Well, of course I’m disappointed in not getting a winner with the horses I mentioned in Friday's post but I always like to look at the positives and not get too down about it. MUAY THAI was up first and I don’t know why but when Pat Dobbs is in the saddle I never seem to win and as you may have seen it happened again. The Richard Hannon newcomer looked professional from the start and cruised along nicely on the rail before Dobbs had to go between horses to challenge but by then the two in front got first run and Muay Thai finished third but it was definitely a promising debut. Must go close next time out so one for the trackers.
ACT OF WISDOM is definitely better than seen today and the drift told the story that it wasn’t going to be his day. All his family needed a little time to get fully tuned so it didn’t surprise me too much and sometimes a bad first run could be a good thing for a punter as I might get a half decent price next timeout. It’s alright saying after the event but I did have my eye on the Richard Hughes winner Lightening Shore after a great debut when third to the Round Six here a few weeks back but these things happen.
PURE BUBBLES was a non runner but I thought it was Gary Moore's day when his other runner CHAMPAGNE PIAFF had every chance the last furlong until tiring and finishing fourth at 66/1.
DECISIVE EDGE was well-backed in the later race at Kempton and I thought my 33/1 bet was looking good for a place until being swamped inside the last furlong but hopefully another who will be entered in a smaller easier race in the next few weeks or so.
Saturday looks like another nightmare for punting with some nice 2 yos making their debut, so I will be leaving it alone and just watching I think.
One tracker who will be a short price who I expect to definitely be in the mix is LIPIZZANER who runs in the 15.30 at Naven. The well-thought of Aidan O’Brien runner ran a blinder last timeout in the Norfolk Stakes at Ascot despite being slowly away.
13:00 York 06 Sep 2020
We have a few here that have run to a decent level including Mamba Wamba and McManaman plus the Queens runner Inveigle but I will take a chance with the Roger Varian colt BATRAAN to make a winning debut for a team in great form. Batraan is an 85,000 gns purchase for owner Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum and is out of unraced Dam Testimony. Roger has a great record at York with Molatham, Sardinia Sunset and the winner of this race last year Clan Royale all recent winners. The only negative would be if drifting to over 9/2.
14:30 York 06 Sep 2020
Roger Varian has the favourite here Athers who could be hard to beat but them favourites are there to be taken on, so I will hopefully have a small each way on the Mark Johnston newcomer REAMS OF LOVE who was a 80,000 euro purchase at the 2019 Orby sale for owners Crone Stud Farm who had a winner with Love Is Golden the other day. Sire Frankel and Dam Night Of Light both enjoyed a bit of cut in the ground so hopefully Reams Of Love will too.
Thanks for reading and stay safe.
It’s been a while since my last post because I’m just far too busy at the minute but I know you are missing me so here we go. Jason Coote wrote a post for the blog this week about should we bet with all this rain making the ground soft or heavy and I have to say I’ve had a nightmare with my bets this week but I’m not making the ground an excuse I think it’s just been one of them weeks that discipline should have been on my mind but a year on I’m still struggling with that one.
UPDATES: A few I mentioned on twitter finished nearer last than first, I did mention a horse called Ziggy who was running at Kempton on Tuesday for trainer James Eustace, I noticed the champion jockey Oisin Murphy was in the saddle instead of riding Scampi for Andrew Balding and threw a speculative each way bet on at 40s, fast-forward to race time and the gamble had took place and Ziggy was 13/2, surely it would place at least but yeah wishful thinking hey as Ziggy crawled out the stalls and was outpaced and ran green, I will still keep an eye out for the son of Sixties Icon next timeout. Next was Cottam Lane for Kevin Ryan who ran a decent enough race to finish second behind the Karl Burke runner Bickerstaffe who is owned by David Armstrong. Next was Amal who was another who was well-supported but didn’t turn up. I thought one of my eye-catchers from last week would win easily yesterday at Newcastle and go onto better things, Bellissime was a short price favourite to take the class 5 event but winner Montassib had different ideas and got up in the dying strides to deny the Ryan filly.
Onto a few positive notes it was nice to see one of my Mark Johnston 2-year-olds to follow finally winning when the well-bred LOVE IS GOLDEN put in a much improved performance to win with a bit in hand at Ripon on Monday at 9/1, did I back him? Of course not!!.
Another of Eve Johnson Houghtons 2-year-olds to follow won on Wednesday at Bath, Soldier Lions won impressively and can hopefully step up a level and win again before the seasons out. It was nice to see M M Stables Night On Earth win again after my post with Armando Duarte last week. Really pleased for him as he’s a lovely fella and I wish him the best for the future.
EYE-CATCHER:
I haven’t really had much time to go through the replays just yet but one I’m pretty confident will be winning sooner rather than later is Zinc White for the Ralph Beckett team who was seriously backed for his debut at Salisbury yesterday from 12s into 4/1. The 50,000 euro purchase definitely looked in need of the race when running green but hopefully he will settle next timeout.
IRISH TRACKERS:
My last venture into the Irish racing saw Moon Daisy finish fifth in a nice looking maiden. My next tracker Is the Joseph O’Brien trained Ulster Blackwater who is owned by Sun Bloodstock and should be up to getting off the mark before the season ends.
As I mentioned earlier the 2-year-old races are coming thick and fast so I will mention a few trackers and a speculative bet.
14:30 Ascot 04 Sep 2020
The favourite Lockdown has ran well despite not winning for Hugo Palmer but I will take a chance with my tracker MUAY THAI who is a Richard Hannon newcomer by Acclamation and owned by Mr Saeed Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi. The £42,000 2yo has a nice pedigree and will hopefully be tuned up first timeout.
17:50 Kempton 04 Sep 2020
I won’t be backing this short priced tracker but really looking forward to the well-bred Godolphin runner ACT OF WISDOM, the 1,100,000 gns yearling is a brother to the very smart Line Of Duty and comes with a big reputation but plenty of dangers first time out here.
18:20 Kempton 04 Sep 2020
Favourite MEGALLAN is one of my John Gosden 2yos to follow and hacked up on debut, could easily win this doing handstands but Brian Meehan has a nice filly in the name of DECISIVE EDGE who cost £52,000 as a yearling, I will have a small each way on this No Nay Never colt but whatever she does here I’m sure this well-thought of colt will improve and not one to discard if disappointing.
15:05 Ascot 04 Sep 2020
I could be off my rocker for even mentioning this next one. *PURE BUBBLES is a 50/1 shot at the time of writing(00.52 and yes I should be well away) but you may or may not know trainer Gary Moore once popped up with a 100/1 winning 2-year-old back in August 2017 called The Children’s Trust, now Hector Crouch was on that day but is on the other Moore runner CHAMPAGNE PIAFF here, anyway whatever Bubbles does here another who will be worth keeping an eye out for further on down the line.
*NR
Thanks for reading and stay safe.
