Goldenhurst possesses enough experience and speed to finally get off the mark in a seven-runner class 5 Maiden Stakes over five furlongs of ‘good to firm’ Bath this afternoon when there is also turf flat-racing scheduled for Hamilton and Lingfield stages an eight-race polytrack card. A satisfactory beginning to September because National Hunt racing is represented at Uttoxeter and Worcester.
My modus operandi is all about avoiding handicaps and I’m sure, after the results of last month, you are happy with this approach to serious betting using either a trixie (three doubles and a treble) or the daily patent which involves three singles; both are devastating because, whenever possible, I’ll insert an ‘anchor’ to hold the bets together.
More often than not each-way wagers are predominant but only when three places are available and process of elimination is satisfactory after scrutiny.
Ten days ago consistent, hitherto luckless Goldenhurst raced for the sixth time when second at Brighton in a nursery over the minimum trip and Richard Hannon’s charge significantly achieved a career-best time-handicap mark under stable apprentice Thore Hammer-Hansen; the Equiano colt ran on strongly to pass the line only a length and a half behind Lucky Shake and Marco Ghiani, fully recovered from a bad fall a few weeks back.
Apart from once-raced, Andrew Balding-trained Elmira, a 50000 guineas Dark Angel yearling, there isn’t a whiff of form among five other rivals, three of which are un-raced and this represents a tremendous opportunity for Thore and Goldenhurst, forecast second-favourite to Stuart William’s charge, mount of David Probert who enjoyed an ‘out of this world’ August, including eight winners at a two-day Ffos Las fixture.
I’ll bet Goldenhurst retrieves last-time-out losses but after watching our nap Maybe Even Never dead-heat at Ripon, Monday, I’ll not count my chickens before they are hatched.
Maybe Even Never missed the break and lost at least two lengths, was rushed into contention, led a furlong out, and caught right on the line; a shambles best describes the scenario and I’ll bet trainer Nigel Tinkler had plenty to say but, this is a tough game and would tame lions!
Another attempting to retrieve recent losses will be 79-rated Sassy Rascal, drawn eight (of 9!) in a Novice Stakes over five furlongs of ‘poly’ at the Surrey venue, where the draw is vital; berthed two down from William Buick’s mount will be twice-raced Richard Hughes-trained Kimngrace, a Profitable filly which comes out similarly. Both have a 5lbs sex allowance.
Bit Of a dilemma this and I’m probably ‘chancing’ by nominating more experienced Sassy Rascal but Buick is a wizard from the gate; hope I’m not kidding myself!
Down the Scottish chute what beats Edward Cornelius will win the five-runner Novice Stakes over the minimum trip.
Selections, Lingfield, 2.30 Sassy Rascal; Bath, 2.40 Goldenhurst; Musselburgh, 4.50 Edward Cornelius.
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