A Brilliant Display from Ventura Diamond at Goodwood

A pretty quiet weekend with nothing much I fancied so Instead of just writing about anything I thought I would have a break and do some research. 

Quick update on a few of my past eye-catchers that ran last week. The Marcus Tregoning trained ALKUMAIT went into the notebook after a promising debut at Newbury when finishing strong a few weeks back. The Showcasing colt made no mistake next start when winning the Class 2 event at Goodwood last Tuesday with ease.

VENTURA DIAMOND was another who went into the notebook after a promising debut at Sandown a couple of weekends ago. The 100,000 gns purchase for the Middleham Park Owners looks a serious filly after winning without getting too serious at Goodwood on Friday. 

To learn more about Middleham Park Racing visit their website here. 

One eye-catcher that disappointed was TITIAN for William Haggas who did not improve on the promise he showed on debut and finished down the field at Goodwood yesterday.

A brilliant display from VENTURA DIAMOND on only her second start for @RichardFahey! 💎 #TeamMPR pic.twitter.com/kkSixQc56W

— Middleham Park Racing (@MprUpdates) July 31, 2020

It was nice to see the Eve Johnson Houghton trained BHUBEZI who was a horse to follow in her post back in May win the second time of asking at Chepstow on Saturday after a nice performance. What a season Eve is having with her 2-year-olds with six different winners this season and three the past week, a trainer in a rich vein of form and well-deserved.

A lovely double on the night so far for jockey @KShoemark who won our fifth race - The Read Around The Paddock At https://t.co/aN5rNFlRnM Maiden Stakes for @johnsonhoughton pic.twitter.com/kRfzq4QKct

— Chepstow Racecourse (@Chepstow_Racing) August 1, 2020

14:45 Haydock 03 Aug 2020 

A nice little race at Haydock and I have two trackers in this. Royal Musketeer is trained by Charlie Hills and owned by Mr. Ziad A Galadari who also owns Royal Commando who has run at a decent level for Charlie Hills and finished Fourth in the Commonwealth Cup Group 1 Stakes at Ascot this season. Interested to see the betting for the Acclamation colt and definitely one to look out for this season. One who has proven form but a short price is SOLENT GATEWAY for the Tom Dascombe yard. A decent debut when second to Et Tut Brute at Chepstow the Awtaad colt looked a certainty next timeout here but bumped into one of Richard Fahey's nice colts in the name of Rhythm Master, the fourth that day Cairn Island won in good style at Ayr last Tuesday. The £62,000 purchase looks to have a great chance to get his first win on the board here. 

15:30 Yarmouth 03 Aug 2020

Perfect Times won well on debut for Mark Johnston and looks a nice filly but with the extra weight to carry could have a tough job here to repeat that performance. Another short price tracker for me here is called JACINTH for William Haggas. A 120,000 gns purchase at the 2020 Craven Breeze up Sales for owners M M Stables. The Chestnut filly ran a promising debut at Newbury when slightly hampered and caught for pace before staying on to grab third on the line, didn't look the strongest race but Jacinth should come on plenty and know more this time out. Neptune’s Wonder is another tracker who has a nice pedigree but will need to be noted in the betting. 

16:40 Windsor 03 Aug 2020

OLYMPIC THEATRE is a Michael Bell Mayson gelding I had noted down on my shortlist after a fast-finishing third at Newmarket just over a week ago. The 30,000 euro bay gelding was a huge 40/1 on debut and slowly away before keeping on well the final furlong to finish third in what wasn't a bad race. He won’t have it all his own way especially with the form Eve Johnson Houghton is in who runs Uncle Dick here after a promising debut at Bath 20 days ago. 

19:15 Windsor 03 Aug 2020 

I do like owners Waverley Racing and always keep an eye out for the Beckett and Waverley combination. JACINTA DE VEGA is bred by Nick Bradley Bloodstock and costs 100,000 gns as a yearling. A few with experience here including the early favourite Rose Grey for Simon and Ed Crisford so another who a market check is needed on debut. Thanks for reading and stay safe.

Two-year-old (2yo) Eye-catchers (July 13 -19th)

Update on my weekend selections. 

Cosmic Princess was a horse I had been waiting for what seemed an age for, entered to run at the beginning of the month at Kempton before being declared a non-runner late on when being well-supported. The Hughie Morrison Kingman filly put in an eye-catching display last October over an inadequate trip and stepped up to 10 furlongs last Saturday. Hollie Doyle taking the ride, what a jockey she is, by the way, timed it to perfection when delivering Cosmic Princess perfectly to win by a neck. 

Two trackers in the 13.05 at Newbury in which could work out to be a nice Novice Stakes race. Calcutta Cup took a huge step forward from his debut run in the Woodcote when never involved, quickly away this time, and even though the Andrew Balding Territories colt finished fourth just outside the places I think Calcutta Cup still has a lot more to come once he learns to settle better. My next tracker was the well-touted joint-favorite Rushmore and I guess you would be disappointed if you backed the Andrew Balding Lope De Vega colt but watching the race a few times I think he was definitely green and will come on plenty for that debut run. The winner that day was the John Gosden trained Guru who looked professional and won well. 

Eye-Catchers 

Catterick 13:50 

Wednesday 15 July 2020 

Richard Fahey's two-year-olds look to have come into form lately with Gorytus, Rhythm Master, and International Girl all winning this month, so I will be keeping an eye out for the Kodiac filly NURSE DEE after a promising debut in a rough-looking race at Catterick. Richard Fahey actually ran three in this and Humid also showed promise and should be winning soon. The 7/1 shot was backed from 11s and was slowly away before being blocked in and running on when eventually finding her way out. The 52,000 gns purchase will hopefully pick up a small race soon. 

Newbury 13:40 

Sunday 19 July 2020 

ALKUMAIT looks a nice type for Marcus Tregoning and Mr. Hamdan Al Maktoum after a promising debut in what could be a nice little race at Newbury. The Showcasing colt did plenty wrong on debut when slowly away but still managed to finish strongly and get within a length or so of the nice Clive Cox colt Royal Scimitar. Alkumait was a 150,000 gns foal whose price rose to 220,000 gns as a yearling. 

York 12:15 

Sunday 19 July 2020

I actually had a split stake bet in this race with the winner Gorytus and my next tracker DEXTER BELLE. The Kevin Ryan trained Ajaya filly looked to be giving jockey Danny Tudhope a torrid time and was pulling for the first few furlongs like crazy. The 55,000 gns purchase was up with the pace until tiring pretty quickly the final furlong to finish seventh. Dexter Belle wasn't fancied in the betting that day and I will be keeping a close eye on the market next timeout to see if she attracts any support. 

AESTHETE trained by Michael Bell. 
HUMID trained by Richard Fahey. 

Thanks for reading and stay safe.