Glorious Goodwood Day 2 Preview

Day 2 of this prestigious meeting gives us a mouthwatering third clash between Dawn Approach and Toronado in the Sussex Stakes, with Declaration Of War throwing a slight curveball into the mix.
In this preview, I will look at three races in detail, with the hope of finding some good value and a few winners.

1.55 - Goodwood Stakes - 2m5f (20 run)

Hopefully David will be smiling again at Goodwood

This race is tough to get a grip on because there are no stalls and a lot of horses will have stamina concerns as they are running over this trip for the first time. I was lucky enough to be at this day last year to see Frankel, but I did back Hurricane Higgins, who won this race last year so I'm hoping for a repeat. There are a few horses at decent prices on my shortlist, such as top weight Gassin Golf, who has done very well since joining Richard Lee to go hurdling over the winter, finishing a close second at Punchestown a few months ago. Cloudy Spirit and Sohar both ran very well in the Queen Alexandra at Royal Ascot, so would be interesting with a repeat of those runs. Lieutenant Miller also ran well at the Royal meeting and when champion jumps trainer Nicky Henderson has runners on the Flat, they also deserve a second look.
Kazbow has improved leaps and bounds since joining Richard Ford, and could run well, but I think Beyond is the one here. He is ridden by top apprentice Thomas Brown and trained by David Pipe, and ran well in this race last year, where he went off too fast under Willy Twiston Davies and ended up finishing fourth. He is a few pounds higher this time, but arrives on the back of a confidence boosting win at Salisbury under today's rider, so could be value at around 12/1 at the time of writing.

3.05 - Sussex Stakes - 1m (7 run)

Will Hughesie be smiling after the Duel on the Downs - Part II?

What a belter this is going to be! Dawn Approach is the favourite and rightly so after winning the Guineas in devastating fashion, before that infamous Derby disaster, and then in the style of Rocky Balboa, coming roaring back from off the ropes in the St James' Palace Stakes to win a titanic battle with Toronado. Toronado is back again to try and reverse that form at what is considered Richard Hughes and Richard Hannon's "home turf", and to be honest, that must be the pivotal factor here, in particular with Richard Hughes. Kevin Manning, the rider of Dawn Approach has had very few rides on the Downs over the years, just the five rides with one winner, Alexander Goldrun in the 2005 Nassau. Also more intriguingly, his last Goodwood ride was on Evens favourie Lush Lashes in the 2008 Nassau, who repeatedly got blocked up and was beaten by Halfway To Heaven. There are a few similarities, the short priced favourite who couldn't get any sort of run. Dawn Approach will have to pick through two pacemakers and that won't be easy at the business end of the race. There is noone better around Goodwood than Richard Hughes and for that reason I think Toronado will win this. Declaration of War is a threat, but I'm not sure he's quite as good as the other two. Trade Storm needs quick ground to show his best, and Gregorian is only a Group 3 horse for me.

5.25 - Harwoods Racing Club Handicap (7f - 20 run)

Nenge Mboko is in great form at present

This handicap looks very open indeed. I like a couple quite strongly, the first of which is Good Authority, who handles this track particularly well and has a handy weight pull with Askaud from Leicester last time out. He is also drawn well and could easily go very close at a good price. Spirit Of Sharjah could also get competitive for Frankie Dettori and Julia Feilden, especially off his current mark. Johnny Castle is trained by Amanda Perrett, daughter of Guy Harwood who's racing club sponser this race, and should be in there pitching at the business end with the draw a big help (drawn 1). The one I fancy most however is Nenge Mboko for George Baker. He has won his last three races and is really thriving at the moment. The thing I like about him is his turn of foot, and the visor which he has won in on all his three starts lately have certainly sharpened that finishing kick for sure. He has a decent draw and gets a juicy three year old allowance as well.

In summary:
2pts E/W Beyond 1.55 Goodwood
2pts WIN Toronado 3.05 Goodwood
2pts E/W Nenge Mboko 5.25 Goodwood
1pt E/W Good Authority 5.25 Goodwood

Any feedback? Either tweet me @willbowler2k12, or fill in the box below.

Best of luck,
Will.

Summer Plate Preview

Market Rasen host the biggest day of their season tomorrow with the Betfred Summer Plate the feature race at 3.30. In this post, I am going to pick the bones apart to this big midsummer pot and hopefully find some angles.

Paddy The Hare lengthening away!!!

The early favourite is Paddy The Hare, a horse who recently ended a long run of placed efforts with a win at Uttoxeter, before making it two on the bounce over this course and distance last time out, breaking the track record in the process. He is clearly at his peak physically and mentally at the moment, and must have a decent chance for Dr Richard Newland and Tom O'Brien.
Dr Newland has two other darts to throw at this in the shape of Pineau De Re and Bobowen. I think Bobowen may be a bit high in the weights, but this is his time of the year, as he won four on the bounce through July and August in 2012.

Pineau De Re made a very eye catching stable debut last time

Pineau De Re is one I really fancy here though in the hands of Richard Johnson. I was at Uttoxeter when this son of Maresca Sorrento made his debut for the doctor in the valuable Summer Cup, won by Storm Survivor. He travelled like a dream throughout the race, looking the likely winner turning for home, but then he got tired and gradually faded into sixth place. If you stopped that race at the distance tomorrow's race is run over, he may well have won. With the drop in trip here, and a drop of 2lbs by the handicapper, I think Pineau De Re is definitely the one to beat.

I am not sure that Dineur will get the trip but I fully respect his trainer Peter Bowen who is in great form and has a very good record at the Lincolnshire venue.

Last year's winning partnership of jockey David Bass and trainer Lawney Hill combine with Kings Legacy, formerly with Paul Nicholls. The big worry with this lad is jumping, as he has fallen once under rules over fences and twice in points. He is classy though and a mark of 129 is not impossible.

I am not a Problema Tic fan as I don't like his temperament. If he fancies it, he could go okay but that's not a certainty for sure.

Buck Mulligan is consistent and enjoys the fast pace of these contests, but the handicapper doesn't really get off his back so may be a little bit vulnerable.

Paul Nicholls has the top weight Woolcombe Folly who has been running very well in defeat of late, but the issue is that he has to concede upwards of 10lbs to all his rivals.

The bottom weight Grey Soldier will need to improve considerably if he is to play a part at the business end of the race.

Finger Onthe Pulse to roll back the years?

I would be a little surprised if the 12 year old veteran Finger Onthe Pulse didn't find a few too good to be honest, although he did win last time out. Stablemate Galaxy Rock could go well, as he is well handicapped and the mount of AP McCoy, but I'm not sure about his speed for this race, so I'll swerve.

I can't really have Royale's Charter as he jumped poorly through the winter and his yard are having very few runners to gauge their form.

Gentleman Anshan is too high in the weights now I think but it'd be great to see a small yard like Rosemary Gasson to have one run well in such a big race.

Brian Ellison has two runners, and of them I prefer Viva Colonia ridden by Noel Fehily, who loves quick ground and he has been keeping busy on the Flat.

Donnas Palm could go well

I do think Donnas Palm could run a big race towards the foot of the weights for Tim Vaughan. His runners are definitely turning a corner and this mare is now on a dangerous mark. She won a Grade 2 novice chase in Ireland about eighteen months ago when with Noel Meade, and tomorrow runs off 128 in a handicap. Michael Byrne takes another 5lbs off and I think she is overpriced.

In summary, Pineau De Re, Viva Colonia and Donnas Palm are the three I like for value.

Any feedback? Fill in the box below or tweet me @willbowler2k12

Best of luck,
Will

My first big day in the commentary box

As many of you will know, I am an aspiring racing commentator.
Recently, I was given the opportunity to commentate on harness racing at the York Raceway for their Championship meeting on 29 June.
My emotions were a mix of excitement and nerves as it is such a big fixture in the York calendar and I am an 18 year old rookie! In the days leading up to the big day, I did plenty of homework on past performances of the horses and got some great advice from fellow commentator Darren Owen, which made me feel more at ease.
So the big day started the usual way with The Morning Line, and then off to York we went at around 10am with notes and binoculars (which I don't really need) in tow. The meeting was different to those which I had been to before as there were two heats, where the two winners and eight fastest losers would qualify for the final. This was something new to deal with throughout the afternoon as I had two sets of heats ending in two finals, the three year old and four year old finals. I arrived at the track at midday and went to say hello to cameraman John and his wife Janet who is the photographer. They were a little surprised to hear I was calling this meeting as well, but for me, John and Janet make you feel much less nervous about it as they have so much knowledge and from this point onwards, I was much more excited rather than nervous.
I then went to the paddock office to see track manager Anthony Fettah, where I was told of any driver changers or non runners. Again, Anthony made me feel at ease saying "there is not 65 million people watching, so just do what you do and enjoy yourself".
I then had a bite to eat and drink before heading back to the office for the all important draw. This is pivotal to the day and I had to be there to note it all, before going through it over the tannoy. After the draw, I climbed the steps up to the commentary box and went through the draw for all the spectators for the first time in the afternoon. Before I knew it, the horses were about to parade for the first race, Heat one of the four year old championship for Fillies. After two non runners, there was only 5 runners so it was quite a nice way to start. Baby Rosa made all for Rhys Evans and won by a wide margin in a good time and I breathed a sigh of relief as everything went without a hitch. With races at twenty minute intervals, you don't think about it half as much as you might imagine as the races come thick and fast. The next two races flew by before a pulsating finish to the fourth race, the second heat for the three year old championship, which resulted in a narrow win for Irish raider Meadowbranch Ash, with six runners within two and a half lengths of each other.
The first of the finals, race ten, came around at around ten past five, a little over three hours after the first race, and it was the four year old championship, and just like the first, Baby Rosa made all for Rhys Evans before champion driver and trainer Rocker and Alexis Laidler won the three year old championship with Stamp Hill, who I had seen win twice this year at York and Leominster beforehand.
I came away beaming and happy with my work. Everyone concerned seemed happy with my commentaries and were very encouraging. My next date is on Sunday 14th July at the Evenwood meeting near Bishop Auckland, and I cannot wait. If you have never been harness racing before, I would certainly recommend it. For more information, check out the British Harness Racing Club website at This Address.

Will