Wednesday's Meetings Gowran Flat 8 Races 1:00-4:30p.m. Kempton A/W 9 Races 1:15-5:25p.m. Beverley Flat 9 Races 1:35-5:50p.m. Wolverhampton(E) A/W 9 Races 4:05-8:10p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Good Luck
The 1.30 Gowran Park sees Harvard try to better a debut 4th. I backed him last time at 5/2 based on earlier comments from trainer Aidan O'Brien which suggested that the son of Galileo was thought to be "Of Royal Ascot quality" In the end Harvard did not run at the Royal meeting and instead started in maiden company and was well backed from the 5/2 I took into 10/11 but the colt hadn't read the script and was a but wayward when trying to go and win. The jockey reported that the horse was leaning left going up the straight that day and it would be hoped he is more streetwise and ready to show his best today. As I said last time, he was a horse who would probably turn out the best of those who ran that day but that he would be no sort of price next time in a maiden, and so it is with the colt sitting at 8/11 Fav. So Fine has run twice and has the experience advantage but you would hope something else will show a bit of class and be a real prospect. Wuqood is beautifully bred out of Tarfasha, who was fancied the year Taghrooda won the Oaks but he is very weak in the betting. I mentioned River Liffey over on the 2YO thread because he was entered up this week and is a full brother to Lope Y Fernandez. The Joseph O'Brien trained colt was 12/1 last night and I thought he appealed as an each-way play. Only 8/1 now so not so appealing as an each-way but given that Lope Y Fernandez won first time out and Joseph had a good 2YO debutante last week I thought a small win only play at 8/1 was worth a poke with Harvard so short. 1.30 Gowran Park River Liffey 8/1 for the upset.
I am surprised nobody has mentioned that Brentford Hope is out again today. I thought there were a few fans of the Richard Hughes trained colt who was once a dark horse for the Derby and St Leger. He met with a setback that ruled him out of Epsom's showpiece and when he returned it was at a more modest level. That Class 5 Novice at York actually looked quite decent for the standard and it was perhaps not as straightforward a race as it might have seemed for Hughes' impressive winner from a late season contest last year. Sent off 6/4 Fav, Brentford Hope was very slowly away but he started to make eye-catching headway and looked like winning at one stage but he seemed to blow up and faded to finish 5th. Roberto Escobarr won that race and he looked a promising sort for William Haggas and the one I backed, Matthew Flinders, was a shade disappointing, looking like shorter might suit. Semser, ran a similar race to Matthew Flinders and both remain with potential but Thumur, who was 4th was well beaten in 2nd when 11/8 Fav for a Handicap race off a mark of 81, so Brentford Hope will need to improve for his comeback run. We can get 2/1 on Brentford Hope today, so should we be backing him? The horse for money has been Dubai Welcome and he is unsurprisingly by Dubawi. Saeed Bin Suroor is the trainer for a change, I didn't think a lot of the form of this fellow's 2nd place on debut despite winners coming from the race. One of the winners was well beaten next time when warm favourite for a Handicap off 88 (4 and a half lengths behind Cepheus) and the other was beaten into 3rd when 8/11 Fav for a handicap off 86. I can't be backing Dubai Welcome at 9/4. My Frankel improved for the step up to 10F in landing a weak looking race last time and should improve more for the experience and extra 2F today. He should be popular for the Moore/Stoute combination. Casting Vote has a similar profile, after making all last time and staying on strongly, suggesting this 12F should suit. Buick rides him for the Crisfords. Looks between these four and you could see why people might gravitate towards Dubai Welcome getting 7 lbs from the others but I think he's short enough at 9/4. While the other winners in the race could well improve, it is hard to forget the way Brentford Hope loomed menacingly last time after a slow start and he is entitled to come on for that race. If he gets away on better terms today he must have every chance of landing a race of this class and I cannot see the surace being an issue for him. 2/1 is a sufficient carrot for a horse once considered for class races and it might look a big price afterwards. I suppose there could be a bounce factor for some to consider but Richard Hughes is in much better form than when the horse last ran and despite a disappointing season so far I think he can get a smile back on his face today. 4.55 Kempton Brentford Hope 2/1 to enter last chance saloon and come out standing.
Brentford Hope got away much better today and kept tabs on them. He seemed to travel pretty well and Spencer took a peek in behind between his legs at one stage but when asked to pick up the response was not decisive. He seemed to hang fire a bit and lose a few lengths. Spencer then decided to challenge on the inside and was short of room and Brentford Hope again lost ground coming back on the outside. He ran on again a little bit but the race was over. He finished 3rd in a race he looked like winning and some could say it was partly Spencer's fault for managing to be short of room in what was effectively a three horse race but Brentford Hope just didn't look a willing partner at all today. No excuses this time and Brentford Hope just hasn't built at all on a promising debut last season. I would imagine his future lies in Handicaps now but he probably isn't well handicapped on 94.
