Gosden-trained Gm Hopkins at 8-1. Mange All won a decent prize at Ascot in July when just getting up to beat American Hope by a neck. He ran a good race under a penalty next time when beaten by The Corsican and rounded off his three-year-old season by finishing fourth to Gm Hopkins in the Silver Cambridgeshire. He is 3lbs better off for three and three-quarter lengths with the winner.

Gm Hopkins was put up 9lbs for that win and was only fourth at York before finishing third at Nottingham off the same mark. Both trainers obviously know what they are doing but neither really appeals at single figure prices.

Ed Dunlop has an interesting contender in Zarwaan, a winner over six furlongs at Haydock in July and runner-up to Chatez in the Silver Bowl at the same course. He then ran a fine fifth of 30 in the Britannia at Royal Ascot before finishing fourth at Newmarket in a Listed race.

Last season we tipped Gabrial’s Kaka with trainer Richard Fahey quite bullish about his chances in the build-up to the race. He was there with every chance three furlongs out but faded back into sixth place. He won the Newbury Spring Cup next time out and had a crack at most of the big mile handicaps after that. He was badly drawn on his final start and now races off a 6lbs higher mark than last season.

Before rushing in on him, it is worth noting that he is also entered in the Irish Lincoln and is a possible for the Doncaster Mile. Just to confuse matters further, stable companion Gabrial also holds an entry her. He would be a blot on the handicap on his best form but he has been tried in everything except the boat race in recent seasons. He showed that he still retains his ability when winning at Leicester in October but he is still 11lbs lower than his previous best.

Mindurownbusiness and Belgian Bill are others worthy of note. The former did this column a favour when winning at Wolverhampton recently in the trial race and gets in here on a 2lbs lower mark. Belgian Bill has been running with great credit in Dubai but neither is proven on soft ground. Zarwaan gets a tentative vote at this stage.

Zarwaan @12-1 William Hill

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

Deuce Again a topical tip at Southwell

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Leicester and Wetherby both face early morning inspections on Tuesday to see if racing can go ahead. Much of the UK was in the grip of freezing conditions on Monday so I’ve decided to study the all-weather at Southwell where racing is guaranteed.

There are a couple of decent handicaps on the card, starting with the five-furlong dash at 2.30. The one I like here is Zac Brown who shoulders a 6lbs penalty for his impressive win on the opening day at Chelmsford City.

The four-year-old son of Kodiac wore a hood for the first time that day and settled nicely in the hands of Graham Gibbons. Victory was never in doubt once he delivered his challenge at the furlong pole, drawing three and a quarter lengths clear of It Must Be Faith.

He beat Dissent by three lengths at Wolverhampton in November but refused to settle next time when only fourth behind Secondo. The hood seems to have made all the difference and he can track the leaders before arriving late.

The pace is almost certain to be set by Michael Appleby’s Scarborough who beat the in-form Extreme Supreme here a week ago. The four-year-old daughter of Dandy Man bounced out of the stalls and was never headed. She will be the target for Zac Brown in the closing stages.

My second selection is the topically-named Deuce Again, trained by John Gosden. Southwell may be a long way from the Australian Open in Melbourne but this filly could at least cheer up the freezing punters on this side of the globe. She is a beautifully bred daughter of Dubawi and Gosden will be eyeing some black type for her at some stage.

She showed plenty of promise in two decent maiden races at Newbury last summer, notably when third to the more-experienced Saab Almanal and Smiling Stranger over a mile and a quarter. She could not have won any easier than she did here last time, her rider Robert Havlin risking a serious neck injury with some extravagant looks over his shoulder in the home straight.

The handicapper has given her a mark of 84 but that can only be based on guesswork. Godolphin’s Solidarity would be an obvious threat but you would have to discard his poor effort when trailing home last on his most recent outing.

Zac Brown 2.30 @5-2 Paddy Power

Deuce Again 3.05 @7-4 Ladbrokes

Great Leighs racecourse re-opens as Chelmsford City

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When Great Leighs opened in 2008 it became the first new racecourse in Britain for 80 years.  After staging forty meetings, the administrators were called in the following year but the course is set to be re-born as Chelmsford City on Sunday.

The course is now owned by Betfred who have invested in a new grandstand and plan to run it is a leisure venue. There are 58 meetings scheduled for this year, kicking off with Sunday’s seven-race card which begins at 12.50. The opening day is restricted to around 750 guests but future meetings will be open to the public with an increased capacity of 10,000.

Newmarket trainer John Gosden who is a great supporter of all-weather racing and likes to keep his stable ticking over through the winter months. He saddles Zamoura in the 1.20 and Tempus Temporis in the feature event, the Betsi Golden Mile at 2.50.

Zamoura is a three-year-old filly by Azamour out of a mare by Observatory. She created a good impression on her racecourse debut at Lingfield last month when just beaten on the nod by Dreamlike. She took a little while to realise what was required of her but came through strongly under Nicky Mackay to lead inside the final furlong. She has an extra two furlongs to travel here and should have more scope than Richard Fahey’s Pin Up.

Punters are unlikely to get rich on Zamoura but there may be some value with Godolphin-owned Tempus Temporis. He looked decidedly moderate in his first three starts but was transformed by first-time blinkers at Kempton last month. He swept past some more experienced handicappers to win by six lengths and is worth his chance at this level. His biggest threat may come from another Godolphin horse in Super Kid, runner-up at Lingfield over seven furlongs last time out.

The blue of Godolphin could land the opener with Tryster who last ran at Newmarket in much better company. The son of Shamardal was no match for First Flight in receipt of 4lbs but had previously been impressive when winning by five lengths at Brighton in the summer.

Robert Cowell’s Exceedingly could be worth each-way support in a competitive looking sprint at 1.50 while Rizal Park could still be on a winning mark in the 3.20. Andrew Balding’s four-year-old by Amadeus Wolf beat a decent sort in Nigel’s Destiny at Kempton last month and could go close under a 5lb penalty.

Tryster 12.50 @2-1 Ladbrokes

Zamoura 1.20

Exceedingly 1.50 @10-1 Bet365

Tempus Temporis 2.50 @7-2 Coral

Rizal Park 3.20 @4-1 BetVictor

Leah-Anne Avery to star at Kempton

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The miserable weather in the UK has resulted in a very poor turnout at Newbury on Thursday so I am switching my attention to the all-weather at Kempton Park.

The action gets under way at 3.55 with eight races to keep the flat racing fans happy. All eyes will be on apprentice jockey Leah-Anne Avery at 4.55 as she bids to complete a hat-trick aboard Cadmium. She is apprenticed to Harry Dunlop and has impressed many with her neat riding style on the three-year-old.

Cadmium has improved dramatically since the Autumn and looked as though she won with a bit in hand last time when accounting for Silvee by a length and three-quarters. Her rider always had her handily placed just off the lead and nipped up the inside before repelling all challengers. The handicapper has put her up 4lbs but Avery is able to claim her 7lbs allowance here and has a great chance of completing the hat-trick.

John Gosden seems to have plenty of ammunition for the winter months and Colour Party should follow up her recent Wolverhampton victory in the featured nursery at 6.25. She had previously finished second in a big field at Newmarket and has more scope than any of her rivals. The danger is probably Richard Fahey’s Zaza Zest who romped home by eight lengths on her first attempt at seven furlongs last time.

Spring Fling could be ahead of the handicapper in the last if she can overcome a wide draw. If she were able to reproduce her Salisbury form from May against Lightning Moon she would win this by a street. She got to within a quarter of a length of Ed Walker’s colt who went on to win a Group 3 at Ascot in October. He is officially rated 98 while Spring Fling gets in here off a mark of 80.

Ralph Beckett knows how to train a filly and has two Epsom Oaks winners to his credit. He sends out a couple of interesting runners on Thursday in Engaging Smile (5.25) and Redstart (5.55). Engaging Smile ran on well into fourth on her debut and would have finished second with a clearer run up the straight. She has most to fear from Gosden’s Rastanora while Redstart was narrowly beaten at Leicester on her debut.

Michael Bell’s Niblawi should go well in the 4.25 after shaping nicely on his debut here last week. He was narrowly beaten by Miss Underwood but this looks an ideal opportunity to get off the mark.

Niblawi 4.25 @23-20 Betfair

Cadmium 4.55 @11-4 Betfair

Engaging Smile 5.25 @6-5 Betdaq

Redstart 5.55 @9-5 Betfair

Colour Party 6.25 @2-1 Bet365

Spring Fling 6.55 @3-1 Coral

 

Nottingham Wednesday Preview

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Betcirca followers got off to a flying start at Windsor on Tuesday with Navigate (4-7), Magic Dancer (10-11) and Geordan Murphy (100-30).  So Noble brought the winning streak to an end with a disappointing run but we move on to Nottingham on Wednesday and I’ve picked out three on the card.

The first one that catches my eye is Storm The Stars for William Haggas in the two-year-old maiden at 3.00. He was second at Newmarket on his debut to Aloft and that looks high-class form after Aidan O’Brien’s colt finished second in the Racing Post Trophy at the weekend.

It is true that five horses finished within a length in the Newmarket race but the form should easily be good enough to win a maiden at Nottingham. The main danger could come from John Gosden’s unraced Golden Horn a son of Cape Cross. His dam never raced and Storm The Stars has experience on his side.

The handicap at 3.30 is fascinating, if only because it sees two unbeaten colts pitched in after just one race. Lightning Spear won a Kempton maiden over a year ago but trainer Olly Stevens has been unable to get him back on the track. I know that he has missed some ambitious entries in recent weeks so he is presumably regarded as more than an 85-rated horse at home.

As tempting as he is, the 426-day lay-off puts me off just enough to side with John Gosden’s Dubai Star. He made his debut at Pontefract with Robert Havlin on board while William Buick partnered stable companion and hot favourite Fallen In Line. Buick was pushing the head off his mount after a couple of furlongs while Havlin cruised along behind the leaders before easing clear to win by six lengths.

The form of the race isn’t worth the paper that it is written on but he could do no more than win and is rated 84 for his handicap debut. He clearly handles softer ground and is race-fit so gets the vote over Lightning Spear.

The third selection is Andrew Balding’s Nabatean in the staying handicap at 4.00. The Balding team have done us a few favours recently and this one looks like making up into a decent stayer next season. He was racing after a lengthy absence when fifth in a very competitive handicap at Newmarket last time. He was confidently backed that day and it looks like he will be popular with punters again on Wednesday.

Storm The Stars 3.00 @4-7 Betfair

Dubai Star 3.30 @5-2 BetVictor

Nabatean 4.00 @3-1 Bet365