Friday's Meetings Wolverhampton A/W 6 Races 1:00-4:45p.m. Newbury Flat 8 Races 1:07-5:05p.m. Nottingham Flat 7 Races 1:15-4:45p.m. Curragh(E) Flat 8 Races 4:25-8:00p.m. Newmarket(E) Flat 6 Races 5:00-7:38p.m. Tramore(E) N/H 7 Races 5:10-8:15p.m. Thirsk(E) Flat 7 Races 5:20-8:23p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
Bustino and I had been talking about the Queen's horse Educator on another thread. The son of Deep Impact is trained by William Haggas and he holds entries in Group races, including the Dewhurst. He runs in a 7F contest at Newbury where Charlie Appleby's Dubawi colt New Kingdom is favourite at 2/1. Educator opened at 7/1 but was quickly cut to 5/1. Interesting to see his odds with other firms, as Bet365 were first to put odds up.
Hello everyone, wishing a good Friday to ye all. Friday the 13th...spooky. Coincidentally - 13 is actually my most favourite number as I am not actually that superstitious. Onto racing and it was three Jessica Harrington runners that caught my attention this evening for the card at Curragh racecourse tomorrow, there are some decent looking races there through the evening. After mulling it over and toying with the likelihood of a Jessie Harrington three timer, I let logic determine my final decision to leave one I felt was least likely to turnaround a piece of form from just last week. That horse is Indigo Balance is the second, so you can almost write what will happen next, can't you? The two I have backed are; Barrington Court 14/1 - 7.00 - very good stayer in recent seasons and had been in fine form prior to a not so good showing on her reappearance in May. She's been given a break again since and with the yard back in decent form at the moment, I feel that Barrington Court could be among the chief threats to the market principals. I have had a win bet at the price as I feel she will either run her heart out and go very close to winning or likely be given an easy time of it if things aren't going to plan. Shona Mea 11/2 - 7.30 - this horse won so easily on Wednesday in Gowran you couldn't help but be impressed. The strength of that race can be dissected until the cows come home but I felt Shona Mea settled beautifully in behind the leaders before unleashing a devastating run up the home straight to put the race to bed in decisive fashion. She has the 6lb penalty here but this is an apprentice race so 4lb is offset, and if that form can transfer to this race then she should be very difficult to beat i think. Have a good day folks.
The Group 3 Royal Whip at the Curragh sees Innisfree return from a 651 day absence. He's entitled to be rusty and the stable form has been poor of late though. Once a Derby contender he must have had a major problem to have been sidelined for so long. The Favourite is Johnny Murtagh's Earlswood, who was 3rd in the Dee Stakes at Chester and his form ties with several familiar names in the 3YO scene. He was 4th in the Irish Derby but beaten nine lengths and Lone Eagle was disappointing next time, as was Wordsworth. Earlswood won a Group 3 prior to that but it was on pretty heavy ground and the race has panned out terribly in 23 subsequent runs. At 2/1 he was a pass from me. There isn't a lot between some of these but I gravitated towards Visualisation. The Joseph O'Brien trained horse has improved steadily this year and ran well at Royal Ascot in the Golden Gates when running off 100 and trying to give subsequent Group 3 winner Foxes Tales 7 lbs. That was a good effort and I think Visualisation is unexposed at today's trip. He handles cut in the ground, has scope for improvement and was three times the price of Earlswood when I backed him at 6/1. Still available at 11/2, I feel he is much better value than the Murtagh horse. 6.00 Curragh Visualisation 11/2 I'll be disappointed if he isn't involved.
Newbury 15,20 Canonized 9/1 e/w five places with Sky and Betfair Tramore 18,45 Small bet on Howluckycanwebe 14/1 e/w bet365 three places, others 12/1 four places. It may be better to wait for the SP 19,15 The Cilleens 6/1
Wasted fancy entries with Educator, as he was beaten after 2F. Never comfortable and soon under pressure his goose was soon cooked and he looks a turkey based on this dismal show. The Appleby horse was desperately short but at least he knew his job and he raced prominently before finishers claimed him and he faded into 5th. Not a bad first effort by any means but for 800,000 Guineas you might have expected something more. The Gosden colt won at 14/1 and he was probably that price due to the stable not having many promising ones this season so far. Inspiral looks far and away the best in the yard to my eyes. The first division was won by a 125/1 shot and some crazy priced 2YOs have won these past few days. Gosden had the runner up Park Street in that one, with the well fancied Franklin William and Haggas's Alvediston both disappointing as joint favourites.
Well that wasn't very good. He looked incredibly backward for a horse entered in the Dewhurst, and ran like it. It beggars belief that someone (was it Haggas or Warren?) thought he was worth those entries given his current state. I thought Wanees was the one to take from this race. Hopefully the two at Newmarket (Improvise and Saga) will make amends by running well.
Afternoon all, Not much takes my fancy today although I’d like to see TREGONY take all the beating in the 4.10 Nottingham. Going up a couple of grades and going for the 5 timer. At Newmarket W Buick could go through the card, currently on the first 5 favs. I think he’ll get at least 3 and the one I’m on is AL SAARIYA 4/1 in the 5.35
Thought Barrington Court ran a race full of promise. Travelled off the pace and came there travelling sweetly enough but she had just been too far back in running to get near the front 3 and the tough as teak Twilight Payment was not going to be for catching today. She will be worth siding with in future. Shona Mea also ran well enough, unfortunately the young apprentice did struggle to handle her when push came to shove and when he had clear daylight to make a challenge, he kept the whip in his left hand and encouraged the horse into the backside of the eventual runner up on two occasions. She looks like there Is races there for her off a higher mark and with a professional back on top she will surely be winning again this season. No returns but I'm not too despondent with either horse as they did well enough.
After taking the lead at the first short bend of the 2020 Melbourne Cup and holding on to win gamely, you would certainly think Twilight Payment was good enough to win another Group race eventually? Today he did, so, really no surprise there IMHO? Should have practised what I preach and backed it, which I didn't!
