Today’s horse racing preview comes from Beverley, The Curagh & Goodwood where we have the Listed Champion Two Year Old’s Trophy as the main feature on the card.
14.10 Goodwood – Butlins Novice Auction Stakes (8f)
If we take Andrew Balding’s entry Macaque seriously enough after winning a two horse race at odds of 1/16 last time out at Brighton we would have to be mad, totally disregard the race and I am going to judge him on his second at Sandown in this company. He was beaten by Finsbury Park that day who has since competed in the Group 2 Vintage Stakes and was just denied in this company on return behind a smart looking type in Highlight Reel.
However, the selection comes in David Simcocks Ibn Al Emerat who’s second to Aussie Wind on the all weather at Chelmsford is probably the best form in this contest. Considering the two winners from the relevant entries mentioned here, Finsbury Park (76) and Aussie Wind (86) you would like to think that more potential is going to come from the second favourite .
IBN AL EMERAT : 2pt Win @ SP (BOG)
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14.35 The Curragh – Plusvital Round Tower Stakes (Group 3) (6f)
An excellent opportunity for Aidan O’Brien’s U S Navy Flag to taste pattern company success for the first time. He has gone close enough this season (2nd in the July Stakes) at Newmarket when not getting to runaway winner Cardsharp, however here comes the form-line, his fourth in the Phoenix Stakes was not that impressive considering he was beaten by stablemate Actress who finished last in the recent Lowther Stakes.
Even if we look at his maiden win over course and distance when beating the likes of stablemate Fleet Review who is another that has been going backwards when flopping in the Acomb Stakes, the runner up has also finished down a pattern field in the recent Debutante Stakes. So really if we take on the fact he is only a maiden winner and what he has beaten and how that form-line has come on, he would have to be opposed.
Two fillies I do like in this come from the same stable of Johnny Murtagh, Sankari Royale and the selection Golden Spell. The former ran a cracker at Newbury when runner up in the Listed St Hughes Stakes when behind Eirene. She was probably unlucky in the race as she was coming through with the winner but had her path slightly hampered, she could not get back on terms, but still ran a nice consistent race under today’s pilot.
However, its Golden Spell that makes more appeal on paper here, she is 2-2 over the course and distance and seems very versatile on any ground. Shane Foley rode her in the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes when fourth of five, the top, two Happily and Shalailah, have just been denied in pattern company over the past couple of weeks.
GOLDEN SPELL : 1pt each way @ SP (BOG)
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15.05 Beverley – Educare Of Beverley Nursery Handicap (5f) (0-95)
I do not normally get involved in handicaps of this nature, but this being a Nursery the old saying if the top weight is worth backing then get on board. Michael Dods Rumshak got off the mark at the second attempt at Carlisle, instead of going handicapping with him they elected to keep him around the Novice ranks. With two runner up spots which has included second in a Conditions race, but his second to Savalas at Thirsk would have possibly earned him an instant mark of around 80, so coming into handicap company for the first time off 83 is not far wrong.
Roundhay Park and Aquadabra won nicely for the blog a month or so ago now, but the latter has failed to show any impression of returning to winning ways, and the former coming into this off 74 is also about right to what form he has shown. Jive Lady could be the one we have to get past, she has bagged the rail in stall 1 and was probably disappointing when finishing fifth at York. I feel her current mark of 76 is giving her difficulties of landing a race at present, a drop to 0-85 should do the trick.
Tim Easterby’s Bow Belles looks another that has been handicapped out of this off 74, she comes into this with a team in reasonable form, but once more maybe a drop back to a 0-85 to let her record her second success.
RUMSHAK : 2pt Win @ SP (BOG)
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16.30 Goodwood – Weatherby’s Racing Bank Supreme Stakes (Group 3) (7f)
In reflection to future declarations of this race it is safe to say that any horse that has an entry in next months Park Hill Stakes is probably the one’s to keep an eye on here. This brings in the likes of Dutch Connection, Viscount Barfield, Solomon Bay and the only filly of the race, Tomyris.
Viscount Barfield looked comfortable when scoring at Chester in the City Plate Stakes, but then does as he always has and disappoints when a long way back at Ascot in the International Stakes. Andrew Balding seems to have his string in good order and is having his best month since February, showed that on Friday when having five winners around the country which included the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup Stakes win with Montaly.
Then again Oisin Murphy has ridden all those winners and if this was fancied I am sure he would be riding him and not Bless Him for David Simcock this afternoon. Bless Him looks destined for a crack at this years Cambridgeshire with 9f more likely to play strong to his chances. He has not been seen since Ascot when landing the Brittania Stakes, however his last visit here did not go to plan when finishing fifth in a valuable 65k handicap over course and distance, that form has become suspect now.
Solomon’s Bay was also disappointing on his last visit to Goodwood when finishing a long way back behind Beat the Bank, stepping back into pattern company could once more see him out and has been applied cheekpieces this time around. One I do fear though is Salateen, with front running tactics more than likely, he was just denied at Newmarket when trying to make all under Adam Kirby, Philip Makin takes over this afternoon who is 2-5 with the horse.
If Dutch Connection was not that far out of form he would be a NAP selection this afternoon, I do understand the horse seems to save his best for Goodwood (121) and is expected to go off at the head of the market to land another success here. Sixth in this years Queen Anne Stakes which for me was a weak renewal apart from the winner Ribchester, and then ran sixth again when showing no attitude at all in the Group 2 Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh.
Now I do not know if he was restless on the flight over, or he just did not like the undulations of the Curragh, but last years Lennox Stakes win puts him right there when defending off Home of the Brave and probably ran up to a solid 118 that day. He comes in to this off just 112 purely on what he has shown this year, but with course experience he could just grind out another win.
We had a filly win this last year and the fast improving Tomyris cannot be discounted. She has not been seen since finishing third in the Group 3 Oak Trees Stakes over course and distance three weeks ago. With De Sousa electing to ride Solomon’s Bay and no Atzeni , we will see Josephine Gordon pick up the ride. Over the past six years three year old’s have done well,taking 50% of the winners enclosure, but this year they could be a little weaker taking on the older horses.
DUTCH CONNECTION : 2pt Win @ 11/4 (BOG)
Best of Luck, Bet Responsibly
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