Good afternoon from Newmarket. We had a fairly disappointing time of things yesterday, but head to Chepstow this afternoon in search of some better results.
We get started with Yes Can Do in the 3.15, a seven-furlong 0-75 fillies handicap. A daughter of No Nay Never, she lived on her nerves a little last year, and actually refused to load at Yarmouth on one occasion. However, she showed a glimmer of promise on debut at Newmarket and then again when travelling well on her third start on the Rowley Mile.
She did not achieve a great deal in form terms though, so consequently finds herself rated just 61 at the start of her three-year-old campaign. Whether that is a fair mark or not remains to be seen, and we have been thinking long and hard about what trip to start her over. However, she is maturing mentally and seems to have done nicely over the winter, and hopefully this seven furlongs on nice ground will prove up her street. I am looking to see some encouragement for the rest of the season, but we are still learning about the filly. David Probert rides.
One horse we know a lot more about is Global Acclamation, who takes his chance in the six-furlong 0-60 handicap at 3.50. An improved performer since being fitted with blinkers, he was a winner over six-furlongs at Chelmsford in February, and then ran very well to finish second to the prolific Camachess at Wolverhampton in March.
On the basis of that effort he looks reasonably handicapped, as the third home has since won easily, and he was given a short break afterwards. Global Acclamation returned to action last week, but was far too fresh and keen to see out the seven furlong trip, so stepping back to a stiff six – hopefully with some of the fizz taken out of him - ought to suit. We are effectively a pound wrong, as the handicapper has dropped him by a pound to a mark of 59 since the entries for this race were published, but there is no reason to believe he won’t give a good account. Liam Keniry has built a good relationship with the horse, and I hope they will be threatening the places at least at an each way price.
All the best,
Ed.