Sunday's Meetings Navan Flat 8 Races 1:50-5:20p.m. Salisbury Flat 8 Races 2:00-5:30p.m. Wetherby Flat 7 Races 2:10-5:10p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Place a bet in the Virtual Betting shop here Good Luck
Hello, all. I do like one running at Salisbury tomorrow (5.00). ALJARYAAL, for that is he, doesn’t have a particular inspiring formline (070-) but this is offset by the fact that he makes his handicap bow off just 61 in dear old Wiltshire. As a 2YO Aljaryaal ran in 3 above average maiden / novice heats and although he didn’t trouble the old judge in any of them his run in the second of his three races (at Kempton Park) indicated that he could be an animal with a future and certainly better than one rated in the low 60’s. His pedigree would certainly suggest that Aljaryaal is far better than his rating as he cost connections a whopping 350,000 gns and his dam (the Saddlers Wells mare Jane Eyre) is a half-sister to a Group 3 winner and two Listed victors. Furthermore, and this is where we get into the realms of blue blood, Jane Eyre herself is a daughter of the triple Group 1 winning mare, Albanova. You can say with total conviction then that Aljaryaal should deffo be competing at a higher level than tomorrow’s contest! Aljaryaal’s trio of 2YO races were all over 7-8 furlongs and probably the biggest plus re tomorrow is that he steps up considerably in distance – to a mile and a half. Given his lineage this is a massive positive as Albinova won her Group 1’s at 12 furlongs and that above mentioned Group 3 success was at 11 furlongs. Look you do have to take fitness on trust and that is the drawback re this selection. However, personally, I’d envisage them having Aljaryaal more than ready for his bow as surely they will want to get that perch raised (and this will only be achieved with a good performance) sooner rather than later in order to get the old boy into better, more rich, contests as the term moves forward. In conclusion then I think Aljaryaal is most interesting, of the morrow, especially when you take into account (i) his low rating, (ii) his breeding and (iii) the step up in trip. Good luck all.
Afternoon all.Keeping it simple with a Speckled One double at Navan 8/1 with our friends at Skybet 3.20- Lipizanner 4.20- Santiago to win by 2lts or more
Aidan has said that they felt Willow could develop into an Oaks filly. Generally 6/4 for today's race, she is now 10/1 at best for the Oaks and as low as 7/1. It's a very uninspiring Oaks but Willow needs to come on a fair way from her 94 OR based on three runs last season. I think she is a bit skinny for the Oaks bearing in mind that her stablemate Santa Barbara is the second coming according to market moves and there will no doubt be others appearing in other Oaks trials soon. Today I went against her at the odds with Talacre. The Lyons filly seemed amiss on one occasion I backed her last year but she is not a forlorn hope today and at 9/1 appealed more as an each-way option against the favourite. 3.50 Navan Talacre 9/1 EW
Me too, Ron, I should have known it was ANZAC Day. Anyone who gets the chance when in Thailand should spare a few hours to go down and visit the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. There are close to 7,000 War Graves there, mostly of Australian, British and Dutch soldiers, who died in this dreadful conflict, most of whom were POW's on the construction of the Burma Railroad. What really struck me, and I think I've mentioned this before on here, was the amount of young British soldiers from the East Anglian regiments, hundreds of them, nearly all around 18/19-years-of age. Just awful, I admit to the tears when walking around the cemetery. For those who've never been to Thailand, it's usually pronounced Kanchan-AB-uri, as the pronunciation in pure Thai is pretty difficult. Here's the Wikipedia site on this subject. Kanchanaburi War Cemetery - Wikipedia
Melliferous - 4.50 Navan The further this horse goes the better it gets. Had been in good form until last run which was only 1m 2. Steps back up in trip today and should go close.
Well done anyone who had the forecast in the Salsabil Stakes. Two 33/1 shots provided an 876 Euro dividend. Rocky Sky kicked on and nothing really went with her before the second eventually closed in a little but they were galloped into the ground. My selection Talacre was dawdling around at the back of the field as if being held up to come late but she was in an impossible position before making some modest headway for 6th place. She did best of those in single figure prices with favourite Willow (Backed strongly late) never involved in 7th spot. Willow had been backed to single figure odds in the Oaks before the race but she was quickly pushed out to 33/1 after flopping there and my own Oaks filly Noon Star was backed from 33/1 into 12/1 after landing a minor race at Wetherby well today. If Aidan thought Willow was an Oaks filly, it is surely concerning for Santa Barbara, who is allegedly catching pigeons on the gallops. Maybe the Guineas and Oaks favourite has been thumping moderate horses in her work? Aidan had another disappointment with Santiago at odds on in the Vintage Crop. Baron Samedi, who improved time after time last season had a string of firsts the length of Galileo's pecker but was 12/1 despite being only 3 lbs lower than Santiago on official ratings and he looked a better value bet with more improvement possible this season. Punters thought differently and Joseph O'Brien's horse went off a whopping 20/1. It was Baron Samedi who prevailed and defied the drift to bring up the six timer. Not bad for a horse who started in an apprentice Handicap off 64 last season.
