Dubai Frame
Good morning from Newmarket. We have a busy day in store with four runners spread across three different meetings. Hopefully all of them will give a good account!
We kick off with Grandscape in the 0-65 mile and three-quarters amateur handicap at Wolverhampton at 3.25. Grandscape was recently purchased by the Smith family for young amateur jockey Sophie Smith to learn her trade on. They had their first outing together at Catterick a fortnight ago, and ran well to be fifth. That was over a mile and a half, and today’s slightly longer trip should play to Grandscape’s strengths, whilst they are nicely drawn in stall 2. There is no doubt that Sophie learned plenty from her first ride in public on Grandscape, and she will benefit once again from the experience this afternoon. A rating of 62 looks very fair for the horse, so they are not without an each way shout, albeit in a competitive race.
In the 6.05 at Wolverhampton we run Global Spirit, who has disappointed so far this season. Having been generally progressive as a two-year-old, he has struggled to make much of an impact so far this year, although his rating has now dropped to 64 as a result. We thought we had found him a perfect opportunity on paper at Chepstow last time out, but he was a bitter disappointment. It is hoped that a 35 day break and a gelding operation will enable him to put on a better show today, though a wide draw tempers enthusiasm somewhat.
In the 5.00 at Sandown recent Chepstow scorer Teenage Gal bids to follow up in a 0-75 fillies’ handicap over seven furlongs. We are fortunate to have secured the services of Ryan Moore, and we have a tough and improving filly on our hands. The two pound rise in the weights should not be too much of an inconvenience, but this is a considerably tougher race than the one she won. All things considered, she has an excellent each way chance, but I really would not be at all surprised if she found one too good. Fingers crossed for a good showing.
Our final runner is Dubai Frame in the 5.45 at Newcastle, a 0-60 handicap over two miles. We were beginning to get frustrated with this son of Sixties Icon, prior to a much improved effort when upped to two miles at Nottingham last time out. We revert to the all-weather today, which we are not sure about based on previous form, but crucially we are dropping down to 0-60 level for the first time. It seemed like a real step in the right direction last time out, and a reproduction of that will hopefully put him right in the thick of things today.
All the best,
Ed.