Good afternoon from Newmarket. We have been relatively quiet of late, but burst back into life with five runners spread across Chelmsford and Wolverhampton this evening. It will be a whirlwind of an evening, with all five of them in action within a space of an hour and 15 minutes!
We get underway with Tadleel in the seven-furlong 0-85 handicap at Wolverhampton at 6.45. This horse was a talented performer at two and three, and returned from more than a year on the sidelines with a good third at Kempton over this distance in August. Two subsequent efforts back up to a mile have been slightly disappointing, so we drop down in trip again and add some blinkers this time around. He has the talent to be involved, but whether or not the blinkers do the trick is anyone’s guess. Dane O’Neill rides.
Our second representative is Arctic Spirit in the mile and a quarter fillies’ handicap at Chelmsford at 7.00. We have gradually stepped this filly up in trip, and she shaped as though a mile and two is her bare minimum now on her latest appearance at Sandown. That was her second relatively uninspiring performance in succession, so we reach for a pair of cheekpieces today to see if they might encourage some improvement. She has course form, is now down to a fair-looking mark, and continues in good form at home, so hopefully she can outrun her odds from a good draw. Rab Havlin rides.
Switching our attention back to Wolverhampton for the 7.15, Homesick Boy tries to break his maiden tag at the 12th attempt in the mile and a half 0-55 handicap. A mid-season slide in form was arrested with a good third at Kempton in a first-time visor last time out, and granted some more luck in running on that occasion he would surely have gone very close. He is yet another that we know has the talent to get involved, but it probably depends on what mood he is in! That said, should the visor have the same effect again he really ought to be in with an each way shout, from a good draw and with Danny Tudhope doing the steering.
In the 7.45 at Wolverhampton Global Rock has his first outing in handicap company, and we are hoping he is not too harshly rated on a mark of 64. Unraced at two, he has always shown us a little ability at home, but his first two starts earlier this year were a disaster. He showed a good deal more promise when fourth at Yarmouth in July, and has been gelded since. He has been off the track again for some time now, so will certainly improve for the outing, but it will nonetheless be disappointing if he cannot show a glimmer of promise at least. Gerald Mosse takes the mount.
Our final runner of the day is Chelmsford regular Gottardo, who takes his chance in the 0-70 six-furlong handicap at the Essex venue at 8.00. He is usually piloted by our amateur jockey Sophie Smith, for whom he won a 0-70 handicap over this course and distance in March from a mark of 69. A gradual decline in his form subsequently sees him now back down to a lenient-looking official rating of 64, and his latest third (also at Chelmsford!) hinted that a return to the winners’ enclosure could be imminent. However, the one note of caution is that he really needs a good pace to run at, and is therefore a hostage to fortune. He has thrown away a couple of races this year by being far too keen early on, so we need them to go a good gallop to allow him to relax. When he does so he is a strong finisher, and hopefully he will be flying home at the finish this today. Hollie Doyle takes the mount. Enjoy the racing today.
Al the best, Ed.