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My notebook runners

Been a bit naughty and have let my eyes stray to the jumps earlier than I should. Primoz lost a few days ago, but Henderson’s Ile De Jersey compensated yesterday.

3:35 Goodwood: High Stock had come a neck second in a Listed race at Chester and was then tried in a Group 3 at Ascot where he came last - 19/6 he was around fifth against the rail, when he got squeezed up and lost momentum and a couple of places. Buick just let him drift in from there. “An enquiry was held to consider interference two furlongs out involving SEA SCOUT (IRE), placed sixth, ridden by Harry Davies, REYENZI (FR), unplaced, ridden by Ben Coen, and HIGH STOCK, unplaced, ridden by William Buick. Davies was suspended for 2 days for careless riding for switching his mount right-handed into an insufficient gap, forcing REYENZI (FR) off its intended line which in turn caused HIGH STOCK to be tightened up against the rail” - How he would have fared without the interference is the ??? and he’s just a watch today unless the market starts shouting.

4:10 Goodwood: Alarming made an encouraging debut in a Class 4 at Salisbury - 29/8 bit green then got the hang of it and finished strongly into second, although she did hang a bit in the last furlong. - and she is upped a furlong today which should suit and upped to Class 2 which might not. Will watch the market, but it’ll only be a small interest if any.

3:30 Kempton: Tales Old As Time is another who showed a bit of promise on debut - 11/8 “ He has steadily improved at home and is ready to see what the game is all about. Hard to gauge the race but he will learn plenty and we will know a lot more after the event”. In the event he came a promising third and will do better. - watching the market again.
 
Alarming was no better than steady in the market, but finished up joint favourite so I did have a little. She ran ok in fourth and I’ll leave her in for an easier engagement, even over a bit longer, maybe. The other two were weak in the market and no go.
 
2:25 Newmarket: Zanthos went in the notebook after an impressive win in a fast run Class 2 here in August - 9/8 she looked impressive and the time was good, but it’s difficult to know what she beat. Learn more next time - but she then got thumped easily by Touleen at Leicester who re-opposes today. She should have won that Class 4 easily (which she would have without the winner there), but she looked to run well below her debut performance. I don’t think it could all be put down to her pulling hard. It may be, of course, that Touleen is very special (Burrows thinks she is) - we’ll find out today. This is a Group 2 today so the pair of them better be good as it’s their first experience at this level. It’s yet another watch, I’m afraid.
 
Faster pace yesterday, so Zanthos was allowed to get on with it and won nicely. Touleen made her challenge which got nowhere so she was “looked after” from then on. I thought the stewards might have taken an interest, but no.

Unfortunately, there’s two notebooks in the 1:50 Newmarket. It should mean leave alone, but might try them both, albeit you ignore the big guns at your peril.

Bow Echo won impressively on his debut at Newbury -15/8 won as easy as you like despite a slow start. He hasn’t finished yet. - and then improved to take a Listed one at Haydock. Sits as joint second favourite for the 2000 Guineas at the moment.

Humidity was unlucky in the Group 3 Solario at Sandown - 30/8 looked beaten, then rallied and went down by two noses, but he was barged about and given second by the stewards.- it was a personal best despite the trouble. 15/2 looks a tad generous and he’ll enjoy the extra furlong today.

2:25 Newmarket: Royal Fixation ran a nice second in the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge at Newmarket - 11/7 ran a real top notcher to a neck with the rest left for dead. - and followed that with a comfortable enough win in the Group 2 Lowther at York.
 
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Bow Echo won nicely and Humidity plugged on to keep second. QUOTES: BOW ECHO got a lovely ride. Billy [Loughnane] allowed him to relax early. I was keen to do it the right way round - we could have been forward and tried to make a test of it, but he has got a turn of foot and it was nice to see it today. He is still a very raw animal but certainly a very good one. He is certainly much the best colt I have trained. We have had some nice fillies but he is head and shoulders above the rest of them. He is a miler at the moment for sure. His pedigree goes back to some ten-furlong horses, but we are pretty confident at a mile at the moment and it was a nice trial for May (the Betfred 2,000 Guineas). The Guineas is very much the plan and I don't think he's a horse that needs to trial. He is a Group Two winner at two and hopefully all being well he will come straight back here next year - George Boughey, trainer. HUMIDITY is a high-class horse and will keep improving physically. We're half thinking about the Breeders' Cup but we'll let the dust settle first - Andrew Balding, trainer. Racing Post.

Royal Fixation came through from the back and took third at the death, but never looked like catching the first two.

Other than those I thought Wise Approach looked special in the Middle Park. Buick was asked to bring him late which probably accounted for the slow start, but not the stumble shortly after which cost a couple of lengths. Had to switch to the outside to get a run and finished winning well. Charlie Appleby said that was probably it for the season and that the Commonwealth Cup would be next season’s target.
 
4:22 Bath: Item looked quite impressive on his debut - 3/9 looked a bit green, but finished strongly and romped away towards the finish. Might be a bit special. - and must be well regarded since he holds an entry in the Group 1 Futurity at Doncaster. First try on turf, but 8/11 is probably a good price. I won’t be taking it, though.

I’ve got a note to watch the debut of Skiathos - 6:30 Newcastle - for some reason, must’ve read or heard something. One of the last of the Wootton Bassett progeny now.
 
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Skiathos is a non runner .....looks like he will run at Redcar 13:36 on 4th Oct
a couple of other interesting 2 yr old in that race as well
 
That was a nice performance by Item, I thought. Difficult to know what he beat, but he looked good. Skiathos was a non-runner, but I’ll look out for him at the week-end (thx Oxford).
 
1:40 Salisbury: St Anton went into the notebook after his debut run at Newmarket - 22/8 lost position two out, but rallied well and finished well into third. Look for further. - After that he was odds-on favourite at Epsom where he came second after being slowly away, being bumped a couple out and hanging left in the final furlong. Worth another chance particularly as he now got the extra furlong to play with.

1:55 Nottingham: Enchanted Queen is a bit similar, she was a well backed favourite on her debut - 2/8 finished strongly, had no chance with winner, but left the other eight runners for dead - then ran a disappointing third at Sandown when odds-on. It maybe that she didn’t like the soft ground that day and there’s a bit of soft in it today. Should be just a watch since she’s a short price again
 
St Anton would have won the race easily by two and a half lengths, but he had no chance with the debutant winner. Same for Enchanted Queen who ran into one, an odds-on favourite who opened at 8/1. Not sure what to make of that race, it seemed a very slow time.
 
Well, it looks like the weather’s turned nasty which puts a real damper on things and I suppose the sensible thing to do is to walk away. A busy day for notebooks, but two are running at Longchamp which I’ll just put in for the record. Unfortunately, there are two in the Sun Chariot at Newmarket, but I’ll watch the market.

Blue Bolt looked at home in. Group 3 at Sandown last time - 30/8 made her challenge on the wide outside with nothing to race against. Did well to finish second in her first race at this level. - but faces a jump up to Group 1 in this and she’ll do well to cope with it.

Sparks Fly came out of the notebook when she finished six lengths behind Fallen Angel at Leopardstown last time. I want another look at her today, though, because she’ll love it if the ground goes deep. Big outsider, but I’ll see what the market thinks.

4:10 Rosario ran a cracker in the Portland at Doncaster last time - 13/9 raced in rear, but finished finished strongest of all and failed by half a length and a nostril. - but hasn’t had any real experience of soft ground, so how he’ll cope is open to question. 7/2 is plenty short.

1:36 Redcar: Skiathos didn’t run at Newcastle a couple of days ago for his debut (vet’s certificate) so has come here. Just a watch.

The Longchamp pair are Alsakib, 12:58, and Damysus, 4:35.
 
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barjon said:
Well, it looks like the weather’s turned nasty which puts a real damper on things and I suppose the sensible thing to do is to walk away. A busy day for notebooks, but two are running at Longchamp which I’ll just put in for the record. Unfortunately, there are two in the Sun Chariot at Newmarket, but I’ll watch the market.

Blue Bolt looked at home in. Group 3 at Sandown last time - 30/8 made her challenge on the wide outside with nothing to race against. Did well to finish second in her first race at this level. - but faces a jump up to Group 1 in this and she’ll do well to cope with it.
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As a lightly raced 3yo having only her 6th race,I reckon she's a laygown for a place - at least.
 
A non-runner and three seconds. You can’t complain at that, can you. Well, you can, but you know what I mean. Blue Bolt certainly looked at home dining at the top table and left everything for dead bar the winner and Rosario finished best of all to take everything bar the winner, albeit only by a short head. It was a good debut by Skiathos and no disgrace to come second to a heavy odds-on favourite who looked a bit special.
 
3:30 Yarmouth: Lyrics Of Life has had the misfortune to run into a couple of decent ones - 8/8 didn’t get a clear run, but switched and ran on to a good second well clear of the rest. 5/9 second, she had beaten the winner by four lengths last time, but that was that one’s debut and maybe something a bit special after winning easily this time. She (Lyrics Of Life) has still got good potential. - and there’s a good chance she might do so again this time with three expensive debutantes - 450,000gns, 550,000gns and 925,000gns - from top trainers entering the lists. Too risky to be anything but a watch really.
 
barjon said:
A non-runner and three seconds. You can’t complain at that, can you. Well, you can, but you know what I mean. Blue Bolt certainly looked at home dining at the top table and left everything for dead bar the winner and Rosario finished best of all to take everything bar the winner, albeit only by a short head. It was a good debut by Skiathos and no disgrace to come second to a heavy odds-on favourite who looked a bit special.
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I thought Colin Keane made an error with Blue Bolt by taking on the tigerish Fallen Angel too soon and giving her the opportunity to fight back.
 
Lyrics Of Life was a non-runner, but she would have been hard pressed to beat the Gosden favourite, Sacred Ground. There had been strong stable vibes for her and she won well despite running green. Lot more to come there.

4:57 Southwell: Nova Centauri was unconsidered, but ran very well into third on his debut in a Class 2 at Newbury over seven furlongs. - 16/8 this was a fine debut run and he was strong in the finish and kept on well. - He was the upped to a mile in another Class 2 at York, but didn’t run as well looking as though he wasn’t comfortable going the extra distance. Back at seven furlongs today should suit and he’s heavily down in class - Class 5 - although it is his first try on the AW. Quite what he’s doing racing for peanuts, however…….?
 
barjon said:
4:57 Southwell: Nova Centauri was unconsidered, but ran very well into third on his debut in a Class 2 at Newbury over seven furlongs. - 16/8 this was a fine debut run and he was strong in the finish and kept on well. - He was the upped to a mile in another Class 2 at York, but didn’t run as well looking as though he wasn’t comfortable going the extra distance. Back at seven furlongs today should suit and he’s heavily down in class - Class 5 - although it is his first try on the AW. Quite what he’s doing racing for peanuts, however…….?
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Maybe giving him a go from the front - might work in this company,too?
 
5:30 Newcastle: Proposal would likely have finished closer last time, although I doubt she would have won - 30/8 she was joined in the lead a couple out, seemed to be weakening when collecting a hefty bump from the winner which unbalanced her and cost whatever momentum she had left. - I fear another second coming on as she faces a Godolphin debutante who is hot favourite and could be anything. She’s the one with the form in the book, though.
 
Yup, second again, but at least I covered this time. Morning Rose looked pretty good.

Shan’t be doing much on the flat now that the main show is back on stage today, albeit it’s a bit of a dodgy time and musn’t get too enthusiastic too early. Concentrate instead on filling the notebook. That said, Harry Derham had apparently pleaded with David Maxwell not to have his horse sale before the Persian War since he had earmarked Queensbury Boy for it. Then David told everyone to lump on him in a tv interview. The result of all that is that Queensbury Boy shot into favouritism and probably sits there labouring under a false price.

As well as him I’m interested to see how Krak and Kilwaughter go in that race and how Knight Of Allen takes to chasing in the race following.
 
First one to go in the notebook comes from Chepstow yesterday. Matty's Getaway was nearly put out of the race at the third-last and did very well to finish third. He looks a promising addition for Kim Bailey. Queensbury Lad was a big disappointment in common with most of Harry Derham’s runners lately. He’s got a few running today so it’ll be interesting to see how they go. Learned nothing from the others I wanted to watch.

Flat’s on the sidelines for me now, but a bit tempted by Division at York. He couldn’t have won his last two any easier, albeit it’s doubtful that there was much to beat. He’ll face a harder test today.
 
Sunday 12th October

Glad I was tempted by Division who won nicely. Not much to take from Chepstow on first glance, but I’ll have a more thorough look at Pure Carbon who made quite a nice chase debut and bucked the underperforming trend of Harry a Derham horses at the moment.

Another watching day today.
 
2:48 Wetherby: A bit early to be having full bets, but Primoz won this race last year and had a good run a few weeks ago at Kelso where he ran pretty near his best in second. Would prefer to see a bit of soft in the ground, though. Parisencore is handily weighted, but his best runs have come over longer distances. Torneo is the youngster at the party who may have improvement in him. It is his opening shot this season, though, but Snowden’s runners are running well. I’ve had a starter on Primoz and will see how the market develops if I’m to add.
 

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