Flat horses to note for the season

Not 100% on-topic for the thread but I reckon this race on Saturday at Sandown should be most informative: a £50k maiden race for 3yos with lots of big yards represented.

4:00 Sandown | Standard Racecard | 17 June 2023 | Racing Post

(Previously this race was worth only around £5k to the winner and no winners were any great shakes although last year's winner Honiton has done okay.)
 
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Tomorrow:

CRYSTAL DELIGHT - (Sandown, 15:15)
racingtv.com/freetrial Handicap

timeform
Opened his account on AW at Lingfield (10f) in December and acquitted himself well in defeat since, latest when eighth of 15 in York handicap (11.9f) last month. Not out of things.

MAN OF EDEN - (Goodwood, 20:20)
William Hill Keep Your Raceday Positive Handicap

timeform
Irish import who landed the odds on debut for new yard in a 1m Newcastle maiden in January. Not discredited next time before shaping better than the result at this C&D on his subsequent 2 starts, caught further back than ideal on latest occasion. Leading contender.
 
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Man of Eden is also entered at Chester on Saturday. I much prefer him tomorrow as I like Tafreej and took 6s ap for the Chester race.
 
barjon said:
Tomorrow:

CRYSTAL DELIGHT - (Sandown, 15:15)
racingtv.com/freetrial Handicap

timeform
Opened his account on AW at Lingfield (10f) in December and acquitted himself well in defeat since, latest when eighth of 15 in York handicap (11.9f) last month. Not out of things.
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You can remove this yoke. Needs a strong run 12f. Step back to 10 suggests trainer is useless. On the plus side Paradias a really nice form boost for Peace Man.
 
barjon said:
Tomorrow:

CRYSTAL DELIGHT - (Sandown, 15:15)
racingtv.com/freetrial Handicap

timeform
Opened his account on AW at Lingfield (10f) in December and acquitted himself well in defeat since, latest when eighth of 15 in York handicap (11.9f) last month. Not out of things.

MAN OF EDEN - (Goodwood, 20:20)
William Hill Keep Your Raceday Positive Handicap

timeform
Irish import who landed the odds on debut for new yard in a 1m Newcastle maiden in January. Not discredited next time before shaping better than the result at this C&D on his subsequent 2 starts, caught further back than ideal on latest occasion. Leading contender.
Click to expand...

Neither of them covered themselves in glory:

https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/results/2023-06-16/sandown/743005/racingtvcomfreetrial-handicap

https://www.sportinglife.com/racing...liam-hill-keep-your-raceday-positive-handicap
 
Tomorrow: Doubt Man of Eden will feature after today.

ADMIRAL D - (York, 14:35)
Sky Bet Handicap

timeform
Largely ran well in 2022 without getting his head in front. Creditable fifth on Newmarket reappearance but not in same form both outings subsequently, including back at this trip in Victoria Cup on most recent outing. Bit to prove.

CATCH THE PADDY - (York, 15:40)
Oakmere Homes Supporting Macmillan Sprint Handicap (Heritage Handicap)

timeform
Won a C&D nursery last July. Not up to the task in the Gimcrack here on final 2-y-o start but back on the up when close second of 14 in 7f course handicap on reappearance. Back down in trip now.

KATHAB - (Sandown, 16:00)
Darley British Ebf Maiden Stakes (GBB Race)

timeform
Kingman gelding who ran to a similar level as on debut when third in 6-runner novice at York (7.9f, good to firm) 29 days ago, still green and keeping on. That form is proving strong and he remains capable of better with the longer trip likely to be within range.

MAN OF EDEN - (Chester, 15:20)
Edinburgh Gin Seaside Handicap

timeform
Irish import who landed the odds on debut for this yard in a 1m Newcastle maiden in January. Better than bare result at Goodwood last 2 starts and remains of interest. Engaged 8.20 Goodwood Friday.
 
There was no hanging about in that 8.20 at Goodwood. Bandit won a Newbury maiden early in career and knocked up 3 wins last year, so it was no disgrace that the 3 YOs couldn't nail him (Bandit was 20s BF an hour or so before the race, crazy in the overall context).

I thought Gina rode an excellent race, seemingly just still conserving enough to pull away again very close home after fighting for a long way. A great finish to watch overall. With the improvement potential, the 3YOs are probably worth watching for in future runs, and I'd say all 6 beaten have winner written on them at some point either this year or next.

It's possible this race took a bit out of some, so ignoring any near future below-par runs (if any) might pay off handsomely at a nice price down the line.

**** An extra observation. Heather Main's front/prominent runners regularly-enough seem to fight hard to stay there (Mostly Sunny nearly pulled it off a big odds a few days ago). It should pay - at some point - to be watching (more) closely for those with that potential from the Main stable in future.
 
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Loyal Touch (1.40S) ran well in the much discussed London Gold Cup and Frankie may have gone too quick early. Back a furlong in trip and Wm Buick booked,could be a boost for that form.
 
reet hard said:
Loyal Touch (1.40S) ran well in the much discussed London Gold Cup and Frankie may have gone too quick early. Back a furlong in trip and Wm Buick booked,could be a boost for that form.
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Loyal Touch came up on my tracker alerts (I'm tracking every horse in that race, as discussed at the time) and I was tempted today but let it go.

Am I allowed to disagree about Frankie going too quick early that day? The sectionals say otherwise:

Screenshot (12).png

I'm more inclined to believe the horse just wasn't totally fit first time up in what was a sprint finish from some way out. It also has to be said that the form isn't working out as I'd expected and the horse doesn't hold any Ascot entries, which surprises me. I wouldn't be surprised if the big 10f handicap at the July meeting is the target but I agree that Buick looks a significant booking.
 
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Have it your own way.:) Johnston horses frequently press the pace,and it may have been at trainer's behest.
RP analysis:
Pressed leader, pushed along over 2f out, hung left over 1f out, ridden and weakened final furlong (op 12/1 tchd 16/1)
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ps.Told you yhe maths were useless for that race.:D
 
:)

I reckon the word 'pressed' is lazy on the race-reader's part. It implies the horse was ridden in such a way as to keep the leader/pace honest. I still consider myself a neophyte where sectionals are concerned but I've read enough to accept that you can't put up finishing sections like the ones above off a fast pace.

I've had another look at today's race and decided he's worth a punt. There are too many positives to ignore.


  • The drop in trip will help if his stamina gave out at Newbury
  • Buick is a positive
  • It’s a drop in class
  • I like top weights at Sandown off modest paces

If Buick can set his own [modest] fractions in front he might be able to skip away from them up the straight.

And the Newbury race is long overdue a fillip.
 
barjon said:
ADMIRAL D - (York, 14:35)
Sky Bet Handicap

timeform
Largely ran well in 2022 without getting his head in front. Creditable fifth on Newmarket reappearance but not in same form both outings subsequently, including back at this trip in Victoria Cup on most recent outing. Bit to prove.
Click to expand...

I'm hanging my head in shame here. It was I who put this horrendous chancer of a horse up for this thread. I'm sorry. Barjon, please (in the name of God please) remove him.
 
Euronymous said:
I'm hanging my head in shame here. It was I who put this horrendous chancer of a horse up for this thread. I'm sorry. Barjon, please (in the name of God please) remove him.
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:D don’t think Fahey was that confident either.

He's becoming disappointing but we’re down in grade on Saturday as we’d been very tough on him going into some high-grade handicaps. The handicapper is starting to give him a chance, he’s down to 88 now, and on some of his form from last year he'd have a big chance from that mark. The draw is a worry though, I don’t like being out in 13 over seven furlongs here.

On that run the handicapper would have trouble finding a weight to help him.
 
Tafreej ​next time. Slowly away at Chester, always on the back foot, unbalanced around the final turn but did well to finish fourth.....next time!
 
He was slowly away jinny because the useless prick riding showed not one bit of urgency, completely passive. The little **** has not got the hunger for the game his dad did.
 
chaumi said:
**** An extra observation. Heather Main's front/prominent runners regularly-enough seem to fight hard to stay there (Mostly Sunny nearly pulled it off a big odds a few days ago). It should pay - at some point - to be watching (more) closely for those with that potential from the Main stable in future.
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Didn't have to wait long - Mostawaa, they came to him and he went again.
 
jinnyj said:
Tafreej ​next time. Slowly away at Chester, always on the back foot, unbalanced around the final turn but did well to finish fourth.....next time!
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That’s the third time running he was slowly away and it was more important not to be so here. Paid the price and got into trouble.
 
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Euronymous said:
He was slowly away jinny because the useless prick riding showed not one bit of urgency, completely passive. The little **** has not got the hunger for the game his dad did.
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Bit strong,Euro - dropped in from a poor draw and nowhere to go afterwards. Doubt his dad (whom I'm a big fan of) would have done much better.
 
jinnyj said:
Tafreej ​next time. Slowly away at Chester, always on the back foot, unbalanced around the final turn but did well to finish fourth.....next time!
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……..and the stewards added The Stewards noted that turning into the home straight, Cieren Fallon, the rider of TAFREEJ (IRE), placed fourth, had attempted an ambitious run to the inside of LUNATICK, unplaced, resulting in his mount becoming unbalanced.
 
It's a shame he wasn't a bit more ambitious trying to get a good position out of the gate. Fallon is not a chip off the old block.
 
reet hard said:
Bit strong,Euro - dropped in from a poor draw and nowhere to go afterwards. Doubt his dad (whom I'm a big fan of) would have done much better.
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Kieran (even the spelling of his name is better) would not have been as passive.

I was probably a bit OTT but I am continually frustrated by (mainly) trainers and jockeys, esp the former. It's like do they not read races properly. I didn't back him as I knew the Macmillan was tough but wtf was Catch the Paddy doing in that race. He's a 7f horse, he had no chance at York over shorter. I guess he'll be a bigger price the next time if he goes over the correct trip.

The one that really sent me over the edge though was Bussento. This frigger was pulled from the Chartwell House race the previous week due to firm ground, causing a massive 25p rule 4, and then RUNS at Sandown yesterday on equally fast ground.
 
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