St Leger Service

Wed, Sep 8, 2010

Thursday 9^th September

2.00 – EBF crownhotel-bawtry.com Maiden Stakes
Other than the fact that John Gosden won this race twice in 2000 and 2002 there are no trends to speak of surrounding this opening maiden. So his runner, NATHANIEL is as good a starting point as any especially as he arguably has the best form on offer having finished runner up on his debut in an above average Newmarket maiden. If it hadn’t been for the potentially top drawer Frankel, this son of Galileo, who is closely related to Playful Act and Percussionist would have been an easy 5L winner. I have little doubt that he is a very smart prospect who looks sure to improve as he matures and gains experience. Genius Beast, a son of the top class Irish Oaks winner Shawanda, finished 3^rd in that particular Newmarket maiden. There was a lot to like about him as he made his way to post and to be fair did very little wrong in defeat, he simply ran into two very classy animals. There is no logical reason why he should reverse the form but a top 3 finish should be on the agenda and maybe more if the selection has an off day. Either way he is a colt that will be winning sooner rather than later. This is why I find it slightly surprising that Dettori has opted for Terdaad, who is out of a full sister to the speedy Iffraaj, as he looked comfortably held on his debut at York last month. However, he raced down the far side for much of the way in the straight that day, so can certainly be given another chance. It is dangerous to assume that he must have been showing something at home but it is interesting that he holds an entry in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh later this month. When it comes to the un-raced runners there are a couple that could throw a spanner in the works. The first of those is Henry Cecil’s Picture Editor who is by Dansili out of the race mare Shirley Valentine, who in addition to being a full sister to Deploy is a half-sister to Commander In Chief and Warning. She has already produced some decent off spring most notably the Group 3 winners Multiplex and Memorise. He might just need the run tomorrow but he is definitely a horse to watch out for next season when stepped up to middle distances. We couldn’t have a juvenile contest without a mention for the Hannon runner. The aptly names Silverware is a half-brother to stable mate Heliodor who is currently rated 104. He has proved best over 10/12f so it is no surprise to see this son of American stallion, Eurosilver, making such a belated debut. Watch the markets when it comes to this pair.

2.35 – DFS Handicap
There was virtually nothing to separate Sweet Lightning and Royal Destination at York when they finished 1-2 in a competitive 0-105 handicap but I fancy Jeremy Noseda’s charge to reverse the form in receipt of an extra 2lbs. Prior to that he had been slightly disappointing this season but he looked to be returning to near his best last time and he can go on improving. The juice in the ground is a slight worry as he yet to encounter anything as soft but he has won twice on good ground in the past. With that in mind it might be worth taking a chance on KINGS DESTINY who won on very soft ground at Ripon last season. I thought he ran a really solid race when finishing 4L 8^th to Forte Dei Marmi at Sandown last month which seemed to coincide with a 2lbs drop down the weights. He is down another 2lbs to 100 tomorrow which incidentally is the mark he won off at Lingfield in April. The dual soft ground winner Spanish Duke must rank as a threat even though he is racing of a 9lbs higher mark that when winning at Newmarket last month. He defied a 5lbs rise that day clearly looking suited to the galloping track, so with conditions set to suit he could well progress again. Kieren Fallon earns my vote for one of the rides of the season when he got up on Tartangigha at Epsom in June. but Those early season exploits seem to have left their mark on the horse as he has been well beaten on all 4 starts since then and it is difficult to make a case for him here. However, he is down another pound tomorrow and if he can recapture his earlier form I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest to see him run a massive race.

3.10 – Weatherbys Insurance £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes
I once held a share in a horse that was entered for this race but some modest efforts prior meant that he never made it. In fact it was proved that we were punching above our weight as he never won a race off a mark higher than 60! As always this is an ultra competitive affair for which WOOTTON BASSETT will be many peoples idea of the winner. After impressive victories in an Ayr maiden and then a Doncaster novice he was backed as if defeat was out of the question when lining up in a similar contest to this at York last month. Despite 18 runners going to post he looked a class above as he ran out a 1 3/4L winner from Galtymore Lad and Chiswick Bey, who both re-oppose today. On that evidence he looks the one that they all have to beat although Richard Fahey is mob-handed here and neither of El Viento, Sir Reginald, Chiswick Bey and Premier Clarets should be discounted lightly as they all look more than capable in their own right. Brian Meehan’s Murbeh is an interesting contender. The form of his maiden victory at Newbury has worked out quite well as runner up Moriarty has since won a competitive York maiden, beating the well thought of El Muqbil in the process. For his next start he went to Ripon for a consolation race for horses that missed the cut in the sales race at York, won by Wootton Bassett. He is obviously something of a character, as the gelding had to be ponied down to the start but he looked smart and professional once the gates opening, always travelling strongly and proving much too good for some decent opposition. If he progresses again, he could give Wootton Bassett a scare. Forjatt was only 2L behind Wootton Bassett at Doncaster in July although in fairness he always looked held but he progressed on that to win in convincing style at Nottingham next time. Although still showing signs of greenness, 5L was the official margin and he was probably value for a bit more than that. Although no winners have come out of the race some of those behind have run smart races in defeat in some hot little contests so as long as he hasn’t gone the wrong way mentally, he has to be in there with a shout. Madany could be a good call as she does have winning form on a soft surface whilst Slim Shadey won’t be left wanting for stamina as he has already won over 7f this season but let’s be honest about things. Richard Fahey has been around this game long enough to know that you don’t talk up a horse unless you know you have some serious ammunition so for him to say Wootton Bassett of the best he has ever trained tells me all I need to know.

3.45 – DFS Park Hill Stakes (Group 2)
Meeznah is the top rated filly in the race but she is another that has disappointed when there has been cut in the ground. After such a brilliant effort in the Oaks, she was easy to back in the Irish equivalent when the ground was good to yielding and she was unable to repeat her Epsom effort. She should get the trip tomorrow but how she will act on the ground is anyone’s guess. Eastern Aria is a tough as they come as she showed when winning at Newmarket and Goodwood in July. I don’t see here having any trouble with the trip but I am worried about the ground. She was well beaten over in Cologne on soft ground earlier in the year and although she ran okay in Deauville last month, I don’t think she was really enjoying herself. Polly’s Mark chased her home at Goodwood and was roughly the same distance behind in Deauville so there is nothing in the form book to suggest that she can reverse the form although she might just be better with the conditions having won with juice in the ground in the past. Roses For The Lady has some top class form in the bag having finished runner up to Sariska in the Irish oaks last season. As you may remember the ground was bottomless that day so she won’t be inconvenienced here. After winning at Navan in April she was slightly disappointing on her next couple of starts but her front running style won’t have been helped by the quicker conditions. On slower ground, she could prove difficult to peg back if she is allowed too easy a lead. But for my win selection I am going to stick my neck on the line with SHIMMERING SURF who is held in the highest regard by her handler Peter Winkworth. She isn’t the most straight forward of fillies as she showed when winning at Salisbury in May but she certainly has a finish in her and I think that will be seen in its best light over tomorrows trip. That kick was in evidence at Newbury last time when after finding trouble in running she finished like a train once out in the daylight. Winkworth considers her at least Listed class and possibly better and although the going is a bit of an unknown she is sure to be available at a decent price in this line up because of her less fashionable connections.

4.20 – European Breeders’ Fund Carrie Red Fillies’ Nursery
Without wanting to state the obvious, I fancy Richard Hannon’s EUCHARIST to run a big race here. She looked impressive when winning at Kempton by 6L in July and again caught the eye when winning a competitive nursery at Goodwood. After a slightly troubled trip, she rallied gamely in the closing stages to just get on top in the closing stages and to be fair was probably good value for her win had she had a clear passage. Because of the narrow margin of her success, the handicapper has only out her up 5lbs and I think she is still on the right side of him at the moment. Ragsah, a half sister to the iconic Dubai Millennium, took a few runs to find her feet but she finally got her act together in a decent looking fillies’ maiden at Kempton last month. I really liked the way that she carried her head in that contest and showed a willing attitude when asked to go an win her race, That will have given here the confidence boost she needed and the handicapper might prove to have been lenient giving her a mark of 84. Belle Royale has already raced 11 times this season but has looked a revelation since encountering some juice in the ground on her last 4 starts. I fancied her quite strongly when she won at Chester last month but I don’t think the handicapper has done her any favours putting her up 11lbs, so she will really have to improve again if she is to achieve the 4 timer. Ben Haslam has done a good job since taking over from his father in Middleham and he looks to have a nice filly on his hands in the shape of Azzurra Du Caprio who won nicely at Hamilton last month having previously finished runner up in a competitive York nursery. She showed a nice attitude in both of those races and off a mark only 3lbs higher she continues to be of interest.

4.55 – Japan Racing Association Sceptre Stakes (Listed)
Many of these fillies are pretty exposed so I fancy the progressive DEVER DREAM to improve past most of them. She does have a bit to find at the weights but she has really been clambering to new heights this season. After achieving a hat-trick of victories in June she then pressed the potentially top class Seta to 2L in a Listed Warwick contest before winning again the following month in a decent looking Newmarket Handicap. She did blow the start at Pontefract last time but stayed on strongly albeit from a losing position and I am sure that she is up to earning some back type before the season is over. Miss Zooter has a very similar profile and I have her down as a serious threat to the selection. I was really impressed with her at Newmarket last time when she came with a sustained run to lead and was well on top at the end. The handicapper deemed that worthy of a 9lbs rise up the handicap, suggesting that she only has a few pounds to find with most o her rivals tomorrow. Habaayib has really progressed as expected this season. After finishing 2^nd in the Fred Darling in April she was disappointing in the 1000 Guineas, not appearing to stay a mile. She obviously suffered a set back after that so she might just need the run tomorrow but it is difficult to ignore the fact that she did beat the dual Group 1 winner Lillie Langtry in the Albany Stakes last year, so she obviously has plenty of ability. The question is, can Ed Dunlop unlock it? This is a massive step up in class for Queen Of Mean but John Gosden is not one to over pitch his fillies too soon if he doesn’t think they are up to it. She was very impressive when winning a decent looking fillies’ maiden on good to soft ground at Yarmouth last month when to be honest she won the race pretty much as she liked without too much influence from rider Nicky MacKay. That race is a million miles away from what she will encounter tomorrow but being a half sister to the classy juvenile Zoffany, she could well be up to running a big race.

5.25 – Meadowhall Fashion Handicap
There are plenty of well known names on show here; the trick is working out whose turn it is to end up in the winners’ enclosure. ROKER PARK looked to be returning to form at Chester last time when he only went down by 1/2L. The handicapper has put him up 2lbs as a result but he is still 6lbs lower than when he won a competitive soft ground handicap at Newcastle last season and if he continues his progression he shouldn’t be far away. Valery Borzov hasn’t really built on a couple of sound efforts in June but he hasn’t run bad races on his last couple of starts and any further rain would only be in his favour as he loves to get his toe in. Rash Judgement finally got his act together at Newmarket last time when he showed that he was more than capable of handling the soft conditions. That came of a mark 2lbs higher than his previous career best so it is a slight worry to see him up another 5lbs tomorrow although a look back at his form does show that he ran High Standing to less than 2L off an identical mark last season. Secret Witness has been expensive to follow this season but surely he deserves to go one better sooner or later. He was only narrowly beaten by Hitchens at York last Sunday and gets in tomorrow off the same mark. If the stands side rail proves the place to be, he has the best of the draw from stall 21. R Woody, for my good friend Dean Ivory, didn’t handle Epsom the time before last but bounced back to form at Newmarket last month. Racing on soft ground for the first time, he got a nice lead from Avertor and, once asked to quicken up by Alan Munro, readily pulled clear with New Leyf back in 3rd. He had to race off a 4lb higher mark than when last seen, but the combination of soft ground, a more conventional course helped him to defy the rise. However, he is up another 7lbs tomorrow so I do fear for him.