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Mon, Aug 23, 2010

Having highlighted the claims of last weeks 14/1 totesport Ebor winner, Dirar, Ian Grimwood was back amongst the winners with his Summer Festivals Betting Guide Extended Service on Saturday. The winner was short listed in 10 of the 11 races previewed on Saturday, 7 of which were the main selections, exerts of which are detailed below.

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Saturday 21^st August

2.05 Sandown – Danepak Atalanta Stakes (Listed)
SETA (WON 11/4) doesn’t appear to have looked back since flopping in the 1000 Guineas, winning both her starts at Leicester and Warwick. I saw her in the flesh at Newmarket and she looked to my eyes as if she still had plenty of growing to do, so I was not surprised to see her run so poorly. Since then Cumani has taken a sensible approach giving her a confidence boost in a modest conditions event at Leicester and a low key Listed event at Warwick. I think that she has matured on each occasion and this looks a natural progression for her. If she has continued to strengthen she should be too good for these rivals and who knows, she might be up to running in the Matron or Sun Chariot.

2.35 Sandown – Alexis Catchpole Celebration Solario Stakes (Group 3)
Because of the Hannon factor, Measuring Time (2nd 6/1) will receive plenty of support and rightly so after two wins from two. Hannon was a bit surprised when he won on his debut as he thought his other runner would have his measure. But, he proved it was no fluke when winning a modest 4 runner conditions event at Newbury next time. However, I think it is fair to say that he isn’t one of the stable’s leading lights. With that in mind I fancy the once raced NATIVE KHAN (WON 6/5F) to lower his colours. I know that Fallon was really impressed with him following his victory at Newmarket and Ed Dunlop thinks he has a nice horse on his hands for next season, hence his low key approach so far this season. The son of Azamour holds a host of top class entries for later in the season, including the Royal Lodge and Racing Post Trophy and so three victories from now; we could be looking at next year’s Derby favourite.

2.50 Chester – totesport.com Chester Handicap (Listed)
The draw shouldn’t play too much of a part in the 1m5f handicap so I am not too perturbed that my fancy, JEDI (3^rd 100/30F) , is coming out of stall 7. This son of Pivotal has looked a typical improving Stoute four-year-old this season. After winning with some style at Chester in May, he was slightly disappointing at Hamilton next time but he bounced back with a very encouraging effort behind Martyr, who ran well for a long way in the Ebor on Wednesday. I am just hoping for a bit of rain as this fellow likes to get his toe in. Lady Eclair (WON 13/2) has a 50% strike rate having won 6 of her 12 starts and even though she has tasted defeat on her last couple of starts in the Goodwood Stakes and Shergar Cup Stayers, I think she still has lots to offer over what I consider her ideal trip. Ground wise, she wouldn’t want to see any rain so I think I will hold fire placing a bet until I know what the ground is like tomorrow.

3.10 Sandown
Hanoverian Baron (2^nd 13/2) has gone from strength to strength this season although he did disappoint in the Old Newton Cup when strongly fancied. However, he proved that was a one off when he won a modest handicap at Ascot last month. If he is to prove the real deal, he will need to progress from that and prove that he is capable of dominating a race like this off his current mark. But I am going to go with FORTE DEI MARMI (WON 6/1F) to bounce back after a disappointing effort at in the John Smith’s Cup. There were no excuses from connections after the race although I would suggest that the ground was plenty quick enough for him that day. If the rain forecast for the south materializes, that should help his cause. Sandor (3^rd 8/1) completes the shortlist as I have been impressed with this son of Fantastic light this season. His defeat by the progressive Bay Willow at Ascot last time looks solid enough. That came over 1m4f and whilst he got it well enough I think he will be more effective over the 2f shorter tomorrow. With course and distance form already in the bag and from a handy draw in stall 15, he shouldn’t be far away.

3.25 Chester
SIDE GLANCE (WON 9/2) arrives here on the back of two really solid efforts, winning over 7f at Ascot before finishing 3^rd in a competitive mile handicap at the same track. Whilst he saw the trip out he didn’t look as authoritative as he had done over 7f and it may be that he is a specialist over that trip. This slight drop in trip should therefore play to his strengths and I was pleased to see that Jimmy Fortune was jocked up as soon as the entries were made. Tamaathul (2^nd 4/1F) has the benefit of being draw in stall 5 and I am expecting to see him throw down a serious challenge. He is more lightly raced than any of these but still has some top class form in the bag. He was less than 3L behind Wigmore Hall at Newmarket in April before pushing Azmeel to 3L in the Dee Stakes in May. He obviously suffered a minor setback since then but by all accounts he is back to his best now.

3.40 Ripon
This looks a wide open heat full of lightly raced unexposed juveniles but I was impressed with MURBEH (WON 11/4J) at Newbury o his debut. By all accounts he had looked a very smart animal at home and it came as no surprise to connections that he was up to the job on the first time of asking. He holds some smart entries for later in the season, including the Mill Reef, and a victory here will confirm Meehan’s view that he has a stakes horse on his hands. Based on the form of that race Gentle Lord (2^nd 7/1) has to come into the equation as he was only 1 1/2L behind the winner. I couldn’t fault his performance as he simply ran out of steam in the closing stages which was to have been expected given his inexperience. He should come on for the run but then again, so should Meehan’s.

3.45 Sandown
A tricky little contest but it might pay to take a chance on MATSUNOSUKE (NR) who is twice a course and distance winner. Prior to disappointing at Nottingham last time he had run some sound races at Ffos Las, Ascot and Goodwood and he looks very attractively weighted at present given that he races off a mark in the 100s on the AW. Rocket Rob (Unpl) has been very consistent this season but keep bumping into one too good and as a result the handicapper hasn’t relented. But surely his turn must come soon and Frankie looks an interesting booking. Sohraab (WON 10/1) is another that has dropped to an attractive mark based on the best of his form. His performances have been a bit in and out this season but if anyone can get the best out of him Seb Sanders can.

3.55 Chester
I might be wrong but I have always felt that Mark Brisbourne does well at Chester and therefore I might be tempted to take a chance on BELLE ROYALE (WON 9/4). She is a soft ground horse based on her victories so far this season but she does have some decent fast ground form behind Puddle Duck you won impressively at York this week.

4.10 Ripon
Piazza San Pietro (3^rd 14/1) has been in startling form over the past couple of months and a 3lbs rise up the weights may not be enough to stop him going close once again. But TAJNEED (WON 4/1F) a previous Great St Wilfrid winner over course and distance looked almost back to his best in that same race last time and he can go on from that with raced like the Portland and Ayr Gold Cup looming on the horizon.

4.25 Curragh – Galileo EBF Futurity Stakes (Group 2)
I am not too bothered which one of O’Brien’s Johnny Murtagh rides as I fancy GLOR NA MARA (2^nd 2/1) to beat them all. Given his debut in the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes in which he ran a fair race to finish 4^th he was then really pitched in at the deep end next time. But despite the Group 1 status of the Phoenix Stakes he ran a cracker to push Zoffany to 1/2L so if he progresses as expected he could prove difficult to beat. He holds Samuel Morse on that form and Robin Hood and Rudolf Valentino haven’t looked anything out of the ordinary so far. In fact the former was easily despatched by Pathfork (WON 10/11F) at the Curragh last month and therefore he could well pose the biggest threat to the selection.