Sport (Page 198)

Dinoo faces what should be a relatively simple task to beat eleven decidedly inferior rivals in the Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs of Wolverhampton tapeta today and serious punters worldwide will be focusing on this twice-raced Roger Varian-trained Starspangledbanner colt, despite an absence of 314 days. On the time-handicap this should be a ‘shoo-in’ for David Egan’s mount, formerly with Richard Hughes! ‘What’s that all about’ methinks but why bother to question a stable move given Dinoo is now housed at one of the most powerful flat-racing yards on this planet? obviously someone has either paid a huge sum to purchase a progressive three-year-old or there has been a decision on change for what could be so many reasons. MineContinue Reading

Castel Gandolfo ticks enough boxes this afternoon for selection in a seven-runner Maiden Hurdle over two miles of ‘good to soft’ Fakenham where emphasis is on jockeyship, natural speed, and experience with so many turns and junctures to negotiate around this popular left-handed ‘frying pan’ circuit; it’s always been a ‘favourite’ venue even though it’s more than a hundred miles from my home. When the Cheltenham ‘Festival’ meeting spanned only three days mine was to leave Prestbury Park in a hurry after the last on Thursday and head for the East Anglian course fixture the following day; in the 1970’s it was a ritual for this veteran, so enjoyable crossing the English countryside at the time when traffic would haveContinue Reading

Air To Air is a long time ‘breaking his maiden’ but George Boughey’s charge has every chance of making the winners’ enclosure after a ten-runner Novice Stakes over seven furlongs of ‘good to soft’ Newmarket this afternoon when Nicola Currie becomes the sixth different jockey in as many outings to partner this vexing 81-rated Toronado gelding. Consistency usually brings reward but backing Air To Air, odds-on in his last three races, has indeed proved profitable, for bookmakers, who trade on ‘failures’ which punters all too often follow like sheep! Obviously I’m guided by a ‘tell tale’ time-handicap which indicates Air To Air is certainly capable of winning and, if able to replicate a neck second to Balearic over a similarContinue Reading

Strawberri, back to a mile for a ten-runner Fillies’ Maiden Stakes on ‘soft’ Haydock ground this afternoon, will hopefully erase the bitter taste we experienced three weeks ago when a losing nap on Chelmsford polytrack over ten furlongs, after being given a moderate ride off a ludicrously-slow pace; stable jockey Jack Mitchell becomes the third jockey in as many outings to partner this Roger Varian-trained Gleneagles three-year-old. Blame must never be attached to jockeys, who obviously should obey orders. Criticism is cheap in such circumstances, and can be so damaging! So often, when a horse is raced over a longer trip, negative ‘hold up’ tactics contribute to defeat and this latest effort represented a classic example; I’ve computed the race-time!Continue Reading

MORE FROM VERSTAPPEN Red Bull star Max Verstappen shared a few worries following Thursday’s practice at the Monaco Grand Prix. Verstappen said: “We are too slow, and not just by a little bit; I think quite a bit. “We really need to find some pace. Everyone has traffic, so you need to look at optimum lap times or optimum sectors and we are quite off. “It also didn’t feel great to drive. Normally I’m quite comfortable in the car, quite easily get to a pace but it all takes too long, [it’s] just not how I like it. “I’m just surprised at how competitive Ferrari is. But I think it just shows that we are pretty weak. “They are doingContinue Reading

Sense Of Humour will abound if James Doyle steers her into the Wolverhampton winners’ enclosure after the ten-runner first division of a Maiden Fillies’ Stakes over a mile of tapeta tonight, several vital boxes are ticked; top jockey, good draw and my time-handicap indicates Simon Crisford’s charge is clear ‘best-in!’ From a personal perspective such an occurrence would give me immense satisfaction because I’m involved with Glentaneous, a Gleneagles colt which is owned by a close ‘business associate’ in a powerful syndicate and finished a neck behind all-the-way winning odds-on favourite Anmaat on Lingfield polytrack last month; it was one and a half lengths back to unfancied 14/1 shot, Sense Of Humour, making a very promising debut and several ‘super-breds’Continue Reading

Super Over and Smart Start, drawn one/two respectively, look set to fight out a fourteen-runner Novice Stakes over seven furlongs of Kempton polytrack today, the obligatory ‘Wednesday-nighter’ promises to be quite dramatic with this ‘dash round the bend’ a feature of proceedings; preference is for the former, there are several reasons. Hollie Doyle’s twice-raced mount, now sporting headgear, will have edge of experience, was runner-up again under the ‘pocket rocket’ over this distance at Redcar last month (when heavily-backed odds-on favourite!) and should have an edge in fitness because the Saeed bin Suroor-trained, Godolphin-owned Teofilo colt, a late foal, hasn’t raced since making a satisfactory course and distance debut more than six months ago. Likelihood is he’s been been givenContinue Reading

Boomshalaa and Alphonse Karr are inseparable on my time-handicap for a fascinating five-runner Novice Stakes over six furlongs of Wolverhampton tapeta today but analysing actual time-figures reveals the former represents a ‘professional special’ judged on his four length romp on an all-weather surface five weeks ago; Kempton’s polytrack rides similarly to the unique Dunstall Park, fact! My decision several years ago to specialise with AWR was made after continued disappointments on turf-flat racetracks and it certainly hit home yet again at the weekend when two naps were beaten on desperately soft ground at Doncaster and Ripon; General Sago was unlucky on Town Moor, would have won with a more enterprising ride but Zoom Tiger was one of many incapable ofContinue Reading

Prince Of Pearls will not be a major surprise if able to cause one in division one of the Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs of ‘good’ Carlisle today; this Kevin Ryan-trained Kingman gelding shaped well without being too conspicuous seventeen days ago when debuting on Newcastle tapeta. Mine is to always look a little further when confronted with moderate rivals and though several will be fancied on the strength of form figures there is no depth to this nine-runner field; Prince Of Pearls doesn’t need to improve under stable jockey Kevin Stott, who replaces Amdrea Atzeni. The Ryan/Stott combination has been a revelation during the first few weeks of this 2021 flat-racing season, they are the ultimate in professionalism whichContinue Reading

General Sago owes me one and I’m ready to accept his marker when the twice-raced Fascinating Rock gelding attempts to go one better in a thirteen-runner Novice Stakes over six furlongs of ‘good to soft’ Doncaster tonight; experienced Northern-based Donald Nolan takes over from Shane Gray and it represents a bonus in my book. Nolan has been ‘around the block’ for some time as a ‘journeyman jockey’ but his consistency and earnest work ethic have attracted the likes of high-profile trainers such as the indomitable Richard ‘winning machine’ Fahey, and now prolific David O’Meara has booked David for an urgent mission; progressive General Sago has a chance second to none judged on his actual time-figure when beaten comprehensively, two andContinue Reading