Roxy Art
Good morning from Newmarket, where the sun is shining brightly. I am heading to Salisbury today to watch my two runners, but will also be represented at Chelmsford this evening.
We kick off with Come Back To Me in the 3.50, a valuable seven-furlong fillies maiden. She is a lovely big daughter of Zoffany that probably wants time and distance in order to fulfil her potential. We are starting off at a nice racecourse, and hopefully on a decent surface, so we are looking for an encouraging debut, but expectations cannot be too high. Charlie Bishop will do the steering.
In the Gr.3 Dick Poole Stakes at 4.20 we run Roxy Art, who has been a little star for us this season. She learned plenty from two educational runs at Lingfield, and then won convincingly on her third start at Chelmsford. She was subsequently stepped up to seven-furlongs in a valuable nursery at Newmarket, and only lost out narrowly to the potentially very decent Star Terms. That run has encouraged us to go looking for black-type, and today’s race seemed like a suitable opportunity. Clearly she has to improve to be competitive, but I don’t think it is out of the question, and the drop back to six-furlongs will pose no problems. This is a very tough assignment and we know we are up against it, but I have a nice, improving filly on my hands and she shouldn't disgrace herself. Gerald Mosse rides.
My final runner of the day is Qawamees in the 7.15 at Chelmsford, a mile and a quarter 0-85 handicap. This horse was harshly penalised for his maiden performances, earning an initial mark of 76, and then went up again after finishing second in a Ripon handicap. His mark does not look justified on the balance of his form, and he was beaten before stamina became an issue over a mile and a half last time out. With his mark looking punitive we have to tiptoe around looking for suitable races, and this one has cut up reasonably well. I hope that the blinkers will help us find a little improvement, and the drop back to ten-furlongs ought to suit. Dane O’Neill rides.
So, three runners today but no standout chances. Hopefully Roxy Art will do us proud in the Dick Poole and Qawamees puts his best foot forward at Chelmsford.
All the best,
Ed.