Preview Evening!

Good morning all,

Back is a little better this morning, good job too as tonight I'm doing my first ever preview in Cheltenham as the 3 Counties hold their yearly NH preview evening. I know there's myself and Chris Cook on the panel plus one or two others, and anything of interest I'll be reporting back at some stage to you all.

Nice to be back with a winner yesterday too, shame about the Rule 4 but we were still on the right side even after that kicked in.

Second part of Newmarket today and a couple you'll not want to miss for your trackers. 

Newmarket Friday

4.45 Fillies Maiden (Div 1)

Again, much like the Fillies Mile, a fairly moderate bunch on looks and that included the favourite Mary Somerville, who got warm into the bargain and is nothing special. Second in Rhossili Dawn just got an “ok” but will do better next year. Prodigious looked quite small and was as green as grass. I ended up going with the Varian pair of Just My Type and Nearooz, both of whom will be decent next year and to my surprise, Nearooz proved good enough on her debut, showing a good attitude to beat fellow debutante Watheerah. Snaffled a bit of 33-1 in the ring and turned the day around! Hurrah! Again, what she’s beaten here remains to be seen but she can only improve over middle distances next year and has to be kept onside.

5.20 Fillies Maiden (Div 2)

A better lot, in the main, than the first division and this should prove the more informative race. Best of them on the day was John Gosden’s Duneflower, who has some class about her and was a good walker. She was green and has run well for second here, doing some good late work. She wasn’t unfit and given that, there’s chance we may see her again before the season is out. A run-of-the-mill maiden should be there for the taking.

Nashirah, Dubrava, Arctic Ocean (not fit by a long way) and winner Queen Power all impressed to varying degrees in the paddock and all should be on trackers for next year, but the one you really want to be following next year is David Lanigan’s Malika I Jahan. A real rangy, lengthy unit, she doesn’t look like a 2yo filly at all and clearly needs time to fill out but when she does, she could just be very useful. I couldn’t resist a dabble at 66s and held out some hope 2f out but as you’d expect, she got a bit outpaced from that point. Nevertheless, a very respectable sixth (I’d said to a friend beforehand I thought she would finish 5th/6th on where she was physically on the day, so ran as I expected) and she’ll improve bundles next year.

On to today and as much as Wetherby has some decent racing, it's Nottingham for the bet and an old friend in Fire Jet. She won this last year and looks to have been readied for another crack after a game effort against Elasia (reopposes here) at Goodwood. She's got a good record at Nottingham (two wins and a place from three runs in handicaps here) and should go close in the 4.05. 

Today's selection – Fire Jet 4.05 Nottingham

Good luck with all your bets today,

David.