Saturday's Meetings Bangor-on-Dee N/H 8 Races 1:05-5:07p.m. Newbury Flat 7 Races 1:35-5:04p.m. Newmarket Flat 7 Races 1:50-5:20p.m. Wexford N/H 7 Races 1:55-5:25p.m. Navan Flat 7 Races 2:05-5:35p.m. Thirsk Flat 7 Races 2:20-5:45p.m. Chelmsford A/W 7 Races 2:35-6:00p.m. Uttoxeter(E) N/H 7 Races 5:15-8:20p.m. Doncaster(E) Flat 7 Races 5:33-8:40p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
Busy day for me, so will have a modest e/w Patent on these three which I noticed on one of the racing channels. Just no time to study form today, so will have to 'borrow' these selections. Hope they do well. If they do, it's nothing to do with me! All at Newbury: 14:45 - Luminous Light Ryan Moore on board for the Mark & Charlie Johnston yard. 14/1 best price, generally-available. Might have jinxed this one as I never seem to catch the Mark Johnston runners right, even though they get loads of winners. 15:20 - Alcohol Free Rob Hornby rides for the Andrew Balding stable. 12/1 still available in five places. 17:04 - Notre Belle Bete David Probert rides for the Andrew Balding yard. 9/4 is the best price in nearly all places. Almost certain to be favourite. Enjoy the racing folks, will have to catch-up myself this evening with video replays.
All about big, bad Baaeed today - not a betting proposition but a quite brilliant miler. Great that he has been kept in training.
I have some bad news for you, I'm on L. Light 14/1 e/w Uttoxeter 17,50 Time Leader 4/1 bet365 Navan 15,50 Amazing Emma 12/1 e/w six places with sky, others five
Lockinge day at Newbury used to be my one annual visit to Berkshire and it was not just the big race that threw up some decent performers. The London Gold Cup regularly threw up a Group performer that would dot up from a ridiculously generous handicap mark. This year’s London Gold Cup does not appear to contain any handicap blot from one of the big yards unless Israr has just been getting an education in three starts to date. His 89 rating does not look to under rate him based on what he has done, a remark that also applies to Mark Johnston’s Luminous Light on 86 but with Ryan Moore booked. Surrey Mist makes his first foray into handicap company after two easy wins at Kempton but I do not like backing Polytrack form on turf. Mr Big Stuff is still a maiden and was a respectable second for Hollie Doyle on his return in a handicap but his turf form is all on easy ground. Richard Hannon has three runners but it is hard to see how Marsoul, running off 84 after touching off a Stoute hotpot in a poor race at Colwick Park, is shorter in the betting than topweight Razzle Dazzle, a fair fourth in a valuable handicap at HQ on his seasonal return. So by almost a process of elimination, I have arrived at RED VINEYARD. He has won two of his three starts, the most recent his seasonal bow under Tom Marquand (aboard again) but his last place in the Horris Hill here on soft ground (possibly why he ran so badly) suggests that he is well regarded and he was only raised 5lb to 83 for that Sandown win. It is little surprise that unbeaten Baaeed is seriously odds on for the feature race. He created a tremendous impression last year, clearly the best of a moderate three year old bunch. Haggas has plenty of chances on this Newbury card and will surely be straight enough to pick this up on his way to Royal Ascot. That said I was on track the day in 1989 that the brilliant Warning was turned over by Most Welcome, who had previously been second to Reference Point in the 1987 Derby – I have a fantastic portrait shot of him in the runner up spot and he actually looks sad. Of the two fillies in the field, I think I would prefer to look at Alcohol Free for the forecast as she beat Mother Earth in the Coronation Stakes having been behind her in the Guineas. I m guessing that Etonian is in here as a pacemaker for Chindit but it is hard to make a case for the Hannon runner, who did nothing after winning the Greenham at this track. The Al Rayyan Stakes (2:10) is so open that the betting is like a greyhound race. Ralph Beckett’s Scope won the Prix Royal Oak last time he was seen but has only won at less than 14 furlongs on his two year old debut, so I think he is probably here to warm up for something at Royal Ascot. Ilaraab already has a course and distance win to his name and warmed up for this with an ordinary fourth in the John Porter; however, he has done almost all his winning on easy ground. Outbox looks to be the pace angle in this as the only confirmed front runner and his third in the Jockey Club Stakes last time is not bad form. Without A Fight won a couple of small field races last backend but his two races this year saw him touched off by Hukum in a Meydan Group 2 before being totally outclassed in the Sheema Classic. A line through Sheema runner up Yibir gives him no chance with Outbox. Foxes Tales comes here race fit although second in the three runner Gordon Richards does not have any merit; and two of his three wins have come on soft ground. That leads me to ESHAADA, winner of three of her five starts. She was second in the Ribblesdale last year and subsequently won the Fillies and Mares on Champions’ Day. The two negatives are that she has a Group 1 penalty for that win and her fitness has to be taken on trust although the Varian yard is in good form.
Whoosh - hacked up in 2nd gear. Certainly the one to beat over a mile this season and maybe up to 10F?
Baaeed did all that was asked of him in a race that was moderately run and he can only beat what turns up to face him. It was not really much of a surprise post race that connections of many of the vanquished stated that they will be avoiding him from now on. The runner up is a fair horse but Crowley really was just pushing the favourite out and was value for more than the long three lengths at the line. As I was not a fan of last year’s Classic generation, it is easy to just conclude that the two Group 1 fillies from last year are not top draw and they will have to stick to races against their own sex to win anything this term. If a decent three year old filly comes along they will struggle to win at all except races restricted to older horses. On what we have seen of the Classic generation to date, it looks like Charlie Appleby has the two horses that might be able to give Baaeed a race over a mile. With William Haggas suggesting that his star might step up to ten furlongs in the Juddmonte, the only place I could see a clash of the mile generations happening would be the Sussex. I was surprised that the favourite was not hammered in the betting after the pre-race comments that Haggas made.
Phew, just finished helping the missus install an Amazon TV Fire Stick in the front room. Lots of help from an Amazon Customer Service lady. She was great and so very patient. Certainly impressed with the Fire Stick, missus over the moon with it!. Saw one I fancy a bit this evening at Uttoxeter (18:50) and that is Miss Jeanne Moon. Good form for this 4-runner Chase. Tom Scudamore on board for the Neil Mulholland yard. Has been backed already and best price atm seems to be 5/2.
