2012 2-y-o season

The great majority of the action took place at Royal Ascot last week (sorry this is a bit late but I have been putting it off for a few days now!:o)

June 19th. Coventry 6f.

DAWN APPROACH establishes himself as the best 2-y-o over six furlongs seen so far, no surprise to see him get further. The second and third OLYMPIC GLORY and CRISTIFORO COLOMBO look very useful and the next three or four home all put in decent performances.

June 19th. Windsor Castle 5f.

HOTOTO coped well with the step up in class, his beating of Jillnextdoor and second to Cay Verde didn't look good enough to take this buthe has obviously improved with racing. He held on well close home but didn't have a lot left at the line. They all finished in a bunch behind which detracts slightly from the form.

June 20th. Queen Mary 5f.

CEILING KITTY was the surprise winner and it seemed a big improvement on the form she had shown before. Even though she had won a Listed event at York last time out it didn't look a particularly strong event with the first four home having SPs of 20/1, 22/1, 20/1 and 50/1 with the long odds-on (2/5) favourite particularly disappointing.
HOYAM who finished second was another showing improved form and she finished strongly under Jamie Spencer.
HAIRY ROCKET headed the bunch finish behind the first two.

June 21st. Norfolk 5f.

RECKLESS ABANDON who had won in good style on debut at Doncaster took this despite hanging badly left from about a furlong out. GALE FORCE TEN was the colt that almost benefited from that aberration by the winner. IAN'S DREAM in third ran with a lot of promise and back in fifth AHERN was unlucky making a mess of the start and always chasing the pace thereafter.

June 22nd Albany 6f.

This was all about NEWFANGLED who confirmed the excellent impression she made at Newmarket on debut.

June 23rd. Chesham 7f.

With the favourite MOVE TO STRIKE not showing the form expected of him not sure that THA 'IR, the winner, achieved that much but he did draw clear nicely in the final furlong.

Away from Ascot the only significant action took place at Leopardstown June 21st. where PEDRO THE GREAT put Jim Bolger's well-thought-of WEXFORD OPERA well in his place.
 
A couple of interesting races at the Curragh today.

In the first there are a number of newcomers that "could be anything" but Leitir Mor has the form in the book. He was runner-up in his first three races, all to decent animals Infanta Branca, Lines Of Battle and Gale Force Ten and last time out didn't disgrace himself (66/1) in the Coventry when seventh to Dawn Approach. Is on offer at 2/1 at the moment.

The Railway Stakes sees Ascot form being put to the test again when Cristoforo Colombo re-appears after very good third in the Coventry beaten a length by Dawn Approach. Not surprisingly he is odds-on (8/11) to win this but his half-brother, Pedro The Great (5/2), from the same yard, and an impressive winner at Leopardstown last time will be on hand if the favourite hasn't fully recovered from that Ascot run.
 
Leitir Mor and Cristoforo Colombo both in the lead entering the final furlong but both of them caught. Pedro The Great a bit disappointing.

Did the races come too soon after Ascot or was it the desperate going.

The first at the Curragh today is scattered with well-bred unknown quantities, should be plenty to take out of the race.

The betting for the Group 3 is dominated by True Verdict (5/4), who last time out made Sky Lantern (Hannon/Hughes) pull out all the stops in a Listed event at Naas.

Mick Channon has kept his filly Cruck Realta busy, this will be her fifth race in five weeks, her last effort much the best when second in the Chesham to Tha 'Ir. She is 8/11 in this Class 3 Conditions race at Salisbury 4.15.
 
Pretty moderate stuff at Southwell and Wolverhampton yesterday but there were two nice debuts.

At Wolverhampton over seven furlongs PURR ALONG was green from the outside draw but looked pretty useful, taking it up two out and keeping on well and showing bags of enthusiasm.

At Southwell over five DUTCH MASTERPIECE made up for disgracing himself on his first racecourse appearance when he bolted and had to be withdrawn. Well-supported here and ponied to the start he quickened nicely in the race and the result was never in doubt.
 
The juvenile maidens at the July Meeting are usually well-contested and this week's were up to scratch, according to the clock.

Certify was impressive in the 6f fillies' event, although she had a slightly harder race than you'd like. The pundits on Racing UK scoffed at her post-race Guineas quote of 33/1 (now gone) but I actually thought it was quite fair, even though ante-post betting on Godolphin horses now carries a health warning.

Several showed promise in the 7f maiden on Friday. Ghurair, the winner, looks a decent prospect and Dundonnell in third shaped like a certain future winner. For a horse who'll stay well, Mirsaale (James Tate) ran very creditably from a wide draw.
 
Fair enough, Gus, but it wasn't just the going there was the business of split fields. Thought the whole of the meeting was a bit of a shambles.

Couple of things that struck me though, Jimmy Fortunes Spencer-like ride on Hannon's filly MAUREEN, she had no chance from there and the versatility with regard to going of OLYMPIC GLORY, I didn't think he would appreciate the heavy ground yesterday.
 
Colin Phillips said:
Fair enough, Gus, but it wasn't just the going there was the business of split fields. Thought the whole of the meeting was a bit of a shambles.

Couple of things that struck me though, Jimmy Fortunes Spencer-like ride on Hannon's filly MAUREEN, she had no chance from there and the versatility with regard to going of OLYMPIC GLORY, I didn't think he would appreciate the heavy ground yesterday.
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You'd be surprised how well those sired by Choisir handle ground with soft or heavy in it Colin. I think the sire has a near 11% win strike rate and 29% place rate, in the conditions.
 
Colin Phillips said:
MARS, a chestnut with quite a bit of white about him, did nothing wrong on debut and the 4/7 looks quite generous now.;)
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I've liked this one since he foaled, his dam is extremely handy (barely 15hh) but all heart and he seems to have inherited her temper. He was lovingly refered to as Flash Gordon as a foal...you'd spot him a mile away!

Impeccably bred - dam, Massarra, is out of Rafha and is a full sister to Kodiac and a three parts relation to Invincible Spirit. Mars is the foal she had in utero when MV bought her from Tatts 09 for 600k. She's also the dam of this year's classic contending filly, Nayarra.
 
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Smooth win for HARASIYA in the Group 3 Silver Flash at Leopardstown. Showed a nice turn of foot but I thought her head carriage was a bit high. 14/1 for the 1,000 Guineas.

True Verdict disappointed.

In the previous race NEVIS made just about all and ran out a nice winner.
 
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