Flat Racing Notebook Horses

[mayo]

Maybe thi should be on Derby thread ...

A relatively “so what” atmosphere surrounded the result of the Derrinstown Derby Trial but it could be dangerous to underestimate the winner Light Heavy.

That’s three out of three for Jim Bolger’s colt at Leopardstown this season, with none of the three hugely impressive, but significantly with the same horse coming out on top every time. And the first of them, a defeat of the ill-fated Furner’s Green, looks pretty good now

Grit is not an easy attribute to quantify but it is hugely important in the very top races where results can swing on tiny margins. Light Heavy’s resolution can’t be doubted and Bolger reportedly is aiming him at the Irish Derby.

No doubt on figures Light Heavy has a lot to find with the best of his generation. But figures are just a set of subjective opinions. They can under-rate as well as over-rate

.

[mayo]

Shelford (IRE)

Good staying pedigree from family of Oaks heroine Love Divine and St Leger winner Sixties Icon. Well-supported despite being stable second-choice on debut at Leopardstown (1m4f) where unsuited by slow pace. Kept on well in the straight to take third behind the impressive Show Court, and should be suited by 1m6f plus.

[mayo]

Hi Emperor (IRE)

Showed plenty of promise when held up in big field Curragh maidens including staying on well behind Singing Bird over seven furlongs. Speedily bred, obviously handles cut in the ground and looks sure to win races.

[mayo]

Lucciola (IRE)

Showed little on debut at Dundalk before much improved effort when upped in trip to a mile at Naas. Came from well off the pace when just failing to peg back Strada Colorato in a 20-runner maiden. Looks sure to appreciate an extra quarter mile.

[Forced Kin]

Goodman mayo ...that your own work . Sportinglife have a flat notebook ...here is the latest ones in it. Donn Mc Cleans horses fo follow another of my favs...

Al Muheer (IRE)
Another to suffer from a hopeless draw at Chester and did remarkably well to finish where he did having raced in last and then had to challenge wider than any other rival. He got a bump from the stalls to add insult to injury but this run suggests he is still at the top of his form. Well handicapped these days and one to keep an eye out for in the north over seven furlongs.
Heyward Girl (IRE)
Made her comeback in a decent sprint handicap at HQ, where she raced prominently down the less favoured central area of the track. Better than her finishing position and can build on this effort.
Spirit Quartz (IRE)
Did best of the stands' side challenge in the Palace House Stakes, out-running huge SP to finish a close fourth. Well worth a look in five furlong races with cut in ground when pace likely to be strong.
Gabrial The Great (IRE)
Finished second in a red-hot handicap at Chester behind Rosslyn Castle. Unable to match the winner's last surge but still travelled really well into the race and is worth following.
Ta Ajabb
Never nearer than at the finish having been rowed along all away in six-furlong maiden at Thirsk. Entitled to be sharper for the experience and in-form handler can find an opening soon.
Dick Bos
Highly-regarded as a two-year-old and was chopped for room on return at Newbury. Will be of interest on better ground if dropped in trip.
Body And Soul (IRE)
Well backed for debut at Nottingham but ran out of puff in the closing stages having forced the pace. Looks miles better than his finishing position and it would be no shock to see him turn out the best horse in the race.
Mutafaakir (IRE)
Ran on well in Alex Scott Maiden Stakes on day one of Craven Meeting at Newmarket. Reared in stalls on next start at Kempton and worth sticking with over a mile.
Straight Shot (IRE)
Sent off at 40-1 for the Swan At Lavenham Wood Ditton Stakes at Newmarket's Craven Meeting but finished a promising sixth of 18, finishing well. Would be interesting over 10 furlongs with that experience under his belt.
Eastern Sun (IRE)
Beaten six-and-a-half lengths by Trumpet Major in the Craven but finished third despite racing alone up the centre of the track. Didn't have the speed of the winner but looks one to keep on the right side of when tackling trips in excess of a mile.
Martin Chuzzlewit (IRE)
Unsuited by the tactical nature of the race on his return at Newmarket. Ran well next start at Chester and form looks good so worth sticking with.
Shantaram
Finished runner-up twice in maiden company for John Gosden and a question of when rather than if he breaks his duck. Scopey sort who has entries in the Dante and Derby and looks a high-class prospect in the making.
Swiss Spirit
Chased home a good type in a valuable sales race at Newmarket on comeback having raced wider than ideal. Showed a good turn of foot to get into contention and compensation awaits.
Rusty Rocket (IRE)
Arrived at the Roodee in great form but was always fighting a losing battle from his wide draw. Stuck to his task well though and should recapture the winning thread when returned to a straight five or six furlongs on easy ground.

[Forced Kin]

A few of Donns

Escape To Glory

Escape To Glory was unlucky in the Class 2 Qatar Racing Handicap over six furlongs at Newmarket on Sunday and is a four-year-old to follow now.

He travelled nicely in the near side group in the hands of Hayley Turner, he was just about closest to the near side rail the whole way, and he was just starting to pick up right down the near side when the leader Parisian Pyramid shifted to his left going down into the Dip, carrying Jarrow with him, and that caused a concertina effect with Escape To Glory the worst sufferer as he was very badly baulked against the rail. Even after that he was trying to pick up again right against the rail when Maarek burst through and gave Jarrow a bump, forcing him onto the rail and chopping off Escape To Glory once more.

It is hard to say quite how well Escape To Glory would have fared here without any interference, but he was picking up well and it is not out of the question that he would have gone very close, especially as, after Parisian Pyramid had edged right across to his left causing all the trouble on the rail, he edged back to his right and that left Maarek with a dream run through from the back. The winner may well have struggled to find a gap but for Parisian Pyramid’s wayward tendencies, and that may have meant Escape To Glory would have finished in front of his rivals on the near side.

Mikael Magnusson’s horse had been a little unlucky to finish second on his previous run at Windsor as well in a race that is working out really well – the winner followed up in listed company next time, the fourth and fifth have both won since, as has the horse who finished 14th, and several others who finished in behind that day have gone close since too. He is a relatively lightly-raced, well-bred four-year-old sprinter (he is a half-brother to Benbaun), and he can win one of these big handicaps soon.

6th May 2012

[Forced Kin]

Sandusky

Sandusky ran a race full of promise in the Class 2 12-furlong handicap that kicked off the 1000 Guineas card at Newmarket on Sunday.

Weak in the market beforehand, he was free and keen through the early stages, with the result that Mickael Barzalona settled him in last place, well off the second last horse. He was taken to the far side by Barzalona with half a mile to run but didn’t make up his ground until inside the final three furlongs, and did so quite quickly. He came there on the far side looking a real threat a furlong out, but Ithoughtitwasover picked up really well for Kieren Fallon’s driving over on the near side, albeit that he drifted markedly to his left late on, and Sandusky’s early exertions and effort in making up as much ground as he did into a quickening pace just told late on and he was passed by both the well backed Local Hero and Caucus close to the line.

This was Sandusky’s seasonal debut, just his second run in 12 months, and just the fifth of his life, so there should be considerable improvement to come from it. This run should have taken the freshness out of him, but it could well be that he is always best when able to come off a strong pace, and he may have benefited from an even faster pace here. He saw out the 12 furlongs on the rain softened ground well considering how keen he had been for the first half of the race, and though he lost a couple of places late on, he was still nicely ahead of the fifth horse.

If he continues to progress then he should develop into a really nice middle-distance handicapper this season, and he could be even better than that in time. He handles soft ground well – as well as this run he had won on soft at the end of last season at Goodwood – but he goes on a sound surface too (he ran a good race in a decent three-year-old handicap at York’s Dante meeting last year on good to firm ground and he had broken his maiden at Kempton before that), so he is clearly versatile with regards ground. He is likeable, he could have a lot more progress in him, and he could go quite a long way.

6th May 2012

[Forced Kin]

Caledonia Lady

Caledonia Lady was a high class sprinting two-year-old last year, narrowly beaten in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes as a maiden on just her second start, she went on to finish fourth in the Group 2 Lowther, a close third in the Group 2 Flying Childers, before finally breaking her maiden in the Listed Harry Roseberry Stakes at Ayr. She has returned this season as good as, if not better than, last year based on her two runs to date this spring. Beaten only a head by Beyond Desire in a listed fillies’ sprint at Bath on her return, she is worth noting now after things didn’t go all her own way in the Group 3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

She was just a fraction hesitant leaving the stalls and Eton Rifles jumped right from his stall next door and just squeezed Caledonia Lady out after a couple of strides, with the result that the filly was last through the early stages. She travelled well in behind horses but was held up in making her challenge as the gap between Margot Did and Night Carnation was blocked by the weakening Jonny Mudball. By the time she was able to be asked to improve, the leaders had got away, but she picked up well among horses, away from the pace as the race developed between Mayson and Definightly on the far side. Caledonia Lady, together with Night Carnation, finished best of all, making up really good ground through the final furlong, just missing out on fifth.

It will be hard for Jo Hughes’s filly this year as a three-year-old sprinter, but she proved last year that she is high class, and there will be opportunities for her. Margot Did showed last year that a three-year-old filly can cut it in the top sprints, this was a good quality race and things didn’t drop for her, she is probably even better than she was able to show here. It may well be that we won’t see the best of her until next year, but she can win races this year, perhaps even a handicap off her mark of 104, and she may continue to be under-rated for a while as a three-year-old filly and hailing from a smallish yard.

5th May 2012

[Forced Kin]

Hugh Taylors eyecatchers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0kqzpo9CVQ&

[Forced Kin]

The Donn must have a big book

Some horses to note from Wednesday’s opening day of the Dante meeting…

Suits Me – Led at a fast pace and stayed on the far rail in the home straight, all of which probably militated against him, given that the other horses to do that, Space War, New Hampshire and Labarinto, all faded to finish third last, second last and last, but Suits Me kept on really well all the way to the line to finish fourth. He is nine years old and he is not obviously progressive, but this was a fine performance, probably significantly better than the bare form of it, and he can win a similar contest.

Gatewood – Won well, he did wander a bit under pressure, but he kept finding when others came to him, and he probably won with a fair bit in hand. This was just his fourth ever run, his seasonal debut. This race has been won by some nice types in the past, including Pekan Star and Imposing, who won the last two renewals, and Gatewood should be able to progress from this.

Mulaqen – Travelled like a good horse, a little keenly if anything, picked up nicely to take it up early in the home straight, and stayed on really well all the way to the line, winning with plenty in hand. This was just his sixth ever run, his first since last July (when he wasn’t beaten far by Aiken) and he can progress again. The time was very good for a Class 4 contest, the exact equal comparatively of the Group 3 Musidora Stakes and the Group 2 Duke of York Stakes. He could make up into an Ebor horse. He stayed this trip well.

Aldwick Bay – Travelled as well as the winner Mulaqen into the home straight, but just didn’t seem to see out the 12-furlong trip, just getting run out of fourth place in the final strides. He will be interesting again dropped back down to 10f.

Swinging Hawk - Ran on well from the rear on his first run on the flat since October 2010, and his first run under any code since last January. He had to check back around the three-furlong pole, just when he was beginning to wind up for a finishing effort, which didn’t help. It was his first run since being gelded, and he can go on for this, especially if he is stepped up again in trip.

Mayson – Got upset in the stalls before the Duke of York Stakes, which is not like him, but Paul Hanagan said afterwards that he didn’t give him any kind of feel at all through the race. You can put a line through this because of the fact that he got upset in the stalls, and he may be under-rated a little on his next run on the back of what was ostensibly a disappointing run for which he can be easily forgiven.

Society Rock – Ran a cracker to finish a close-up fourth in the Duke of York, despite being short of room inside the final furlong. This should leave him spot on for Royal Ascot. He was strong in the market for this, he probably isn’t expected to come on a great deal for it, but his record at Ascot is so good that he has to be under consideration for the Golden Jubilee again now, at least in the without-the-favourite market, given the presence in that race this year of the remarkable Black Caviar.

Bogart - Showed a lot of pace on the far side in the Duke of York, he is only three and this was his seasonal debut, so there is plenty of potential for progression, even though it can be tough for three-year-olds in the sprinting division. A drop back to five furlongs shouldn’t inconvenience him unduly either. The Nunthorpe might be the race for him.

[Sefton]

Pigeons...

Looking to the longer term, Elas Diamond is a name to remember. A smart two-year-old, she missed all of last season, but was spotted going well with a Noseda stablemate last week. No doubt the Newmarket trainer has a plan up his sleeve but it wouldn't be a surprise to see this filly's name appear in the entries in the weeks ahead.

[Forced Kin]

235 Navan ...put them all in ..

Irish Stallion Farms EBF M'dn of €14,500 5f 182yds
1st Cristoforo Colombo (USA) (1) 7/2 Tote €3.60 €1.02
2nd 1 ½L Scream Blue Murder (IRE) (8) 11/4fav €1.60
3rd 2 ½L Secret Recipe (GB) (5) 9/2 €1.10
4th 2 ½L Horizon Sky (IRE) (2) 4/1

OFF 2.38. Time 1m. 15.30 secs 8 Ran

[Statto]

Mordin...

FATHER OF SCIENCE CAN IMPROVE

FATHER OF SCIENCE (34) didn't clock that great a time when winning a ten furlong maiden at Chester. But the early pace was so strong that it caused the whole field to tire rather dramatically in the closing stages. They took 2.5 seconds longer to cover the last three furlongs than they did in the Cheshire Oaks.

I suspect the lopsidedly fast early gallop hurt the final time. Certainly it made the race ride more like a mile and a half contest in the very slow ground.

I liked the way Father Of Science came away from his field in the closing stages. He looked like a good horse as he did so and certainly has the physique and pedigree of one.

I doubt that Father Of Science will prove to be a Group 1 horse as a truly top class horse would probably have clocked a much better final time despite the testing early pace. But I can easily see him winning a Listed or Group race.

[Statto]

and another

MOVE TO STRIKE A TOP CLASS 2YO

MOVE TO STRIKE (37) put up an amazing performance to take a Curragh juvenile maiden by nine lengths in what I rate Group 1 time for a two year old. He ran each of the last five furlongs much faster than they went in any of the seven furlong races on the same card.

In the closing stages Move To Strike simply powered away from his opposition with little urging.

Clearly Move To Strike improved a good deal for his promising debut third to the Group class Forrester. I suspect one reason for this is that the soft ground and strong pace made the six furlongs ride more like seven as he's built and bred to stay a mile.

Move To Strike is a good bodied, mature sort that is surely going to be tough to beat in any race he contests in the foreseeable future.

[flatman]

Thought this was a mordin free zone