Sporting Times
It is another overcast day here in HQ and there is a light breeze, it is highly likely to be on the fast side of good at the Rowley Mile on Saturday. I bought four Yearlings yesterday on the first day of Book2. The market was strong as expected and I was pleased to pick up four horses for what I thought was the right price.
Teenage Gal ran very well yesterday and looked like winning a furlong out before being worn down by a newcomer. She improved a lot from her debut run and she will be put away for next year now. Global Applause was far too keen and as a consequence he did not see the 7f out on soft ground. We will drop him back in trip and possibly make more use of him. Alemaratalyoum was poorly positioned as a consequence of his draw at Windsor and he could never land a blow.
We run four horses at four meetings today and all of them have some sort of chance. Sporting Times is our first runner at Leicester in a competitive looking 12f handicap at 13:50. He ran well on good to soft ground on his debut at Leicester last year and it was his seasonal debut when he disappointed on softish ground at Nottingham. We are therefore hopeful he can handle the soft surface today without being sure. He finished his race off well last time at Kempton and the track should suit him. Just In Time steps up in grade but he looks like an improving type who will stay further in time and will handle the ground. He is the horse we all have to beat. Fibonacci won a weak Maiden at his firth attempt but that will have boosted his confidence and he cannot be discounted whilst Lightly Squeeze has shaped as if he may improve for this step up to 12f on this ground. The other three all have ability but need to bounce back to form.
Baasha runs in the 8f Novice at Brighton (15:45) that does not have a lot of depth. He would have a small each way chance but the favourite would be around four lengths clear of us on what we have achieved so far and would have to run below the form of his last run for us to win. Our horse has to prove he can handle the track and whilst he is a nice horse for the future, he may not find the necessary improvement to beat the favourite today as he looks like a horse that will benefit from a Winter on his back. Enzo has to give weight away and Westbrook Bertie ran to a similar level as us when running third behind Alternative Fact at Salisbury. The second horse has since won and although he was beaten a long way he still ran to a mark in low 70s. Unbridled Spirit needs to step forward on his debut to be involved as does Dukeofwallingford but both showed something and can’t be completely discounted.
First Quest runs in the 16:10 at Catterick. Luke Morris felt that he would more than likely be better at 12f and so we have dropped him back in trip. His latest second is a hard race to assess as he ran into a rapid improver but he was the only horse who tried to make a race of it with the winner that day. He could well be on a handy mark and I hope he can go very close this afternoon and make the long journey worthwhile. The New Pharaah is not without quirks but he has plenty of ability and Toboggan’s Fire has dropped to a handy mark. She steps up dramatically in trip however and is not bred to stay. The race does not have a lot of depth and I will be disappointed if he doesn’t run well.
Zamjar is our last runner at 21:00 up at Newcastle. He has been frustrating of late but was a little unlucky not to finish closer last time. He drops back in grade and trip today and both are a positive. There are two unexposed horses in the race, Clock Chimes and Van Velde but both do need to improve to beat our horse on his best form. This drop in grade should suit him as he is a strong travelling sort on this surface and I hope he can go very close. Kreb’s Cycle looks to be the most likely danger as he drops back in trip and has plummeted down the weights. His shrewd trainer has had a very good year, he has form on an all-weather surface and given there has been some money for him this morning he cannot be ignored.