Friday 25th May 2018

Arthenia and Gather are two horses I was really looking forward to seeing this season and they did not disappoint, returning at 15/2 and 6/1 respectively. The running total is +18.75 pts

Another busy day tomorrow with thoughts from three races

15.20 Bath

A weak race. Red Miracle drifted significantly in the betting on seasonal reappearance when the ground turned heavy and finished a long way behind. He will have come on for that run and a return to quicker ground should see him run a better race.

Made an encouraging debut at Salisbury in a decent looking event (the second, sixth and eighth have won since). She looked unsuited by the heavy ground on her second start. Her final start to date was in a strong looking maiden at Nottingham, where not many horses got into the race. She was given an easy time of it once beaten and didn’t have the pace to go with the leaders. She has loads of stamina in her pedigree - related to Keys and her dam is a sister to Clowance who finished second in an Irish Leger. She hasn’t been disgraced in some strong races to date, just lacking pace in the closing stages. She has ability and has been given a very workable mark.

1 pt win RED MIRACLE (12/1 Bet365, Ladbrokes)

15.45 Goodwood

A nice looking race. Highbrow is a worthy favourite after a solid effort behind Key Victory; an extra furlong will probably bring about further improvement. Aspetar was excellent on debut but is short enough for a much tougher race. Bombyx is an extremely talented horse, who will have come on plenty for his seasonal reappearance and is the type to keep on improving throughout the season. 

Showed a good attitude when winning against some good types on second start after a promising debut in a strong race at Newmarket. Bombyx has a proper middle distance pedigree being by Derby winner, Sir Percy. The dam has produced five horses with RPRs over 100, four of which were best over a mile and a half. Bombyx doesn’t have an official rating but a best guess would be mid 80s. I think he has the potential to be a three-figure horse.

1pt win BOMBYX  (3/1 Ladbrokes, Betfair Sportsbook, Coral)

17.45 Haydock

Both of these are from my handicappers to follow and were both well backed on their seasonal reappearances. Pentland Hills has been well backed again this evening and one firm are a stand out price. He was quite unlucky last time but his attitude needs to improve if he is to get his head in front. Chantresse ran well last time 2 lengths behind Last Enchantment, who ran respectably in a listed race at Goodwood today. The handicapper has put Chantresse down 1lb for that which seems quite generous. Her breeding doesn’t suggest she needs this longer trip but the way she ran last time suggests this trip will suit. This is a step into the unknown and she may need some more rain to be at her best.

A Karl Burke filly who’s best two runs of her three to date have come on soft ground. She made good late headway at Catterick on her third start, the form of which looks somewhat questionable. There are mixed messages in her pedigree regarding ideal trip, but she is a half-sister to Iveagh Gardens (RPR 109), who acted best of heavy ground. Her mark isn’t that lenient but she has shown some promise on her first three starts and should be able to pick up a handicap on ground with some ease in it.

By Motivator, out of a Galileo mare who stayed 11f. Pentland Hills has a strong stamina influence is his pedigree and should progress significantly with age. He made a pleasing debut at Haydock, where he was outpaced but far from disgraced. I think the winner of that race could be very useful. He then ran in two very strong novice races at Newmarket. He looked green on his second start and given a very easy ride from about two furlongs out. He was also given a strange ride on his third start where he was ridden way off the pace and outpaced early on. He was then gelded and put away for the winter. This horse has run in three very strong novice races over trips far too short and given Chris Wall’s good record with three-year-old handicappers, is one to look out for over the longer trips in 2018.

1 pt win PENTLAND HILLS (6/1 Bet 365)

1 pt win CHANTRESSE (9/1 Ladbrokes, William Hill)