Brides Bay represents a solid ‘professional special’ for a ten-runner six furlongs Novice Stakes on Chelmsford polytrack tonight; ‘next time’ went into my notebook after Richard Hughes’ charge finished a close, creditable fourth to Benefit over a similar distance on Wolverhampton tapeta five weeks ago. There is a trump card too!
This twice-raced Cable Bay juvenile is advantaged by a fillies allowance and extremely capable apprentice, George Rooke, attached to Hughes, still claims 3lbs. These are serious pluses and Bride’s Bay will carry 15lbs less than forecast favourite, Dynamic Force, a Kodiac colt which is penalised.
On the time-handicap Oisin Murphy’s mount faces a monumental task and Andrew Balding-trained War In Heaven can’t be dismissed, along with a couple of well-bred newcomers; I’ll be disappointed if Brides Bay doesn’t land my nap and make it third time lucky.
Three-year-old Delta River, also by Kodiac, and gelded, is favoured by weight-for-age conditions of a six-runner Claiming Stakes over seven furlongs; indeed but for a moderate Thirsk effort last month, on the back of several useful runs, David Evans’ runner would be a firm favourite.
On my time-handicap Delta River definitely has a strong call and is ridden by Sean Levey, a real ‘favourite’ of this column; ‘you can’t beat the draw’ and around the North Yorkshire course my selection couldn’t have been berthed worse.
We’ll certainly get a decent each-way price because Delta River has failed in all twelve outings to date, on the flat and over jumps, but I’ll chance him and Night Of Luxury in a fourteen-runner Novice Stakes over seven furlongs of Lingfield ‘poly’ which, like the Essex venue, is riding superbly, ideal for punting!
Ignore trainer Saeed Bin Suroor at your peril with his Newmarket yard in tremendous form and twice-raced Night Of Luxury certainly ticks enough boxes under Silvestre de Sousa who, surprisingly, lost his job with King Power Racing recently. No reasons have been given.
The ex-champion is unlikely to be short of work but financially Silvestre will, of course, suffer; the job with Leicester City Football Club owners allegedly paid a million pounds annually!
What beats Night Of Luxury will win, don’t oppose.
Selections, Lingfield, 3.58 Night Of Luxury (e.w); Chelmsford, 5.30 Brides Bay (e.w); 7.00 Delta River (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