Another short-priced ‘professional special’ double yesterday became a ‘full house’ because C’mon Kenny was withdrawn earlier due to over-watering at Nottingham, again!
Income is a time-handicap ‘special’ expected to bring reward for serious punters in a twelve-runner Maiden Fillies’ Stakes over six furlongs of ‘good to firm’ Goodwood tonight; a slight concern is extra distance but trainer Richard Hughes is confident this once-raced Profitable filly will go one better under Jamie Spencer.
Veteran Jamie was aboard when Income failed by only a head to beat Sows at Nottingham just nine days ago when quietly-backed; they looked certain to prevail after hitting the front inside the final furlong but Richard Hannon’s charge, also a newcomer, ‘flew’ to grab the spoils dramatically.
Coincidentally neither trainer likes to win first-up because subsequent placing of penalised two-year-olds invariably represents a problem. 7lbs ‘extra’ is tough.
Dual champion jockey Hughes was long-time stable jockey for the Marlborough-based Hannon camp!
Hannon saddles newcomer Goldilocks, it will be interesting to monitor betting patterns but my personal computation measures up to median requirement and if 2/1 or more is offered I’ll invest on Income!
Continuing the two-year-old theme Power Generation looks an obvious alternative to odds-on favourite Jadhlaan in an eight-runner Novice stakes over five furlongs of a similar fast surface at York where ground nowadays dries up like a sponge; millions were spent a couple of years ago, ridding the Knavesmire of its ‘bog’ tag.
Jockeys/trainers are often taken by surprise but soon after the remedial work it was obvious from race-times the dynamic had changed and Ascot, down the straight is also different to yesteryear; for reasons mentioned watering has little or no effect on either venue, especially during hot weather, and next week I’ll be ready for five days of frenetic action during the Royal Ascot meeting.
Power Generation pleased owner/trainer John Quinn and excellent stable jockey Jason Hart when a promising first-up third to evens favourite El Caballo on a ‘soft’ Carlisle surface last month; expected improvement should see the Profitable colt ‘on the premises’ along with twice-raced, Mark Johnston-trained Jadhlaan and, each-way, he’s a must for our daily patent which continually ‘hits the woodwork’ but isn’t resulting in losses. That’s the crux of serious punting, holding your own through a moderate spell.
Summer-jumping is a real ‘favourite’ and by process of elimination Nostalgica ticks enough boxes in the opening Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle over two miles of Newton Abbot; a solid each-way double with Power Generation.
Selections, York, 1.35 Power Generation (e.w); Newton Abbot, 5.30 Nostalgica (e.w); Goodwood, 7.35 Income.
Jeffrey Ross, horse-racing correspondent for WMN since 1983 when winning the most prestigious racing journalist award, Sporting Life Naps Table, before winning it a record number of six times collectively in the Racing Post, the current ‘trade’ paper, including 2019