Saturday 5th May 2018

Three horses picked out at the start of the season run tomorrow

4.45 Newmarket

Stephensons Rocket was from the handicappers to follow and runs in the listed race over a mile and a quarter for three-year-olds at Newmarket. He was due to run in the bet365 classic trial at Sandown before the rain came and the ground became too soft. This is probably a weaker race but the pair of Charlie Appleby runners look likely to take all the beating.

Green out of the stalls and a little keen on debut. Looked to have the race won but ran green in front and outpaced before being beaten by a more experienced rival at Sandown. He didn’t have to improve to go one better at Redcar next time, though he was quite keen again. He showed a good attitude at Redcar, pulling further away from the field the further he went. The form of that win could be questionable but Stephensons Rocket is a big scopey colt who should be competitive in top mile and half handicaps this season or even group races if he learns to settle. He hasn’t been given a mark yet but a best guess would be mid 80s. (Note the third won a novice race at Thirsk this week)

1pt win STEPHENSONS ROCKET (10/1 Bet365)

5.20 Newmarket

Symbolization is one of my dark horses to follow for the season and he finds himself in a handicap. I think he will come on plenty for his first run of the season and quite simply he is a group horse in a handicap. I’d be disappointed if he doesn’t win. He is unlikely to be any price at all.

Symbolization (Charlie Appleby)

Sire – Cape Cross. Dam – Yorkshire Lass

By the excellent sire Cape Cross, whose progeny progress well. The dam has won over a mile and a half and two miles one furlong so I would expect Symbolization to be able to race over middle distances as a three-year-old. He was strongly fancied on debut in a Newmarket maiden where he ran very respectably in second behind the 99-rated Vintager. He didn’t quite have the pace of the winner, which isn’t surprising given his breeding. He pulled three lengths clear of Chilean, who ran well in an excellent renewal of the Racing Post Trophy. Symbolization built on that debut run next time when beating Glendevon at Kempton. He is a big colt who will make a three-figure horse this season.

1pt win SYMBOLIZATION (7/4 Ladbrokes, Coral)

5.35 Goodwood

Another very competitive three-year-old handicap. Hughie Morrison has won this race twice in the last six years and sends a very interesting runner, Pippin.  He was highly tried in maidens last autumn before being gelded and put away for the season. He starts handicapping on a fair mark and looks a scopey type who will build on last season being sired by Intello. The selection is Victory Chime who finished ahead of Pippin at Nottingham last season. Like many of these he should improve this season and having picked him out over the winter, I will stick by him, although he has a tough task from a wide draw. Another danger is the aptly named Goodwood Showman, who has a fitness edge and is trained by William Knight who was unlucky with the well-backed Arab Moon in the race last year.

Dam a half-sister to the useful Pealer (by same sire) for John Gosden last season, Victory Chime ran her best race on debut at Nottingham, where she travelled strongly throughout before being outpaced in the straight but stayed on nicely. The first three horses haven’t run since but the fourth has won a handicap off 74 and the sixth bolted up next time in a similar event at Nottingham. Victory Chime ran in the latter race but finished nine lengths behind the winner, she never got into the race and again stayed on late in the day. I would be slightly concerned after her worst performance was in her final race to date at Kempton, racing wide throughout. The promise she showed on her first two starts, travelling well before being outpaced indicates that she will be much better once upped in trip, on a galloping track.

1 pt win VICTORY CHIME (12/1 Betfair Sportsbook, William Hill)