18 RUNNERS on Saturday across four meetings and hopefully we have some good chances among them – particularly at Sandown where Manigordo looks one of our best chances. We’ve made a very good start to the season and have so far enjoyed seven winners and plenty of places as well. Not least Billesdon Brook who ran a great race in the Unibet Snowdrop Stakes at Kempton last week. We decided not to enter her in the Duke Of Cambridge at Royal Ascot on Tuesday so if she does go there it will be in the G1 Queen Anne but nothing is set in stone as the moment. I was delighted with Cloak Of Spirits who ran an excellent race to finish second in the Qipco 1000 Guineas and she has come out of it in great form. The Coronation Stakes next Saturday is currently the plan where hopefully she would have a very good chance. Mums Tipple didn’t look to stay a mile in the 2000 Guineas, although we had to give it a go, but we now have the option of going right back down to 6f for the Commonwealth Cup or have a crack at the Jersey Stakes which is over 7f.
SATURDAY – NEWBURY
1:50 Handicap
Man Of The Night (Ryan Moore)
I probably put him on a bit of a pedestal which meant he went to Newbury with a lot expected of him and thankfully he got the job done. Things didn’t really go his way afterwards and I’ve got to be realistic that maybe he isn’t the superstar we’d hoped, but that’s not to say he still isn’t a very good colt and he seems to have really filled out during the winter. The step up to a mile and a quarter is a good thing and he’s been away to Kempton a couple of times and worked very well so I certainly wouldn’t be writing him off just yet.
2:25 Fillies’ Listed
Canton Queen (Jim Crowley)
She’s run some decent races at this sort of level but is yet to win one so we’re keen to get some Black Type and this trip on this ground is right up her street. I’ve been happy with her work and she arrives here in very good shape.
3:35 G3 Diomed Stakes
Tabarrak (Jim Crowley)
He’s an extremely consistent horse who has a great attitude and it was nice to cap last season with victory in a decent listed race at Newbury. You could argue that he’s better over 7f but he’s won over this trip before and likes the track so I see no reason why he should be bang there on ground that is absolutely ideal.
4:10 Novice Stakes
Seadance (Hollie Doyle)
He has to improve plenty on his juvenile form and I suspect he’ll be better in handicaps further down the line.
SATURDAY – SANDOWN
12:55 Maiden
Happy Romance (Sean Levey)
She ran quite green on debut at Newmarket when I fancied her to go close but she has definitely come on for that experience and I’d like to think she’s more than capable of winning this with that first run under her belt.
1:30 Novice
Manigordo (Sean Levey)
I’m amazed he’s still a maiden as he’s run some great races in defeat but this looks an ideal opportunity for him to get his head in front.
2:05 Handicap
Oh Purple Reign (Sean Levey)
He was a very smart two-year-old and he goes into Handicap company for the first time off a mark of 95 which doesn’t really leave much room for manoeuvre, but he’s in good form at home and has been freshened up since his last run.
Sesame Birah (Pat Dobbs)
She needed the run badly at Kempton last time so will strip much fitter here and if over those exertions, I expect her to run a decent race back down to seven furlongs which is her trip.
3:45 Maiden
Mambo Nights (Pat Dobbs)
He shouldn’t be a maiden but bumped into some decent animals last season including Quadrilateral and Kenzai Warrior so he definitely brings the best form to the race and the step up to 1m2f will be an even bigger help. He’s trained on nicely and would have to be considered win material.
DONCASTER – SATURDAY
12:00 Novice
Bay Of Whispers (Rossa Ryan)
She’s a nice filly by Cable Bay who has done everything we’ve asked at home and she would have solid claims.
1:05 Fillies’ Novice
Bella Notte (Rossa Ryan)
She’s got a very similar profile to Bay Of Whispers in the fact that she’s been working well, looks well and is ready for a run. She’ll improve for it, but could easily be good enough to win first time out.
1:40 Novice Stakes
Longlai (Oisin Murphy)
He’s a very sharp colt by Shalaa who has been working very well at home and I like what I see. We’ve got him entered in the Chesham so he’d need to be going very near to winning this if Royal Ascot is going to be considered.
2:50 Handicap
Always Fearless (Oisin Murphy)
He was starting to be a bit of a monkey and it was a good job he managed to finally get his head in front at Chelmsford in October as he was becoming quite frustrating. But we gelded him over the winter and gave him a nice break and he’s come back looking really well. He’s a very capable horse and arrives here in fantastic form.
3:55 Handicap
Nugget (Rossa Ryan)
We were very patient with him last year which really paid off as he ran two excellent races at the back end, but we always thought of him more as a three year old and he’s a different horse compared to last year. He’s been away to work and this looks an ideal opportunity to start his season off. I quite like his chances stepping up to a mile for the first time.
Ventura Bounty (Ben Curtis)
He’s done absolutely nothing wrong in all four runs and I’ve been particularly pleased with his homework of late. To be honest, both of these colts have a very big chance and have their best days ahead of them.
LEICESTER – SATURDAY
5:00 Maiden
Tribute To Jade (Tom Queally)
She badly needed her first run, as I expected, and she’ll be much sharper this time around. She’s a tough filly who takes her work well and has outstanding claims in this.
5:30 Novice
Fromnowon (David Allan)
She’s by Showcasing so is well named and while she may not be the Greatest Showman, ‘this is her’ and the drop back down to six should help her get her head in front in a race that looks a very suitable opportunity.
6:00 Handicap
Love Powerful (Jack Mitchell)
This looks a competitive race and she may not be drawn ideally but her work has been excellent and I believe she has a lot of potential to develop into a decent little filly. She’ll improve for the run but won’t disgrace herself, for sure.
