Saturday 29 August 2009

PLONKER OR DEL BOY?


Last week it was Canford Cliffs nether the microscope.. this time Delegator aims to justify his big money price tag ...
Money can't buy you love or a winner when it comes to fancy priced deals in racing.
Last week, Canford Cliffs a half share in whom cost a bundel prior to Royal Ascot, put his report on the line and fell unhappily short.
Today Delegator, already winner of the Craven Stakes and runner up in both the 2,000 Guineas and the St James's Palace wagers at Royal Ascot is out to prove that the millions Sheikh Mohammed paid out to have him conveyanced from Brian Meehan to Godolphin has not been money dissipationed
He's odds on favourite, so punters will hope the Sheikh's got his sums right.

Sunday 23 August 2009

Chester’s totescoop6 Handicap Surour on a roll


Suruor is aerial to rack up his fourth victory since joining David Simcock in Chester’s totescoop6 Handicap (3.30).
Not many horses improve upon walking out of Mark Johnston’s stable but Suruor is such a excellent bird.
Apart from a 17th placing in Royal Ascot’s Britannia Stakes, the castrated son of Intikhab has made the first two in five races, including accomplishment at Warwick, Newmarket and Goodwood.
After taking the silver at Ascot last month, Suruor was back in the winner’s addition on the Sussex downs 19 days later and can defy a 3lb rise.
Johnston can also make the scoresheet courtesy of SABOTAGE in the totepool Chester Handicap (2.55).
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The Halling bay completeled behind this afternoon’s rivals Munsef and Mystery Star over a mile and a half at Ascot’s King George fixture.
Unable to get aggressive over the same trip at Royal Ascot, Sabotage then took third behind Polly’s Mark at Ascot a fortnight ago.
Johnston returns Sabotage to a mile and six today he was beaten a nose over the trip at York four outings ago and it should see the chosing get a second course win.
Despite having to carry top weight, INVINCIBLE LAD gets the vote in the opening toteplacepot Handicap (2.25).
Eric Alston’s five year old ran a cracker when third to Blue Jack over the minimum tour at Glorious Goodwood last month, and should find this a less taxing allocation.

Thursday 20 August 2009

Nunthorpe to Radio tuned


Kingsgate Native landed the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes as a juvenile in 2007 and Radiohead bids to rerun the feat in Friday's Group 1 heat at York.

Brian Meehan's colt did extremely well to overcome trouble in running and land the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, and one thing in favour of the juvenile the only two year old in the field is the huge weight for age agreement which he receives.

Meehan told www.brianmeehanatmanton.com: "Radiohead produced a high-class effort at Royal Ascot and we think this race will play to his strengths again. There should be enough of pace early on, the five furlongs is ideal and the ground should suit."

He added: "The fact that he gets all the allowances is a further encouragement to his chance and his work in his build up to this race advice he is in excellent form."

Jeremy Noseda accept he is taking a bit of a punt with Mythical Border, not seen since finishing down the field in the Cheveley Park Stakes. Before that, though, she had shown plenty of ability when third in the Flying Childers.

Noseda told www.jeremynoseda.com: "William Buick will ride this filly. Admittedly it is an ambitious target for a filly having her first run of the season but we feel, looking at the available chance over five furlongs, that we have nothing to lose by letting her take her chance."

Sunday 16 August 2009

ideal distance to Useful Gleam to shine


Arabian Gleam can bounce back to form at his favourite distance to land the CGA Hungerford Stakes (3.10) at Newbury today.
The Jeremy Noseda trained five year old apparently hasn't been an easy horse to deal with, having been bound to 13 course starts.
But he's got more than his beautiful allowance of ability, having won Doncaster's Park Stakes like this afternoon's feature a Group 2 over seven furlongs for the past two years.
Making his return at the end of May, the selection ran a thoroughly commendable third to the improving Main Aim at Haydock, and was out of his depth when well beaten behind Paco Boy in the onemile Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot the following month.
The step down in grade and trip should show him in a different light here.

After a staying on third behind Bronze Cannon in Ascot's Hardwicke Stakes, DANSANT is worth his place in the line up for the CGA Geoffrey Freer Stakes (2.35).
Six times a winner at Listed level for Ger Butler, the Dansili five year old approach an carried mile and five furlongs for the first time.
But he was strong at the finish over a mile and a half on the Royal heath, and can chime at Group 3 level for the first time.
The Listed Usk Valley Stud Stakes (2.05) can go to AZMEEL, who impressed with a entry victory at Sandown at the end of last month.
The CGA Ladies Day Handicap (3.45) looks trappy, but SWIFT GIFT is taken to get back in the winner's enclosure after a disappointment in Ascot's Buckingham Palace Stakes.

Tuesday 11 August 2009

Leger trail on Time

Henry Cecil is pleased with the progress his Ladbrokes St Leger heartening Father Time has been making since his commanding display at Royal Ascot.
The Dansili colt powered away with the King Edward VII hazard in June and will have his definite race before the Classic in the Great Voltigeur at York next week.
Cecil told his website, www.henrycecil.com: "The plan since Ascot has been the St Leger. We gave him a short break after Ascot and conclude that the Voltigeur was the consummate race to see where we're at with him."
He added: "He seems to be advancement nicely both mentally and physically and is very happy in himself."
Father Time is a 6-1 all of a sudden with the patron for the final Classic of the season, although Cecil could have a possible dark horse for the race in 19-length Newmarket winner Manifest.
"He won really nicely, but he has had only two races so I do not want to take on older horses," added Cecil.
"I haven't yet authorited out the St Leger, but we'll have to see what Father Time does as he runs for the same connections (Prince Khalid Abdullah)."