Smashing all-weather double at Wolves last night, STERLING KNIGHT, 11/4, and AMANDA HUG ‘N’ KISS, 5/6,; better than guessing on saturated turf, eh?
Doolily, encouraging over course and distance on debut last May but second in three starts since, has an excellent opportunity to benefit from experience in a twelve-runner Maiden Stakes over six furlongs of Kempton polytrack today and is strongly-fancied to finally go one better by trainer Eve Johnson Houghton, a dab hand with two-year-olds and good judge of form.
Eve never wastes a race, like her famous father Fulke she treats horse-racing as a solid business plan and no one works harder in pursuit of the ideal which this year resulted in Chipotle gaining honours for his excellent winning efforts which included successes in the prestigious ‘Windsor Castle’ at Royal Ascot and an extremely valuable Redcar Trophy in October; don’t forget he ‘kicked off’ the season, by virtue of a sensational victory, when romping away with the ‘Brocklesby’ at Doncaster on the opening day.
There is an obvious danger, the somewhat ubiquitously-named Minesbiggerthanurs would have raised a few eyebrows when debuting over a similar distance on Chelmsford ‘poly’ ten days ago and must have commanded a deal of attention by finishing fifth (of 11), beaten only two and a half lengths by Aintiphon and just behind Dukedom when a 50/1 chance.
Presumably this Brazen Beau colt will make normal improvement under the same apprentice, Theodore Ladd, claiming 3lbs allowance but will Mick Appleby’s charge be able to take advantage of number one draw given his lack of nous?
This is an intriguing situation because Doolily is drawn eight but advantaged by a 5lbs fillies’ allowance; I’ll chance the Due Diligence filly to recoup losses but on a level stake basis will not ‘play’ unless odds of 2/1 or better are available.
Volos went into many note-books in the ‘next time’ column after finishing sixth (of 15!) on ‘soft Doncaster eight weeks ago under a sympathetic ride from Marco Ghiani; judged on the useful first-up time-handicap mark they should go close in Novice Stakes over a mile and what beats this Belardo gelding will win.
A Solid bet and so is Jack Andrews’ lightly-raced mount Conceroe in a seven-runner Maiden Hurdle over two and a half miles of ‘good to soft’ Fakenham.
This Ben Case-trained Yeats gelding is ‘thrown-in’ on my figures and I’ve been most impressed by Jack who turned professional recently and claims 5lbs conditional allowance; I predict a tremendous future for Bridget and Gina Andrews’ brother who stands at 6′ 4″!
Selections, Kempton, 12.00 Doolily (e.w); 3.00 Volos (e.w); Fakenham, 1.20 Conceroe.
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