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.

At Last, The Flat Season is Underway

At last, the Flat season is underway and hopefully, I can get a few winners to keep the betting bank ticking over. 

Just a quick introduction to what the blog is about for any new readers who have stumbled across it. I will be mentioning a few horses in each post that l like and hopefully do a midweek review to see how they ran. 

I will also like to add that I’m definitely no Hugh Taylor so be warned if you follow any of my bets they come with a warning 😁. 

It’s been a strange week as I’ve been trying to be careful with all the 2-year-old debutants this week and ended up missing out on a couple of winners plus a 3-year-old winner which was disappointing as my only three bets so far that I have done all lost! 

In my Godolphin 2yos to Follow post, I mentioned the well-bred Creative Force who is trained by Charlie Appleby and a half-brother to the John Gosden filly Persuasive. To be honest, I didn’t even notice he was running till he won impressively after making all at Newmarket this week.

Creative Force looks a 2-year-old with a bright future. 

Renaissance Queen was another I left alone and another who looks a nice type for the boys in blue after beating the well-thought-of Delta’s Royalty. 

The Tom Dascombe trained Adaay Dream was another tracker I left alone who won at Newcastle at odds of 13/2 which was disappointingly another missed chance. 

A few more Dascombe 2yos I will be looking out for are: Astronomic Choice who is owned and bred by Mr. John Brown. 

Bakersboy is a 100,000 purchase for owners David Lowe and Partner. 

Rattling Rosie owned and bred by Mr. D.R. Passant. 

Solent Gateway is owned by Mr. D.R. Passant & Heffin Williams.

Capo Bay is owned by Deva Racing Group. 

Robustly is owned by Chasemore Farm. 

Always Dreaming is owned by Ms. A Quinn. 

Right onto the weekend and the trackers are coming through thick and fast but disappointingly most are short prices so won’t be betting.

13:15 Sun 07 June 2020

The expensive Noble Dynasty was featured in my Godolphin 2yos to follow post and is a 3,600,000 purchase and a half-brother to the brilliant 122 rated Barney Roy who won the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2017 but another likely short price. 

16:45 Sun 07 June 2020. 

King Leonidas was very impressive when winning his maiden at Newmarket last October and will be a tough nut to crack but the Charlie Appleby trained Eastern World is a very well-thought-of Dubawi colt and will give him something to think about for sure. Eastern World made his long-awaited debut last December and was backed like defeat was out of the question. The 10/11 favourite managed to finish second despite looking a bit awkward and green through-out the race. Interesting to see what he can do this season but an early price of 6/5 makes it a race to just watch and enjoy. 

17:55 Sun 07 June 2020

It's not very often you will see me step into the handicapping scene but another Godolphin horse catches the eye. *Encipher is a well-thought-of colt trained by John Gosden who won a shade cosily at Newmarket last July, hasn't been seen since but will hopefully be fit and ready to move up a level and distance with Frankie on board. If I can get an each-way price I will have a bet. Good luck and stay safe.

*NR