Saturday 21st April 2018

I was really impressed with Bombyx today even though he didn’t win. He travelled powerfully into the race and should come on for the run. I’d expect him to improve when upped to a mile and a half. Enable was beaten in this race last year so I’m not giving up just yet. On to tomorrow...

6.15 Nottingham

Chesterfield is well fancied for the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr tomorrow, but the selection is his half-brother, Camden Town, who runs at Nottingham. This is one of my riskier picks from the handicappers to follow and he may be a long-term project given his breeding! It is positive that Roger Fell's horses have been running well recently and promising apprentice Lewis Edmunds takes the ride. There are some top yards represented in this race so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him run well without winning. The market is likely to be very informative.

Godolphin bred and sold to Roger Fell before seeing a racecourse. This horse may have been written off too early, as is often the case with plenty of well-bred horses. Camden Town was well beaten behind the mighty impressive Without Parole on his third start. Although he was soundly beaten, he did show some signs of ability and is almost certain to be better at three than at two. Camden Town is a half-brother to 2m hurdle winner Chesterfield and may be worth risking in middle distance handicaps off a low mark.

0.5 pts each-way CAMDEN TOWN (33/1 Bet365)

A couple of other horses to mention that caught my eye over the winter. The first is Highland Sky who runs in the 4.20 at Newbury.  He was an expensive purchase by Camelot. Three of his five half-brothers produced RPRs over 90 and their optimum trip was a mile and a half. He looked slow and green on his first two starts over a mile and the extended mile and a furlong at Wolverhampton so the step down to a mile tomorrow is not certain to suit.  Tomorrow may just be another educational experience and he will do better in handicaps once stepped up in trip.

The second is Corgi who runs in the 4.55 at Newbury. He is a big scopey colt who shaped with promise in his first two starts and looks like he’ll improve as a three-year-old. He ran right to the line on second start at Nottingham when finishing second behind Msayyan, who unfortunately didn’t do himself justice in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket earlier this week. Sir Michael Stoute’s horse in this race could be anything but I think Corgi has an each-way chance and is available at 12/1.

Friday 20th April 2018

Like Sheikha Reika, tomorrow’s selection is from the handicappers to follow but isn’t running in a handicap.

 4.35 Newbury

Bombyx is bred to be a middle distance horse so it was really encouraging to see him run so well as a two-year-old.

He showed a good attitude when winning against some good types on second start following 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. 

He has a likable attitude and I'm looking forward to seeing him step up in trip.

Bombyx opened up 9/2 with bet365 this afternoon, but he’s now a general 5/2 chance

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https://gloversgamble.blogspot.co.uk/ for the full list of handicappers to follow and dark horses

Tuesday 17th April 2018

Dark Horses

3.35 Newmarket

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 (and has recently won a French group three). 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. Current price 5/6 (Paddy Power).

Two Gay Kelleway horses are worth mentioning tomorrow. Robsdelight runs in the 1.50 at Newmarket and bumped into a useful Godolphin horse on debut. He ran a really nice race on debut although he may find 7f too sharp here.  He is generally 8/1.

The second is Pastime in the 5.20.  Ran well over 1 mile last time at Doncaster, a trip that he doesn’t quite get.  The handicapper has put him down 1lb for that run and tomorrow he is back to his favoured 7f.  I think he is overpriced at 20/1 (Boylesports).

Wednesday 11th April 2018

90,000 GNS yearling, brother to the useful dual listed winner, Carnachy. Has shown signs of ability on his first three runs before being gelded. The first was over 6f at Nottingham where he was both outpaced and green before starting to understand his job late on to pass a few horses. He was able to run up with the pace on his second start before fading and then being badly squeezed and hampered. His third run looked very much like an ‘educational’ run, never troubling the leaders and given a hands and heels ride. Master Grey definitely has ability and will only be able to show his best when upped in trip. His opening mark looks quite lenient

8.45 Kempton 
1 pt win MASTER GREY (6/1 bet365)

Wednesday 4th April 2018

Wednesday 4th April 2018

We've already lost Redcar, Pontefract and Catterick to the weather this week, hoping for better luck at Wetherby on Friday. My second runner of the three-year-olds to follow makes her handicap debut on the all-weather.

6.15 Kempton

By Foxwedge, an Australian stallion who’s first crop progressed quite nicely from two to three. Becky Sharp was highly tried in a strong Sandown maiden on her second start but was hampered and eased over 3f out. She was better on her third start, putting up an RPR of 59 in a race that has produced winners. She may be a little risky and her breeding gives mixed messages over her best trip but her trainer does well with three-year-old handicappers and opening mark is fair.

Like my first selection, this one is the outsider of the field and I think she will fair much better than her odds suggest. This is quite a weak race and Jim Boyle's booking of Pat Cosgrave is definitely a positive. 

1 pt win BECKY SHARP (20/1 Bet365, BetVictor)