Straight From The Trainers Mouth
Straight
From The Trainers Mouth
Roger
Varian
2:05
Newbury – Cameron Highland
The son of Galileo has won his last two races including a Listed race at
Windsor last time out. Roger has been pleased with his progress since that run
and is hoping for a good performance from him.He said: "Cameron Highland is an improving colt. I have been pleased with him since his win at Windsor and hopefully he can run a decent race."
The ground was soft at Windsor but Cameron Highland had previously chased home subsequent St Leger third Michelangelo in a sales' race at Newmarket on fast ground.
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| Cameron Highland |
4:55
Newbury – Normal Equilibrium
He is a tough, little horse who takes his racing
well. He has run some solid races and can hopefully run well again, although he
is giving weight to some unexposed types.
Brian
Meehan
GRANELL (Newbury 1.30 p.m.) Flashy Excellent Art chestnut colt has been
showing up well on the gallops but will undoubtably benefit from this
introduction.BALLESTEROS (Newbury 3.45 p.m.) Top class sprinter, made hay last year and in the Spring. He has gradually come back after his break and has E/W prospects at what is his level.
PATENTLY (Newbury 4.20 p.m.) Moss Vale colt has been coming along nicely in his work but like our representative in the first division, is sure to benefit greatly from the experience.
HOMETOWN GLORY (Newbury 5.20 p.m.) Wolverhampton winner in the Spring, he has been aquitting himself well in Handicaps at this specialist distance and has place claims in a competetive affair.
FANTACISE (Newmarket 2.10 p.m.) Smart filly has been competing at a high level. Her public form is comparable to the best of these and she has a good chance of picking up this valuable prize.
Richard
Hannon
2:35
Newbury – Master Of War 9/2
THE MILL REEF STAKES is a race we always target but,
though we have won the Group 2 Newbury feature four times, we have drawn a
blank the last six years so, hopefully, Master of War can restore normal
service on the Berkshire course tomorrow.
Master of War is a good solid horse. He
is weighted to get his revenge on Heavy Metal from their running together in
the Richmond at Goodwood, and he has since run another blinder in the Solario
at Sandown. Six (furlongs) or seven doesn't bother him – he has plenty of speed
and he won't be far away.
1:30 Newbury - Pivotal Moment
& Brownsea Brink
Pivotal
Moment - We trained his dam, Selinka, who was
Listed class so, hopefully, this fellow will prove useful. He is part-owned by
Sir Alex Ferguson, and we have taken our time with him, as we have Robin
Heffer's Brownsea Brink, who had
sore shins early on, so it will be good to get both going.
3:10
Newbury - Mister Music
He has had a busy season but, though he
has run nine times, he seems to thrive on it. He has been placed in six of
those races and he has another each-way chance here in what looks a very
competitive handicap.
Newmarket
"It's a busy day at Newbury, but also at
Newmarket where we have runners in both the valuable sales races. Victrix
Ludorum has come on for her debut and will
hopefully get in the money in the fillies race while Tamayuz
Star showed plenty of pace at Goodwood and
was only just reeled in close home by Steeler, so dropping back a furlong won't
be a problem for him in the colts race, in which we also run Ceelo,
A Ladies Man and Global
Icon."We were mystified as to why A Ladies Man dropped away so quickly at Newbury first time out. He has a speedy pedigree, but it was not the seven furlongs that found him out. We'll be looking for a better show from him, while both Ceelo and Global Icon are capable of getting a slice of the cash."
William Buick
2:20 Newbury – Artic Cosmos
His
problems since have been well reported and life hasn’t been easy for him but
he’s never lacked courage.He had the pace to win over ten furlongs at Kempton
early in the season and couldn’t handle the mud next time at Newbury.
He
definitely wasn’t right when I eased him right down in the Yorkshire Cup in May
but the boss and the Clarehaven team have built him back up and I’ve been
pleased with his recent progress.This is a realistic opportunity for him over a
trip and track that should suit him on ground that looks suitable.
In
complete contrast to him there are some very much in-form horses up against him
in a small field and I have respect for all of them and couldn’t pick one in
particular that I’d fear.But I’ve got a good feeling about Arctic Cosmos
and I really do want to see him back where he belongs – in the winners
enclosure.
2:35 Lucky Beggar –I’ve only got the form book to go on with my third ride of the day.
My first
observation is that Michael Hills has chosen to ride brother Charlie’s other
runner, Funk Soul Brother but having said that, my ride has got fitness
on his side and I’d be hopeful that six furlongs is going to suit him.
But on
paper we’ve both got it to do with Heavy Metal and Cay Verde –
who I’ve ridden before and is pretty decent while Master Of War nearly
won the Solario last time. This looks tough to me.
3:10 Unex
El Greco
He
didn’t show his best last time at Newmarket when he was hampered after leading
but the handicapper has left him on the same mark. I don’t think there are many
of these with much in hand of the handicapper because he’s had plenty of time
to look at them but I honestly think this is an impossible race to call – in
which case we’ve got a chance.
3:45 Swiss Spirit
He can
take a strong hold and it’s possible the sharper early pace will suit him. I’ve
only ridden him once before and that was early in the season over six at
Newmarket when I dropped him in over six.
He
travelled well that day and was only outpointed by the useful Valbchek and when
I couldn’t ride him he won gamely over six at Newbury in May. He probably did
too much early on in a Group 3 in France last start and then didn’t get a
great passage. He’s better than that so I’d be hopeful of a forward showing.
There’s
not much between him and the other three three-year-olds in the race and of the
older ones I’d have respect for Tiddliwinks who’s dropping a grade and
will like this better ground.
4:20 Bright Strike
He’s
learned from each of two runs and providing there isn’t a superstar lurking
he’d have a very solid chance as he showed a good attitude when he was third at
York last month. The second has come out and won and so has the fifth.
4:55 Brazen
He won
very easily by six lengths at Folkestone last time out having improved on
his debut four lengths fifth to the smart Havana Gold at Newmarket and Pearl
Acclaim – who finished second that day is now 103. Brazen was fancied for the
valuable sales race at Doncaster last week but couldn’t run and it’s just
possible that 81 is OK.
5:30 Little Rainbow
I think
she’s better than her last run at Brighton because a 4lb rise wouldn’t have
been enough to make her run so disappointing after winning previously over the
course and distance.
Maybe the
ground was too quick, I don’t know because I’ve never ridden her but she’s
better than that on her winning form. I just hope the going is ok for her here.
Ryan Moore
This is
obviously a very winnable Group 3 but as an "Arc Trial" I think
Danedream can sleep easy. It is also a very difficult race to call. 2010 Leger
winner Arctic Cosmos made a good return to action at Kempton in March but has
had a good break since showing nothing on his next two starts; Black Spirit is
0 from 6 in Group 3 company but he is at least in good form after winning a
handicap off 103 last time; Lay Time's third in the Windsor Forest and her
Nassau fifth are possibly the most solid recent form in here and she battled
well to win a Group 3 race on bad ground at Windsor next time; Soft ground
Windsor winner Cameron Highland is progressive and is effective on a faster
surface too; and Coquet is obviously having her sights lowered after
running in Group 1 company since her listed win. Coquet is probably the form
pick on her Oaks sixth and the better ground will suit her, and she is my
marginal pick.
My eyes
tend to glaze over at the best of times when looking at sprint handicaps but
6f, 27 runners, heavy ground at Ayr with no idea of the draw. I say, good luck
to punters betting in this. No wonder bookmakers sponsor these types of race.
Do punters really love them? I suppose those betting in this have to weigh up
going with in-form sprinters like Face The Problem, Amadeus Wolfe Tone,
Highland Colori and Trade Secret and taking a shortish price, or look for
something that has possibly been targeted at the race all season. My glazed
eyes focused on Gatepost. He threatened to be a good horse when with
Mick Channon last season, finishing fifth in the Coventry, but things haven't
worked out for him. However, he ran ok over 7f at Doncaster last time and he
races off a 3lb lower mark than when a soft ground third to Fulbright over 6f
at Newmarket in July. He could be the answer.
Go and
have a look at a recording of the Morny and there is only one horse you will be
backing in this. I gave Moohaajim a pretty good write-up prior that
Group 1 race, even though he was pitched straight in at the deep end after his
maiden win. I knew Marco liked him a lot and he looked a class horse to me. At
Deauville he ended up in the middle of the track - quite a feat from stall one
- and suffered all sorts of trouble in running, being consistently bumped and
harried, yet was only beaten just over two lengths at the line. This is a solid
Group 2 contest, but Moohaajim is a horse I like. The likes of Heavy Metal, Cay
Verde and Master Of War are all solid, proven hardened Group 2 horses but there
are a couple of unexposed sorts in here too in Cougar Ridge and Yarmouth winner
Taayel. But Moohaajim for me.
This has
got to be one of the poorest Group 3s I have seen in a fair while. No
disrespect, but you have nursery winners off marks in the low 80s that will be
among the favourites. Good luck to connections though if they can pick up a
Group 3 prize with such horses, as they would have excelled in their job. Royal
Rascal stands out to me though. She is a soft ground winner and her fast
ground listed race third to Rosdhu Queen at York last time is the best form on
offer here.
You
normally get some real progressive 3yos in this race but it doesn't look to be
the case this year. I thought Hajras was going to make up into a decent horse
after his win at Ascot in July but he has disappointed me slightly in his last
two runs, though last time out was over 1m4f and the step back in trip will
suit. Expense Claim is a possible 3yo improver and has had a nice break; he won
on his reappearance and he could well have been targeted at this valuable
prize. 1m4f York winner Kirthill shouldn't be too inconvenienced by the
step back in trip, after all he won over course and distance on this ground
last October. And I think Luca has a pretty good record in this race; I seem to
recall winning it on Presvis by seven lengths one year! Of the others Blue Surf
is another potential 3yo improver. He got no sort of run at Ascot last time and
is only 5lb higher than when winning well enough at Goodwood previously.
Ooh,
another 27-runner sprint handicap. I seriously can't add much to the mix here
other than I hear Mirza is quite fancied on the ground and I think Tariq Too
could be interesting stepping back to 6f for the first time. He is a soft
ground horse who has done all his winning over 7f, which you may need to be
fully effective at to win this race on this ground. He could be a player late
on. But if forced to make a pick, I will go with a horse I know and that is Sholaan.
He actually ran his only disappointing race this season when I rode him over 7f
on good ground at Epsom but he bolted up over 6f on soft ground at York and ran
well off a 12lb higher mark at Windsor next time. He could still be improving,
conditions will suit, his stable continue in great form and the break since
June should be of no concern as he won first time up this season. He looks to
have a fair bit going for him - as do about 20 or so others, I suppose - though
the danger is that he showed too much of his hand to the handicapper at York in
June.
Kingsgate
Native is clearly the best horse here and he ran pretty well when seventh on
his reappearance at Doncaster. And as his connections had been considering
running him first time up in the Nunthorpe before he was laid low with a high
temperature, he had clearly been going well at home before York and you have to
think he will be competitive here. Especially as that listed race at Doncaster
was a far stronger race than this Group 3. He is the classiest horse and
likeliest winner but there is still a slight question mark over him for me. Two
others interest me. Ballista clearly did very well to win from the
outside stall 14 at Chester and followed up in good style at Leicester, and is
a sprinter on the up. And while Swiss Spirit has a bit to find, he is a real
big horse who I would expect to improve with time and experience, just as many
of his family do. He ran well at Deauville last month, too.
If the
sprint handicaps at Ayr are impossible, then this 20-runner Cesarewitch Trial
doesn't look that much easier to solve. No doubt the Irish horse Domination
will attract a bit of attention here, given his connections, as well as the
more obvious in-form horses like unexposed 3yo New Youmzain and the 10yo Nanton,
who races off the same mark as when second to Sir Graham Wade at Doncaster.
Bernie The Bolt could be a horse of interest, running off the same mark as when
winning this race by 4 ½ lengths three years ago, but in truth I don't have a
firm opinion.
Richard Fahey
2:10 Nemarket – Asgardella 4/1
We like
this filly a lot. She has got to step up on what she has done but she will
improve.
I thought
a good horse beat her at York and she has come on again so if she could could
finish in the three and get some money I would be delighted. I will make her my
each-way Sky Bet charity bet for Saturday.
3:10 Newbury – Area Fifty One
20/1
has the
coffin draw on the wide outside and has been very busy. I hope he will go okay
- Dr Koukash was keen to run him so we'll see what happens.
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