Saturday 12th May 2018

Four horses put up at the start of the season run tomorrow, two of them in the Oaks trial and two in three-year-old handicaps at Nottingham.

13.55 Lingfield

One from my handicappers to follow and another from my dark horses run in this and at the prices I’ll go for Ejtyah.

Stream Song

A half-sister to top class filly, Journey. Stream Song was quite green on her first two starts. The first time at Ascot where she was produced with a run but faded and was given a hands and heels ride.  She was then unsuited by a steadily run race on her second start at Doncaster. She looked to get the hang of things on her third start, staying on very strongly and winning a shade cosy, putting up an RPR of 84. The third horse in that race has won in listed company since. Given her half-sister was a late developer, there is almost certainly more to come upped in trip as a three-year-old, off a mark, which she should build on with few problems.

Ejtyah (David Simcock)

Sire – Frankel. Dam – Darysina.

Ran only once as a two-year-old, in a small novice event at Chelmsford.  Although the official winning margin was just half a length, the front two pulled four lengths clear of the other horses. The form of those other horses in behind does not look strong, however. She settled at the back of the field, before making a sustained effort in the straight. Jamie Spencer gave her just one stroke with the whip to which she responded and won a shade cosily. David Simcock said after the race she is a horse with a future that will eventually make a good stayer.

1 pt win EJTYAH (20/1 Bet365, William Hill)

17.00 Nottingham

A Bjorn Neilsen homebred with a nice middle distance pedigree. Antagonist is a half-brother to Almodovar who was a slow developer, starting life in handicaps off a mark of 80, showing steady progress, before placing in a Hardwicke a year later. Antagonist was quite green on debut and stayed on well in a decent novice event, in which four horses have come out and won since. He was still very green on his third run at Kempton and given an easy ride behind the leaders. He wasn’t far behind Court House that day who is now rated 92. I suspect his opening mark will be lenient given how his half brother progressed and the greenness he showed on his first three outings.

1 pt win ANTAGONIST (11/2  Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook)

17.35 Nottingham

By Elusive Quality, who’s progeny can progress nicely from two to three. He was promising on debut but went backwards on subsequent runs. He probably didn’t suit the all-weather on his third start so that run can be dismissed. His dam’s best RPR was 101 on firm ground. Elusif is a risky proposition based on what he has done so far, but I think there will be improvement on a decent surface over a mile as a three-year-old.

1 pt win ELUSIF (14/1 Bet365, Skybet)

I also have a small interest in Firmament (22/1 Bet365) in the Victoria Cup at Ascot. I backed him during the week at 25s as he is down to a very attractive mark and has run a lot of his best races at Ascot, where race conditions will suit