Forca Brasil is strongly-fancied to defy a penalty under Rossa Ryan in the Novice Stakes over six furlongs of Chelmsford polytrack tonight and it will take a brave punter to oppose this progressive Cotai Glory colt, which bettered his debut mark when failing to supplement gains over a similar distance on Wolverhampton tapeta twenty-five days ago.
George Boughey’s charge was no match at level weights for odds-on chance Al Barez but his actual time-figure increased by 9lbs and should be good enough to beat eight rivals, five of which need to improve considerably; I’ll be surprised if any is capable of troubling Forca Brasil. Probability is Tom Clover-trained Al Barez will prove graded quality as a three-year-old and must be noted.
Forecast betting suggests Sir Michael Stoute’s once-raced Petal Power will be favourite on the back of an encouraging first-up second to Dark Swansong over seven furlongs of Dunstall Park earlier this month but considerable improvement will be needed despite a 7lbs maiden allowance; others with form are out of it and so of interest will be two newcomers. Good race.
Raydoun has let me down on several occasions, is it justified giving Roger Fell’s charge yet another chance in the sixteen-runner Nursery Handicap over seven furlongs?
My strength over the years has been patience but there is a fine line between stubbornness; some fantastic big-priced winners have resulted from sticking with a proven time-handicap rating and Raydoun, still a maiden after seven attempts, could prove a case in point under 3lbs apprentice Mark Crehan.
This consistent, hitherto luckless well-drawn Moohaajim colt is ‘thrown-in’ and so I’ll give Raydoun another opportunity to make an impression in the Racing Post Naps Table which I won (for the eighth time!) in 2019.
Deauville Legend, one of eleven ‘decs’ for the Novice Stakes over a mile, can’t be dismissed despite having only raced once, twelve weeks ago, when a creditable fourth to 1/2 chance New Kingdom and Dark Moon Rising.
Don’t forget my selections are based on the TH and invariably pay to follow; we can’t win every day, it’s all about every month and we are well in profit for November having successfully negotiated several minefields.
I’ll play an each-way patent today!
Selections, Chelmsford, 4.15 Raydoun (e.w); 4.45 Forca Brasil; 5.15 Deaville Legend (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