Craven Meeting

Tathqeef looks an interesting one after today. Fairly weak in the market and not given a hard time on his second outing, but ran respectably all the same (arguably not getting the run of the race). Looks a big sort as well so should be plenty more improvement to come, particularly on faster ground given the pedigree.

I could see him rocking up in something like the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot. Any chance of a price, Slim??
 
It's a pity about the rain but it was still great to see flat racing taking place yesterday on pretty decent ground.

Sutter County has his second run after his hugely impressive debut. Penalised 6lbs and has some decent opposition but looks far and away the likeliest winner. Priced accordingly, unfortunately.

The Wood Ditton has its usual well-bred types from big yards. Stoute has made a decent start and he runs two, including the Hamdan second string, Mulk, by New Approach out of Nannina. Hanagan made the wrong choice in two of yesterday's races so you certainly wouldn't rule Mulk out.

The only bet I can find is Sovereign Debt in the Earl of Sefton. Admirable horse, versatile as to trip and ground, fit and in form. Dutch Connection is likely to be a top miler this year but I'll pass him over today on trip and fitness grounds.
 
SlimChance said:
Did anyone see the interview with William Haggas? He was asked for a dark one and mentioned adding a horse to the Oaks entries this morning. His owner was excited because its so unusual for the trainer to do that.
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The Racing Post does not even carry the horse in question in its database.
 
The Wood Ditton was as usual very interesting
The 2 Stoute runners look nailed on improvers.
 
Hard to fathom this week's Craven meeting form. Apart from nathra I doubt we saw a group horse. Only made two guineas favs looked more likely to win. Chester meeting is always the one I look forward too and give much more clues towards the season.
 
Edinahib said:
Apart from nathra I doubt we saw a group horse.
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You presumably mean "a Group One horse" as there were several Group races which, by definition, were populated by Group horses.

Magical Memory's win yesterday was narrow but quite authoritative and he heads now to the Duke of York. Most bookies have Twilight Son shorter than him for that race but the latter has to carry a 5lb penalty for his Group One win at Haydock when Magical Memory was beaten less than a length into third. With the benefit of a run and that 5lb pull, MM should be favourite, especially as the only other horse at single figure odds is Muthmir who isn't a 6f horse and may not even run.
 
I notice that of the 21 races run at this meeting, not one was run over a distance further than 10f.

Now I'm not anti sprinters or milers, but can't they come up with something more imaginative than that? Distance-wise, it was more like what you'd get served up in Australia or Singapore.

Not that many years ago, none of the three days cards would have been permitted.
 
I noticed that Venusian - in the old days of the Craven there was a 12 f 3 year old maiden which used to be a hot contest and a valuable 1m 6f handicap - that 7f 3 year old conditions race looked superfluous .
 
Ardross said:
I noticed that Venusian - in the old days of the Craven there was a 12 f 3 year old maiden which used to be a hot contest and a valuable 1m 6f handicap - that 7f 3 year old conditions race looked superfluous .
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You'd certainly have thought that room could have been found for a 12f maiden for three-year-olds and a handicap for older stayers over the three days.

For those interested in times, however, the running of race after race over the same straight strip of ground assists hugely in calculating figures but heavy rain during proceedings on both Tuesday and Thursday means that you have to be cautious about those races run later on those cards.


I'd be pretty sure that Swiss Range's time in the first race of the whole meeting was a smart one. She steps up in class and trip next time as Gosden says she'll go for the Pretty Polly at the Guineas Meeting. She looks well up to it.


On the Wednesday both Gifted Master and Ibn Malik recorded decent times. The latter pulled hard for Paul Hanagan -as a lot of horses seem to do - in the early stages but he still won decisively. If that was just early-season freshness then he can be marked up a bit and he looks fair value for the Jersey at Royal Ascot at the 12/1 chalked up by Paddy Power. Gifted Master is quoted at 7/1 for the same race but he'll have to give 3lbs to Ibn Malik so at the prices I'd favour IM.


Linguistic put up the best time performance on Thursday but it was broadly in line with the figure he recorded on his second run last season. He's pretty useful, though, and he'll certainly be worthy of consideration in the Dante, said to be his next target.
 
davidjohnson said:
I want him to run in a handicap off 86, if only to highlight how someone hasn't done their job properly. He'll be about 4/6 when he does run off that mark. How many times did Ennaadd need to boost that form before it got looked at again? Quite a few valuable handicaps at 1m before the Britannia, would expect him to be around 100 by early summer!
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Von Blucher has been declared for the Esher Cup on Friday, runs off 86, and is currently 3/1 (fav) with Bet365.
 
gus said:
Hedging his bets now, Col. The horse may go instead to the Curragh a few days later. Not what I was wanting to hear.
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Richard Fahey has mentioned that as the likely reappearance for Don't touch.should be a race to look forward too.
 
gus said:
Von Blucher is entered in the Feilden on Tuesday. Trained by Gosden who won the race with Golden Horn last year. Dettori is already jocked up in the entries in the Post which suggests (a) he's an intended runner and (b) they're prepared to blow a handicap mark of 86. From what I read in Timeform's Horses to Follow, I don't think DJ will be too impressed as he had him as a likely Britannia type. He'd have to go up from 86 to get in at Ascot but if he wins or runs really well on Tuesday handicaps will basically be out for him.
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:cool:
 
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