Fast Medicine, a maiden after four races but second in his last two outings, should finally go one better in the Maiden Stakes over a mile of Chelmsford polytrack tonight and represents another FUN ‘follow-up nap’ because trainer Jane Chapplye-Hyam’s charge is ‘best-in’ from a somewhat shallow field, apart from one!
A fortnight ago we were similarly confident but Fast Medicine, after making the running at Brighton, was blitzed by a tremendous final furlong surge of heavily-backed favourite Far Hope, mount of apprentice championship contender Marco Ghiano.
What a tremendous young jockey; Marco is a shining light with an engaging, permanent smile and now he’s a father having welcomed a son into this world last month. Ghiani is a genuine character who is being freely tipped for future championships.
My time-handicap indicates Fast Medicine justifies support but I’m concerned about twice-raced Smash Hit to such an extent it’s my intention to have a reverse forecast; the likelihood is a strong pace will sort out the wheat from the chaff, leaving the aforementioned principals to fight out the finish.
In the distant past these bets were foremost in my modus operandi and once landed odds of 250/1 in a big Newmarket handicap which kept the wolf a long way from my door. There were so many others.
Sanitiser has a ‘special’ look in the Novice Stakes over seven furlongs; Paul Cole’s charge stormed home to beat Gaius over a furlong less at Windsor sixteen days ago, staying on strongly in the closing stages. This represents a tremendous distance for two-year-olds so early but it’s not a reason to miss out on a follow-up.
Earlier local Scottish trainer Keith Dalgleish should be on the mark with twice-raced, progressive Ninky Nonk in a seven-runner Maiden Stakes over six furlongs of ‘good to firm’ Hamilton.
Dalgleish, former jockey for Mark ‘winning machine’ Johnston, from whom he must have learned so much, places his horses superbly and is prepared to go far and wide for winners; Ninky Nonk, clear top-rated and strongly-fancied, will be relatively on Keith’s doorstep and crack apprentice Billy Garrity claims 3lbs allowance. On the ‘Hamilton hill’ that can weigh heavily against opposition.
I’ve had a glance at the Royal Ascot programme, impossible; why guess?
Selections, Hamilton, 2.05 Ninky Nonk; Chelmsford, 5.50 Sanisiser; 6.53 Fast Medicine (e.w).
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