Roger Charlton Racehorse Trainer

Older readers may remember the 1990 Epsom Derby winner Quest For Fame powering home under a fantastic ride from legend Pat Eddery to win Britain's richest horse race. That's just one of the many successes for the great trainer Roger Charlton when teaming up with owner K Abdullah. Cityscape was another who had a list of group wins to his name the highlight being the Dubai Duty-Free Group 1 at Meydan back in 2012. Bated Breath a high-class sprinter and a winner of the Group 2 Temple Stakes at Haydock in 2012 also finishing runner-up in four group ones in a fantastic career. Others to mention are Fair Eva, Time Test, Headman and Pocket Square all group winners. 

As a 2-year-old fan, one of the horses that impressed me most last year was QUADRILATERAL who is unbeaten after three impressive performances. The Frankel filly made her debut at Newbury in August and was well-supported from 9/2 into 7/2. The money was down and Quadrilateral didn't disappoint when beating Mambo Night a shade cosily. An impressive 9-length win came next when moving up a level to the Class 2 Duty-Free Stakes again at Newbury in September and confirming this was a filly to be reckoned with. The Group 1 Fillies Mile was the next stop and another win when beating Powerful Breeze by a neck. The Guineas looks like the next target and hopefully, this season will bring more success. 

I will be keeping a close eye to see what Roger Charlton sends out this season and adding a few in the trackers including these: 

BEHELD 2018 ch.f by Frankel ex Tendu. The dam is a sister to stallion Showcasing who ended her career rated 107 and the highlight being a second in the Group 3 Merriebelle Stable Pavilion Stakes in 2015. 

BOLTAWAY 2018 ch.c by Dubawi ex Proviso. Dam won four Group Ones in America in what was an impressive career which included a second in the Meon Valley Stud Fillies Mile Group 1 race at Ascot as a 2-year-old and finishing her career with a racing post rating of 114. It looks like a nice pedigree and one to look out for. 

KEEPER 2018 b.c by Frankel ex Portodora. Dam never reached great heights but had a couple of wins to her name but has produced a few nice winners including the Hugo Palmer gelding Set Piece who won a Listed race at Kempton last September. 

LUCID DREAMER 2018 b.f by Dansili ex Sleep Walk. Dam only raced one season in 2014 winning twice. Lucid Dreamer is a full sister to unraced Night Ranger. 

LUDISIA 2018 b.f by Frankel ex African Rose. The dam had a successful career winning the Group 1 Ladbrokes Sprint Cup in 2008 being the highlight and the highest Racing Post rating of 116. Ludisia is a full sister to the 108 rated Fair Eva and looks a very nice type on paper for the season ahead. 

QUILTED 2018 b.f by Frankel ex Nimble Thimble. Dam only raced three times winning a Class 6 Maiden in 2012. Quilted is a full sister to Quadrilateral and another Roger Charlton filly I will be looking forward to seeing hopefully this season. 

Thanks for reading.

Weekly 2-Year-Old -Eye-Catchers (Monday 2nd-Sunday 8th September Part 1)

REVIEWS: 

A couple of winners from my last post and of course I didn't back them myself. My cliff horse Plymouth Rock won after two attempts and my eye-catcher Pocket Square was very impressive and won the second timeout which leads me on to part one of this week's eye-catches. 

EYE-CATCHERS: 

18:00 Salisbury 03 Sep 2019: 

Areehaa was given a nice introduction by Jim Crowley at the Tuesday Evening meeting at Salisbury. The Michael Stoute trained Kingman filly looked professional and knew her job. Born 9th May and owned by Mr Hamdan Al Maktoum, Areehaa was quickly away and despite a slight drift in the market she gave the Clive Cox trained Star In The Making a race of it. I feel she had a bit more left in the tank that day and was not given a hard time. One to keep an eye out for next time she runs. 

14:50 Haydock 05 Sep 2019: 

The odds on favourite Grand Bazaar could be seen as disappointing after finishing third at Haydock on his debut. The ground at Haydock that day was soft and Grand Bazaar looked to get bogged down a few furlongs out before running on again the final furlong. The John Gosden trained Golden Horn colt will have learned a lot from that experience. The winner looks a nice horse, so I wouldn't be too disappointed and am sure he will be winning soon enough. 

14:40 Salisbury 05 Sep 2019: 

I wrote about the Roger Varian trained Golden Horn colt Shandoz in my post last week. I thought Shandoz would be in the first three at least but didn't get going until too late. Not sure how good the winner is but Shandoz has a Royal Lodge Group 2 entry to his name. In time, I think Shandoz will be running middle distances and is one to keep on the right side of. 

15:10 Salisbury 05 Sep 2019: 

I think a few winners will come out of this hot looking Fillies Maiden Stakes race at Salisbury. The first horse that caught my eye was the Roger Varian trainer horse Alash Orda. Steady in the betting all day this Kodiac filly was given a nice introduction by David Egan. Alash Orda was to keen early on until settling better after a couple of furlongs and then staying on steadily inside the final furlong to finish second to the impressive winner Snow Shower. Alash Orda will come on plenty for that debut run and will be winning soon. The fourth in the same race was the Charlie Hills trained Shuraffa who despite taking a drift in the market ran a promising race. I will be interested to see this Shamardal filly next time out and see how she figures in the market. 

14:30 Ascot 06 Sep 2019: 

I think this week we have been spoilt with 2-year-old racing and seen a few nice prospects. The John Gosden trained Enemy looks a pretty nice prospect for the future after an impressive win here. I think a couple in this race will be winning soon but the one that makes this week's eye-catches post is the Michael Stoute trained Crystal Pegasus who is a half brother to Crystal Hope who won second time out at 14/1. Ryan Moore gave Crystal Pegasus a nice enough ride, and he stayed on pleasing enough towards the finish. Even if Crystal Pegasus is put away for next season I am hopeful he can win when given a stamina test. Thanks for reading and good luck.

Meade Means Business (Plus 2-year-old Previews)

REVIEW: 

After what was a pretty good day on Thursday, Friday has been shocking so far with Tulip Fields running out of steam and getting pipped for second place and Jaaneh disappointing. Onward and upwards as I take a look at Saturday's racing. 

13:35 Ascot 07 Sep 2019 

Trackers: Business, Ropey Guest, Thrill Seeker. 

I think Ropey Guest deserves to win here after running some great races in Group company this year. His latest run was in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York when running a respectable third to Valdermoro. The Cable Bay colt has the experience and sets the standard here but has run some tough races so far this season. 

As for big home reputations, this newcomer has a lot to live up to. *Business takes his place here but will hopefully have bigger fish to fry in the future, that's not to say he will definitely win. The Martyn Meade Siyouni colt was bought for 180,000 euros by owners Phoenix Thoroughbred Limited as a yearling A host of significant entries make Business a horse to take serious and one I will be looking forward to hopefully seeing in the winner's enclosure very soon. 

* NR - Business

Thrill Seeker is another unraced colt. The William Haggas trained Invincible Spirit colt cost a few quid and when I say a few quid I mean 600,000 gns as a yearling. Has a Group 1 entry so as with Business I will be watching the betting closely. Zafeer ran a promising debut for Marco Botti, not sure if she was up against much that day but one not to be written off. Tough race to call but I might have a small bet on Business and see if he can do the business here today(couldn't resist that one sorry). 

14:10 Ascot 07 Sep 2019 

Trackers: Anastarsia, Pocket Square. 

This looks like a nice race with some potentially nice horses to follow in the future. No doubt the John Gosden Sea The Stars filly Anastarsia will be popular and rightly so. I noted John Gosden as a trainer to follow with his 2-year-olds in September and I haven't changed my mind after a few smart debutantes. The betting should give us a clue whether Anastarsia is fully wound up for her debut. Quite a few of the other horses have significant entries and are worth noting if disappointing today. 

One horse that has already raced and I mentioned in my eye-catches post a couple of weeks back is Pocket Square for trainer Roger Charlton. The Night Of Thunder filly is a half-sister to Sand Share who has raced at a decent level. Pocket Square ran a pleasing debut at Yarmouth after given a nice introduction by Jason Watson. A bit keen early on before getting the hang of things late on and staying on steadily to the line. If some of the potentially nice newcomers disappoint I think Pocket Square will be in the mix at the finish. 

14:30 Thirsk 07 Sep 2019 

Tracker: Borsdane Wood. 

The once raced Karl Burke colt Borsdane Wood is my only tracker here. The David Armstrong owned invincible Spirit colt made his debut in the Class 2 Ripon Hornblower Conditions Stakes last month. Never really involved that day and the betting will be the key to his chances today against some interesting newcomers.  

15:05 Thirsk 07 Sep 2019 

Trackers: Plymouth Rock.

I think everybody who bets on the horses has a cliff horse who they won't stop backing until the damn thing wins. Well, step forward Plymouth Rock. I love John Quinn the trainer but when I first saw the owner was Michael Tabor I was a bit wary. I still backed Plymouth Rock and why wouldn't I? This Starspangledbanner bay colt cost 220,000 gns and has a host of significant entries so you would think he would have won and been racing in a better grade than a class 4 by now. Plymouth Rock doesn't look straight forward to me and I will be taking him on today with Hello Baileys from the Mark Johnston yard. A cheap purchase at 26,000 gns he ran three pretty decent races to date. The last one his best performance so far when second to the very smart Charlie Appleby runner Lazuli and had a few decent types in behind. I hope he can stay the extra furlong and hopefully In can get an each-way price. 

Thanks for reading and good luck.

Weekly 2- Old-Eye-Catchers (Monday 19th-Sunday 25th August)

17:25 Yarmouth 20 Aug 2019: 

Pocket Square was given a nice introduction at Yarmouth on Tuesday. This homebred Night Of Thunder Roger Charlton filly was well-supported on debut and despite finishing third in the six runner race I was impressed by how she handled herself. Pocket Square looked professional from the start with Jason Watson giving her a crack of the whip a couple of furlongs out, she couldn’t quite match the pace of the winner but was getting the hang of things late on. I guess after a pleasing debut she won't be much of a price next start but I will be hoping she can improve and get her first win. 

14:15 Bath 21 Aug 2019: 

Tommy Rock looks a 2-year-old to follow after a pleasing debut in the Sounds Commercial Bristol Maiden Stakes at Bath on Wednesday. The Clive Cox trained Society Rock colt is owned by Mr Peter Ridgers and was purchased for 100,000 euros as a yearling in the October sales last year. The fact that this grey colt was drawn wide on debut made life a little more difficult, having said that he will have learnt plenty from his first run. Tommy Rock was tapped for toe early on before getting the hang of things later on. The eventual winner Brad The Brief had already flown before Tommy Rock had got into top gear. We will see a much better performance next time out and Tommy Rock will benefit with a step up in distance. I would go as far as saying the 2/1 favourite was the best horse in the race and a win is just around the corner. 

14:05 Carlisle 21 Aug 2019: 

I could be barking up the wrong tree with this 2-year-old to follow but Dandy’s Angel made a pleasing debut at Carlisle this week. I know trainer John Wainwright isn't the most fashionable 2-year-old trainer, in fact, I can't find the last time he actually had a 2-year-old winner, to be honest, but this Dandy Man filly was bought for 20,000 gns this year and despite being way behind early on jockey Sean Davis got a great tune out of her and from being a country mile behind she stayed on quite nicely to finish third behind Deb’s Delight. It wasn't the best race but I am sure she can get her head in front soon and win a small race for owner Mr Anthony Ross. 

14:05 Newmarket 23 Aug 2019: 

Not sure how good the form of the C J Murfitt Ltd Fillies' Novice Stakes race is but the one I will be putting in my trackers is the David Simcock trained Broadbeach. The 60,000 gns Dandy Man filly ran a cracker on her debut. Hayley Turner gave her a peach of a ride and it was only the last furlong Broadbeach began to wander a bit. The 33/1 shot will have learned a lot from that debut and will be looking to get her first win on the board next timeout. 

15:15 Newmarket 23 Aug 2019: 

Am guessing Never Alone will be odds on next start after a promising first run. This was an impressive debut in what looked like a hot little contest. It was all about the other Charlie Appleby colt Royal Crusade here who looks top class after a tidy win but the 1,200,000 gns Dubawi colt Never Alone was staying on at the finish and will be winning races soon enough. 

16:15 York 23 Aug 2019: 

You know most of the horses entered in the Convivial Maiden Stakes race will be decent. The price that the Tom Dascome colt Pot Of Paint was huge. The 66/1 shot was kept at the back by Richard Kingscote before he weaved his way through beaten horses to finish strongly into fourth place. That was an excellent run considering he was at the back until a few furlongs out and the form of the winner looks rock solid. Definitely, one who should pick up a race in the near future. Thanks for reading and look out for my next 2-year-olds to follow