Amazing Red
We have had two dry days here in Newmarket and the ground should be absolutely perfect. There is some good racing on show at Newmarket this afternoon and the opening Maiden should be very informative. We worked some horses on the Golden Mile this morning and it was beautiful ground. Stephen and Lynley Autridge came to visit us this morning. Stephen is a leading trainer in New Zealand and has trained twenty Group 1 winners there, I hope he enjoys his stay here in Newmarket.
Zamadance ran an honest race when fourth up at Haydock on Thursday and Carol ran a solid race when fourth at Sandown, the first two in the race look progressive fillies. We will more than likely drop her back to a mile now.
We have five runners today. I run four horses here at HQ and Sagely up at Beverley in a fillies’ handicap. Sagely has never run on soft ground before and with rain forecast this morning it is likely to be soft at Beverley but I hope they will go through the ground. She steps back up to 10f today which will suit much better than the inadequate mile that she ran over last time. High Hopes is a strong favourite and she ticks all the boxes, she has strong recent form, she loves the ground and she is proven over the trip. She is a worthy favourite. Flying Pandora has won her Maiden on soft ground over 7f and recently won a small field handicap at Newcastle but this trip is an unknown for her. Footlight drops back to 1m2f, she has form with a little ease in the ground and ran well when fourth on her penultimate start in a decent handicap. Lahayeb is out of form but the trip and ground will suit and she has come down the weights. It is a nice race despite the small field and we hope Sagely can move forward from her comeback run and if she handles the ground which we hope she will, she can be competitive.
Global Wealth is the first of our runners at Newmarket in the 1:55. We look to be in the weaker of the two divisions but that is relative and it still looks a nice race. Folk Tale sets the standard and ran well on debut when fourth at Goodwood. Tangled ran in a hot race on debut and stepped forward on that when just beaten at Chelmsford but the third was beaten yesterday and he needs to step forward again. Encrypted looks a likely type on pedigree and Montague displayed promise on debut. Our colt is a son of Havana Gold who will more than likely need 7f in time but with the likelihood of beautiful ground here it looked an ideal race to start in and I hope he will display some ability today which will give us something to work on going forwards.
We step Amazing Red up to 1m6f today which should unlock some improvement. He could never get into a rhythm in the Braveheart and was stuck on the far-rail, when the gap appeared the principles had already quickened and we felt he was unable to show his true ability. The good ground will be ideal for him today and leading Apprentice David Egan takes five pounds off of his back which means he only carries 8:1. His double figure draw is ideal and we hope he can run a big race. Jaameh ran into an improving horse at Haydock and he was then impressive at Chester. He has gone up seven pounds for that but he had some rock solid form at three and he still looks to be going the right way. Hot Beat is also interesting as he ran well in a solid handicap on the all-weather last time and the drop back to 1m6f on good ground shouldn’t pose a problem. It is a competitive race as it should be for the money and Cape Cova is another who has solid form at three and had excuses last time whilst Batts Rock ran into one on seasonal debut and can be excused his disappointing Goodwood run.
Amlad is running over 1m4f for the first time this afternoon and we hope it will allow him to step forward on his Maiden win last time. He was very resolute at Beverley and kept galloping right to the line, given the stiff finish there it gave us encouragement that 1m4f would be well within his compass. Really Super is unexposed and she is proven at the trip and given the form of her stable she is a deserved favourite. If Bedouin can repeat his penultimate run where he was beaten by a horse that has run well in a strong race since, he has each way claims. I believe we hold solid each way claims ourselves and as long as he breaks as well as he did at Beverley he should not be far away.
Munaashid is our final runner in the 5:25 at Newmarket. Like many in the race our horse has struggled for form of late and his mark has fallen as a consequence. He never looked comfortable over 1m last time on faster ground and the return to 1m2f on lovely ground should see him in a better light. He has been drawn well and although he is a pound out of the handicap he has a light weight of 8:2. The race revolves around Firnas, he has a lengthy absence to overcome once more and is clearly a fragile but very talented individual. If he is ready to peak today which is likely then he will take all the beating. Top Notch Tonto has plummeted down the weights and does not seem the force of old but he is dangerously well handicapped, as is Majeed and Berkshire. Great Hall is creeping back down the weights and Kapstadt is very consistent whilst Sgt Reckless won very well on softer ground last weekend. It is a very tricky race to assess and we hope our horse can come back towards his best and run a solid race.