Thursday the 11th of July...

Really looking forward to the three races at Kempton later on, but want to put one up for tomorrow already...


16.40 Warwick: Crystal Mist @ 7/1 Bet365 - 2pts win

This lightly raced Dalakhani filly looks a real stayer to my eyes, and therefore I'm really happy to see her stepping up in trip. It was interesting that connections didn't waste time with her in maiden races last year, so that she ended up in a big sales race on debut, her only run in 2012, and she started this season with another big sales races again. She didn't have a chance on both occasions though. One unsuccessful maiden start later and she had a Handicap mark, and ran at Newbury over 12f on handicap debut eventually. She got under pressure and outpaced from 4f out and was eased down 1f out, but it was interesting to see that the filly galloped well to the line, even gaining a bit of ground in the closing stages while not being asked anything at all actually. So from a visual point this gave me the impression that she could be a real stayer but the pedigree is backing up this suspicion as well as she is out of a multiple G1 winning sire over 12f, who sired a St. Leger winner, while the dam had only two starts and won over 7f but is by of a sire who sired a St. Leger winner too. So stepping up to the Leger trip for the first time tomorrow I think Crystal Mist could go very well.

Coral Eclipse Day 2013...

The imposing Al Kazeem - winner of the Coral Eclipse 2013

I have been to Sandown Park for the Eclipse Day last Saturday. It's only a short trip from Dublin with the plane in the morning, and it's no joke that you would find it more difficult to go racing at Navan, a track in the proximity of Dublin, actually. The journey was absolutely relaxed and easy, no problems at all, Sandown Park is easily accessible via Gatwick airport. 

The racing was top class on this special day, of course, because it was Coral Eclipse day. The weather turned out to be the nicest I've experienced for a very long time with temperatures up to 30 degrees. Sandown Park was packed, but it never felt overcrowded, the atmosphere was very relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable. Al Kazeem won the Eclipse thanks to another fantastic display. His third Group 1 win in a row. He's the best horse in training at the moment, no doubt. The sky is the limit for this horse I suppose, and the Arc a realistic target now. A couple of other excellent performances rounded up a day of top class sport. And that was it for what I was there to see: horse racing at its best and cracking atmosphere. Didn't have a single bet that day, but loved every minute of my trip. Below you do find a slideshow with a couple of pictures from the day. Enjoy!

Wednesday the 10th of July...

Mabait ran a huge race on Saturday at Haydock, as he finished a very close 2nd. He got out late, and finished strongly when finally in the clear, it's fair to say the best horse won, though. The winner was all on top in the closing stages and was a bit too strong, as he got even later out to challenge for the win.


20.20 Kempton: Boobyscot @ 14/1 Ladbrokes - 2pts win

Evening racing at Kempton Park

This is a very interesting horse. Was keen the last time on him already, which turned out to be not the day for letting off the handbrake. Tomorrow could be the day though, with 2lb off the mark and Ryan Moore on board. Wrote the following the last time, which largely applies tomorrow again:

This is a very interesting horse and I waited half a year to see it again on the racetrack, following a hugely impressive display at Kempton in December. It might be the case that tomorrow is not the day to release the handbrake, but this horse is so well handicapped now and a tasty price either so it's worth a chance here. Otherwise, he might be of even greater interest in his following start. The case I want to make for this horse is this one anyway: He is a generally lightly raced horse for a 6yo. He was a promising juvenile as well as through his classic season. His probably best performance ever came in the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh in May 2010 when he finished runners-up to subsequent Derby favourite Jan Vermeer which brought him a career highest rating of 103. He had his problems afterwards, changed yards and appeared on a racetrack more than two years later again, then in the UK. He raced four times since his move to Britain, including this mentioned start at Kempton as the latest one. He worked his mark down to 75 now. I have no doubts that this horse is better than a mark like that. In the race at Kempton he showed clearly signs of retaining some ability, despite not being ridden to finish in the best possible position. He travelled in rear that day over 10f at Kempton, a trip where it's usually way better to be close to the pace due to the short run-in. No surprise to see him having loads to do turning for home. Only a few stayed really on from off the pace in this race, in fact the race was dominated by the pair that lead the field the whole way. Bobbyscot then made his impressive run through the field, running on under a light hands and heels ride, finishing the race really well in a manner of a horse that is actually ahead of its mark. The 2nd in this race won two better races subsequently on the All-Weather. So this form is decent as well. So after all I feel this horse is dangerously well handicapped and will be able to pick up a few wins sooner rather than later. I hope he starts tomorrow to do this, if not, there will be surly another day.



21.20 Kempton: Lisa's Legacy @ 10/1 Bet365 - 1pt win

Very interesting runner on his second start this season and his second start for the new yard. I thought he was crying out for a step up intrip last year, particularly in his final start in 2012, when he ran on strongly over 6f at Kempton while finishing widest of all. He made his seasonal debut at Windsor in a competitive 3yo Handicap ten days ago, which looked stronger than this race here tomorrow, where Lisa's Legacy will be racing against older horses, while dropping in class. He encountered a real nightmare run at Windsor, when he got several times hampered pretty much all the way to the finish line from under 3f out. He got hampered, and was short of room on many occasions, with horses in front of his noes, closing gaps again and again as well as shifting horses, he tried to finish widest of all, but even inside the final furlong when he tried to switch as wide as possible he got slightly hampered by a shifting horse. Yet he was galloping all the way to the line to finish 4th. Now back at Kempton, with this run under his belt, in this rather poor class 6 handicap, with many exposed types, of a low mark off 65, with Barzelona booked interestingly, I really feel he can go really close.



--- Update: 10/07/13, 10:12---


19.50 Kempton: Robin Hood @ 16/1 Bet365 - 1pt win

A couple of weeks ago I was keen on this horse after he showed a fine performance in a competitive Handicap at Newbury over 10f. On that day he was outpaced from 4f out, and looked likely to finish at the back of the field. But he kept going and ran on really well in the final furlong to finish a decent 5th in the end. He followed up with a performance that I'd consider as rather decent in a class 3 Handicap at Ascot then, where he probably just was found out for class but also wasn't in the best position when the pace increased that day. These performances indicated to me that the sparkle is still there, but he didn't run over his best trip subsequently in two handicaps then, when contesting in 10f races, which is too short for him. He got outpaced early on both occasions, while staying on at least in his most recent run. It's very interesting to see him now stepping up to 2m. I think if this horse has a big run still in him, then probably over this sort of long trip. He always looked to me like a real stayer. He's by Galileo, so plenty of stamina on the sire side, but even more so on the dam side, with his dam Banquise being a winner over 2m in France! As Robin Hood slips further down the mark as well, I feel he could really run a big race. It's probably his last chance anyway. 

Saturday the 6th of July...

16.40 Haydock: Mabait @ 16/1 Bet365 - 2pts win

Was very keen on Mabait's chance at Salisbury recently, but the race wasn't ran to suit him due to a very slow pace and then he was very keen, travelling without cover on the outside in rear and had absolutely no chance from that position. As a result he dropped a couple of pounds in the mark and looks now super well handicapped of a mark off 85, judged on his penultimate run at York. Wrote the following before his last race which largely still applies tomorrow:

 I'm a bit excited about this chance as I feel Mabait could be very, very well handicapped tomorrow, coming down a long way in the mark and showing an impressive return to form at Newbury in a competitive Handicap recently. He travelled like a dream for a very long time, and the jockey looked to have loads of horse beneath but then when it mattered he couldn't find a gap and was short of room over 2f out. Mabait showed then something that you don't see that often or only from horses who are in really fine form or have something in hand, as he switched to the left, found quickly back his balance and quickened in a matter of strides - just to find himself short of room around the 1f marker again. Race over obviously then, but it was a hugely impressive performance in my mind and this goes along with his current handicap mark which hasn't been as low since 2009! Of course his last win dates back a couple of years too, but he ran in top class races and had to shoulder big weights. He steps up to 1m tomorrow again, which is perfectly fine as well as he gets his beloved fast ground. Slight worry is the jockey booking with Laura Pike not being an overly strong apprentice but she rides okay actually and her 5lb claim is well worth. I would think if Mabait gets a clear run the little girl doesn't need to do much anyway except of avoiding a fall.

Tuesday the 2nd of July...

16.00 Hamilton: Beacon Lodge @ 5/1 Paddy Power - 2pts win 

Beacon Lodge doesn't get any younger but this small field might play into his hands. I thought he showed a very impressive return to form at Ayr recently over 1m, when he travelled very well in the middle of the pack and looked to have a huge chance of winning the race but he found himself in a very difficult position where he couldn't get out and had to sit and suffer until very late when finally a bit of room emerged and he finished very strongly indeed. I think he would have taken this race with a clear run. So I think he can give the very short favourite a real race here tomorrow. Quick Wit looks to prefer a bit further actually and it is a possiblity that there won't be too much of pace on here tomorrow, which should then be in favour of Beacon Lodge i would like to think. Of course he has loads to find on ratings with the favourite, but for me it doesn't look all that clear as the odds are suggesting.

Sunday the 30th of June...

17.45 Curragh: Sherzam @ 12/1 Boylesports - 2pts win

Sherzam is a really interesting runner here tomorrow in this big handicap, and while I usually try to avoid such big fields I feel this 3yo filly has a fantastic chance. She really caught my eye a couple of month ago at the Curragh in a very competitive Handicap when she faced much stronger opposition than tomorrow. She travelled like a dream that day but got badly hampered 2f out which cost her every chance to finish closer as what she did in the end. She kept going after finding back into her rhythm and finished a good 3rd. She went into maiden company after that and got no clear run there again. After all I feel she is ahead of her handicap mark and the booking of useful apprentice LP Dempsey (20% strike rate with Carmody/Murtagh) who claims 7lb is another positive. If she gets a clear run she'll be hard to beat. 

Saturday, 17:50 Curragh....

17.50 Curragh: Red Dubawi @ 27/1 Betfair - 1pt win

Red Dubawi is a huge price here. The race looks wide open to me and I think Red Dubawi has decent form to offer. After all I thought he ran a huge race at Cork lto, when he was unlucky not to win. He travelled like a dream in the middle of the pack, on the bridle even approaching the 1f marker, but he couldn't get a run through until his jockey took a pull inside the final 200y and manoeuvred him through an opening gap after as soon as Red Dubawi was balanced again. He finished strongly hands and heels in 3rd eventually. The ground will be a huge difference today compared to last time, but I think it shouldn't cause any trouble, it might even be a positive.

Saturday the 29th of June...

 Choral Prince, recent Kempton winner, is a strong chance at Doncaster

Lovely win for Tax Free at Newmarket tonight @ 16/1! Still can't believe the price Ladbrokes offered last night. Was absolutely massive. I wasn't the only one who thought so and therefore Tax Free was very well back over the whole day and went off an 8/1 chance eventually. He travelled then very well through the race, taking a prominent position and Tom Queally gave the 11 year old veteran a peach of a ride, keeping him together as long as possible. Tax Free won it in a photo in the end, had it by a good nose. This win draws further profit to the blog and it looks now likely that July will achieve an all time monthly high. It's 68 points profit this month so far!  

Unfortunately the biggest bet of the day was a flop though. I had high hopes in Floralys, who travelled very well then for a long time of the race but faded badly in the closing stages for whatever reason. The winner had the run of the race from the front though, so it's not everything lost in this case and she can clearly win a race but I would be wary of backing her the next time...



17.10 Windsor: Frognal @ 14/1 Betfair - 1pt win

Frognal changed yards recently what is a big worry as the new trainer looks useless on stats. But I thought Frognal is down to a very tempting mark, has a decent 5lb claimer booked and comes here on the back of a really interesting performance in much higher grade. He travelled really well in a class 3 Handicap at Yarmouth earlier this month and looked in with a good chance to go really close approaching the 2f marker but got then very badly hampered and completely blocked. He lost his momentum and every chance to finish the race in a good way as a result. His performance looked much better than the bare result of this race suggests though and therefore I think he could go very well tomorrow in this class 5 handicap, with conditions to suit.


18.05 Doncaster: Choral Prince @ 11/2 VC - 2pts win


I ignore what this horse has done until his most recent start at Kempton, when he won by a narrow margin on paper, but with with ease in reality. Choral Prince stepped up to 12f for the first time that day, racing mainly over 1m before, and he responded in the best possible manner to the new trip. He travelled nicely in rear, and made easily ground in the home straight, always travelling very much the best. Once switched to get a clear view he had only to be pushed out, hands and heels ridden, to go to the front and finish full of running to win with authority. He gets 10lb for this in theory, but his turf mark was that high before anyway, so not really that much of a change. He didn't win on turf yet, but there isn't really an issue with the surface I suppose as he finished 2nd in a Yarmouth maiden and should be much better now over the 12f trip. He's still very much unexposed over this sort of trip and with decent apprentice Michael J M Murphy taking the ride, who claims very valuable 5lb, I thin he's still a slightly too big price in this race.

Friday the 28th of June...

14.50 Yarmouth: Floralys @ 5/1 Bet365 - 3pts win

Still a maiden after 11 races but was massively eye-catching at Lingfield recently. Floralys got badly outpaced early on in rear of the field and was- never travelling. She looked to go absolutely nowhere even approaching the 1f marker, but then she found her stride, forced her way through a tiny gap 1/2f out and finished full of running and a fantastic 4th on the line. There is no doubt that she's crying out for a step up in trip and thankfully she gets her chance over 1m tomorrow at Yarmouth. Her mark looks low enough, the additional 1lb compared to last time won't make any difference and Jamie Spencer is booked which speaks for itself. The race looks not overly strong and Floralys should run a big race really.


21.10 Newmarket: Tax Free @ 16/1 Ladbrokes - 1pt win

Tax Free - the veteran looks almost as good as ever

Can't help myself but this looks a massive price. Tax Free looks as good as ever to me and is still capable of winning these type of races, particularly of his current mark I think. He ran a huge race at Nottingham earlier this month, when he finished 2nd to an improver who had also the run of the race from the front on the rails. I thought Tax Free looked unlucky at Ayr lto when he travelled nicely but got hampered over 2f out and couldn't recover from that.

It's fair to assume that he's much better than the bare form of that race suggest and with conditions in favour tomorrow, as he gets his beloved fast ground and goes very well at Newmarket with Queally booked, I think he can be a lively danger to the short favourite. Asian Trader might be well in the weights here, but he was beaten last time out at Salisbury while having the run of the race and absolutely every chance. So it could be well the case that he's simply fairly handicapped and therefore too short in the market, while Tax Free should enjoy to be back at an open track like Newmarket. 

Thursday the 27th of June...

That's a bit of a disappointing day really. Mabait just had no chance from his position in a slowly ran race, travelling keen without cover in rear on the outside. Definitely well worth another chance and would stick my neck out that he's poised to win soon. Much in contrast to Take A Note who was simply not good enough today and looked very, very ordinary.


16.00 Newcastle: Korngold @ 16/1 Bet365 - 1pt win

This is an interesting horse even though a quite frustrating sort too. I thought his seasonal reappearance at Beverly recently was one to take note of as Korngold travelled actually quite well in rear but was simply in a position turning for home where he had no chance to win from. He didn't really get the run of the race in the closing stages either and was eased down. Think he could have finished closer if fully ridden out than he did eventually anyway. So he should strip fitter with this run under his belt now, as well as he's down to a low mark, 5lb below his last winning mark, and he has a pretty decent 7lb claimer booked for the ride for a trainer who did well at Newcastle in the last couple of month. I'm slightly worried about the fast ground and the trip which could be a bit on the short side for Korngold, yet it's well worth a chance at this price for mentioned reasons.



20.50 Hamilton: Findog @ 9/1 William Hill @ 9/1 - 2pts win

Two impressive performances in a row for this 3yo gelding. He stayed on very well over too short 5f at Musselburgh when having a bit of in-running trouble and he was seriously unlucky in his most recent outing at Hamilton when he travelled like a dream in a 6f Handicap, still on the bridle approaching the 2f marker, but got then into real trouble. He tried to force his way through horses in the closing stages, but he got bumped and short of room and lost every chance to finish in a better position. With the the 4th having won in the meantime I would think this is decent form, and as Findog could be easily a couple of pounds higher in the mark now if he would have get a clear run lto, I think he is well weighted in this race being able to go into this race as a featherweight.

Wednesday the 26th of June...

15.50 Salisbury: Mabait @ 12/1 Ladbrokes - 2pts win

I'm a bit excited about this chance as I feel Mabait could be very, very well handicapped tomorrow, coming down a long way in the mark and showing an impressive return to form at Newbury in a competitive Handicap recently. He travelled like a dream for a very long time, and the jockey looked to have loads of horse beneath but then when it mattered he couldn't find a gap and was short of room over 2f out. Mabait showed then something that you don't see that often or only from horses who are in really fine form or have something in hand, as he switched to the left, found quickly back his balance and quickened in a matter of strides - just to find himself short of room around the 1f marker again. Race over obviously then, but it was a hugely impressive performance in my mind and this goes along with his current handicap mark which hasn't been as low since 2009!

Of course his last win dates back a couple of years too, but he ran in top class races and had to shoulder big weights. He steps up to 1m tomorrow again, which is perfectly fine as well as he gets his beloved fast ground. Slight worry is the jockey booking with Laura Pike not being an overly strong apprentice but she rides okay actually and her 5lb claim is well worth. I would think if Mabait gets a clear run the little girl doesn't need to do much anyway except of avoiding a fall.

21.20 Kempton: Take A Note @ 10/1 Bet365 - 2pts win

 Take A Note ran with loads of credit on his seasonal reappearance at Brighton earlier this month. He was outpaced halfway through in rear, switched over 3f out to the inside where he found himself short of room a bit later and he had to delay his challenge and had to switch to the outside again over 1f out. Once balanced again he stayed on well to finish 3rd. He steps up in trip to 1m which looks very interesting. The way he got outpaced lto but also stayed on in the closing stages at Brighton where the uphill finish is tough suggests he'll relish the new trip. He has every chance to stay this trip on pedigree as well and might improve from his first outing this year. He clearly goes well on the All-Weather and could still have more to offer off his current mark now as a 4yo who didn't have too many starts yet and with the new trip to suit.

Monday the 24th of June...

19.40 Windsor: Short Squeeze @ 12/1 Bet365 - 1pt win

Royal Windsor Racecourse

This looks an open race with some lightly and unexposed horses in the field, the favourite could be on a lenient mark anyway, but I like the chance of Short Squeeze as the bottom weight, going down in trip for a price I'd consider too big. Short Squeeze was an eye-catcher already in his penultimate run at Nottingham, when he was a bit unlucky, not getting the run of the race while travelling super well actually, much in contrast to the eventual winner. He stepped up in trip for his most recent race at Goodwood, which was clearly the wrong thing in hindsight. He was very much out of control soon after the start, refusing to settle and pulling his way to the front. The jockey allowed him to stride on and they got an easy time at the front, even though setting a fast pace. Short Squeeze really kicked on from 5f out, gaining a big lead and having the whole field soon after on the stretch, while travelling very well himself still, just until the 2f marker when the bubble burst and he faded, paying tribute to the pace and to what happened after the start. It looks a wise move going down to 1m now, which should allow Short Squeeze to settle better. He gets also 1lb off his mark, and could run a big race as feather weight in this race, as he should relish the likely fast pace here.