Today’s Curragh fancies:
1.50 Curr- Treaty Of Vienna (11.0) e/w.
2.20 Curr- Eziyra (2.26) win.
2.50 Curr- La Rioja (9.2) e/w.
3.25 Curr- Capri (1.65) win.
3.55 Curr- Theo’s Well (12.5) e/w.
4.30 Curr- Sors (11.0) & Bubbly Bellini (25.0) e/w.
5.05 Curr- Jennie’s Jewel (6.8) e/w.
5.35 Curr- Ormskirk (19.5) & Texas Rock (23.0) e/w.
Oh Vienna!
Photo: J.Fahy
Today’s Newmarket fancies:
1.50 New- Black Illusion (6.4) e/w.
2.20 New- Bay Of Poets (7.8) e/w.
2.55 New- Queen Kindly (4.5) win.
3.30 New- Peace Envoy (10.5) e/w.
4.10 New- Examiner (22.0), Erik The Red (26.0) & Very Talented (15.0) e/w.
4.45 New- Clef (7.2) e/w.
5.20 New- Shady Mccoy (9.4) e/w.
Clifton Fox wins the 1996 renewal.
Spotlight on The Cambridgeshire Handicap
Run over a distance of 1m1f the Cambridgeshire Handicap is staged at Newmarket on the Rowley Mile course. First run in 1839 the contest is the first leg of what is known as the “Autumn Double”, with the Cesarewitch being the second leg run in October.
Here are some key trends and statistics to bear in mind as you go through the form (based on the last ten years):
10/10 were aged 6-y-o or below
4/10 were aged 3-y-o
Only 1/10 had carried more than 9st 2lb
8/10 had a run in the last 56 days
0/10 for horses that were beaten 6 lengths or more last time out
The main contenders
With the likelihood of 35 runners going to post this is not a race for the fainthearted punter. With double figures prices available on all but one of the runners it makes sense to bet on a small handful of selections.
Here are just a few horses I consider to have a live chance on Saturday:
Third Time Lucky
Third Time Lucky, beat another of today’s runners, Master The World, by a short-head 12 months ago, and races off 5lbs higher this time. Positives for this horse are that he is only 4-years-old and his recent form (short of room 5th last time) and draw (13) are highly favourable. He also clocked up five wins in 2015 proving he is no back number.
Bravo Zolo
Won at Wolverhampton in February and was beaten a neck second at Doncaster in The Lincoln. He has a lengthy absence to overcome which may be against him on the trends, but he is lightly raced and is going well for his current yard.
Spark Plug
Brian Meehan’s runner finished ahead of Third Time Lucky at York recently and seems to be on the up this season. Running off a mark of 104 he is capable of being in the thick of things come the business end of the race. Runs behind Ayrad and Scottish in Listed company this season certainly give his followers grounds for optimism.
Banksea
Bansksea won at Pontefract back in June has been runner-up four times this season. He has been on the go since May this year and whilst the yard have been in and out of form that whole time the 3-y-o has remained consistent, showing he has got a touch of class. He looks almost certain to be in the places.
Examiner
Was third in this last year and was second over the course and distance in April before going on to win at Epsom. That was just his fifth start for Stuart Williams who has produced the five-year-old to run career bests on his last two starts. Running off a mark 8lb higher than last season should not pose a problem given the upward curve in his form.
Very Talented
This Godolphin runner shaped very well last time out when a half length third to Acclaim at Ascot. With the yard seemingly coming out the other side of a virus and several winners already coming this week, there is every chance this horse will be trained up to peak fitness.
Gm Hopkins
The John Gosden stable has an excellent record in the race, winning it in 2007 and 2008. The 5 year-old is the joint highest-rated in the field and a past course and distance winner. He has been running in Listed company of late so this drop back into a handicap should be an easier task. Ryan Moore is a top booking too. The only downside is that he has to concede weight to all his other rivals.
Erik The Red
Erik the Red has been knocking on the door this season but getting off the mark in a 30+ runner handicap does not appear to be the easiest of tasks. He has gone up 5lb in defeat this term but his trainer Kevin Ryan is still be keen on his chances. Ryan will certainly be buoyed by last weekend’s Ayr Gold Cup win and will be eager to keep the ball rolling by taking another big race handicap this weekend.
Master The World
Master The World is without a win since 2015 and was the runner-up in this race twelve months ago. His best run this season was filling second spot to Franklin D at Goodwood in July when just touched off by a head. The five-year-old grey gelding certainly has a big race in him. Whether it will be this big race remains to be seen.
Treasury Notes
Treasury Notes comes here after successive wins at Haydock and Ripon and has gone up 4lb in the ratings for doing so. David O’Meara’s four-year-old is drawn in the middle and has won on a variety of going descriptions. He may progress again.
American Artist
This horse appears to be floating just below the betting radar. Gelded over the summer, Roger Varian’s four-year-old ran a respectable fifth to Sacred Act on his return. That looked very much a prep race for a tilt at this contest and sizeable odds may well reward each-way backers.
Knight Owl
Knight Owl won the Suffolk Stakes here over course and distance at the Guineas meeting and finished a short head second to Treasury Notes in the Ripon Rowells last time out. That form has to be respected.
Carry On Deryck
Saeed Bin Suroor’s season has turned a corner and what a carry on it would be if he could take the Cambridgeshire with this horse. He shaped alright from a terrible draw when sixth behind Franklin D at Goodwood. A former Meydan winner, this trip looks the ideal distance for him and William Buick is certainly the man Godolphin look to for winners.
Prediction:
E/W singles.
Four winners and a N/R at Perth yesterday which was highly satisfying.
Today’s Worcester fancies:
2.20 Worc- Southfield Vic (2.08) win.
2.55 Worc- Box Office (10.5) e/w.
3.30 Worc- Degooch (9.6) e/w.
4.05 Worc- Gentleman Moore (6.2) e/w.
4.40 Worc- Precision Five (7.6) e/w.
5.15 Worc- Miss Crick (5.7) win.
5.50 Worc- Sarpech (10.0) & Billy My Boy (14.5) e/w.
Something new for the blog
I thought it might be a good idea to add the prices available at the time of writing next to the fancies each day. This hopefully will add extra credence to the odds actually taken by myself rather than having to report back the S.P. I will be using Betfair Exchange odds for this purpose.
Today’s Perth fancies:
2.10 Perth- Jet Master (6.2) e/w.
2.45 Perth- What’s Up Woody (5.8) win.
3.20 Perth- Ballyandy (2.5) win.
3.50 Perth- Fred Le Macon (7.0) e/w.
4.25 Perth- Flying Angel (2.06) win.
5.00 Perth- Ballymalin (2.76) win.
5.30 Perth- Lost Frequency (7.4) e/w.
Jet!
Racing stories that made the news between September 12-18.
Amateur rider Lisa O’Neill was thrust into the limelight on Wednesday afternoon as the gambled-on Wrath Of Titans landed the Guinness Kerry National at Listowel.
The 7lb claimer produced the seven-year-old, trained by Gordon Elliott, to challenge Rightville Boy at the second-last where the winner’s stablemate Lord Scoundrel, came down when also in contention.
Rightville Boy held a narrow lead at the final fence, but Wrath Of Titans (7-1) ran away to beat Rightville Boy by five lengths.
British raider Gas Line Boy, who made most of the running, was eight lengths away in third place for trainer Ian Williams.
Elliott said: “Lisa gave him a real peach. I’m thrilled for her and it’s great to repay her a bit for all the work she does. She does some pre-training for me, she works in the office, she will lead one up at the races and she can drive them to the races as well.”
In a surprise announcement this week, Adrian Heskin, one of the emerging young talents in Ireland, is to ride in Britain this jumps season as stable jockey to Tom George.
Heskin, 24, replaces Paddy Brennan, who has ridden for the Gloucestershire trainer for the past six seasons. He shot to prominence in 2010, gaining a first Cheltenham Festival success on board A New Story in the Cross Country Chase and landing the Bet365 Gold Cup on board Church Island at Sandown Park.
Heskin’s arrival paves the way for Paddy Brennan to take up more rides with the Fergal O’Brien stable and the chance to enhance his current commitments with the Colin Tizzard team.
Brennan and George teamed up for two Grade One successes last season with God’s Own.
Matt Chapman will be ITV’s betting reporter and presenter for its racing coverage, it was revealed this week.
Chapman will provide insight and guidance on all the betting stories across the racing season which begins on the channel on the 1st January 2017.
Chapman has spent his career in the sport, as a former Racing Post news reporter and winner of the HWPA Broadcaster of the Year Award 2010.
ITV appear to be looking for a punchy edge with the appointment of Chapman and you can bet your bottom dollar he will bring along a McCririck like persona to our TV screens.
The wonder mare Winx has made a procession of the George Main Stakes at Randwick at the weekend and her sights are now set firmly on further riches in Melbourne.
Saturday’s victory was her seventh at Group One level and her eleventh in succession, matching the winning streak registered by Kingston Town.
“There is nothing like that winning feeling. The dream continues,” trainer Chris Waller said.
If she goes unbeaten through the spring, culminating in the $2 million Emirates Stakes at Flemington on November 5th, she will join Phar Lap on 14 wins.
The viral sensation Pakistan Star hit the headlines once again over the weekend with another last-to-first victory at Sha Tin.
Pakistan Star powered home from the back of the field to win by a length and a quarter under jockey Michael Chadwick, completing the final 400m in a staggering 21.44s.
Pakistan Star is set to step up in grade after this latest win and trainer Tony Cruz hopes he will become a Hong Kong Derby contender next year.
Tepin beat the boys again in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile,under Julien Leparoux to win the 20th running of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In qualifier.
Norm Casse, assistant trainer, said Tepin will run back at Keeneland on Oct. 8 in either the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile or the Grade 1 First Lady, whichever one is easier. That will be her final prep for the Breeders’ Cup Mile in November at Santa Anita, which she won last year when it was staged at Keeneland.
Tepin has now won 13 or her 21 starts.
Kevin Ryan was the master of the Ayr Gold Cup once again on Saturday after Brando triumphed in Scotland’s premier flat race. It was the fourth time Ryan has won Britain’s richest sprint handicap, his first success coming in 2007 with Advanced.
Ayr’s packed stands witnessed the 11-1 shot running on strongly in the final furlong to hold off a challenge from the hot favourite Growl.
The Prix de l’Abbaye at Chantilly and the Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot are the options under consideration now according to Ryan.
“We’ll see how he is in the next four or five days and make a plan from there. He’s in the Abbaye and he’s in on Champions Day at Ascot.
“We wouldn’t be worried about going back to five (furlongs) in the Abbaye and he obviously stayed the six (furlongs) well on Saturday.
“He’s just a very adaptable horse and we could go either way with him.”
Armchair fans of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe had reason to cheer this week when it was announced that the meeting will be shown live in an extended three-hour broadcast on Sky Sports 2 on October 2nd.
After Channel 4 announced earlier in the month that they were not purchasing the broadcasting rights this year it was all looking fairly bleak on the coverage front.
Eurosport is another broadcaster to take the race, which will be run at Chantilly with Longchamp being redeveloped. Attheraces and Racing UK are also going to be showing Europe’s premier middle-distance all-aged contest.
Chantilly will also next year’s race as Longchamp announced this week they would not be ready for the 2017 running.
***
Top flat jockeys (last 14 days): G.Cox (5/9), R.Hornby (7/20), L.Dettori (9/29), L.Stanford (3/10).
Top flat trainers (last 14 days): M.Saunders (4/9), D.Menuisier (3/7), W,Haggas (18/45).
Posted in Blogroll
Today’s Perth fancies:
2.20 Perth- Lucy Mc (e/w).
2.55 Perth- Crown Hill (e/w).
3.30 Perth- Claude Carter (e/w).
4.05 Perth- By The Boardwalk (win).
4.40 Perth- Landecker (e/w).
5.15 Perth- Four Mile Beach (e/w).
5.45 Perth- No Such Number (e/w).
Brucey!
SBC NewsI'm Steve, 43 from Rochdale. My blog is about the ups & downs of a regular punter and sports fan. A place to come to share ideas, tips and of course-friendly banter!
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