Good morning all,
Inside today’s main piece you can read my thoughts on the flat season just ended, a veteran who rolled back the years at Aintree on Saturday and the return of Kim Bailey to jumps top table. Plus, I have a selection from Kempton.
Curtain finally descends on the flat
We said goodbye to the flat season at Doncaster on Saturday, with the last big race of the season the November Handicap going to On To Victory trained by Alan King.
Hollie Doyle might have not won this year’s jockey championship but she was the star of the season for me.
It’s been a bizarre season, to say the least. In many ways it was disappointing: a lack of crowds, no real starts on the track, except for double classic winner Love. The sport really does need some stars to emerge in 2021.
Hopefully next season crowds will return to British racecourses. I’m not sure I can stand another summer of racing without the colour and noise that racegoers bring. Hell I even miss all the Royal Ascot fashion ‘flim flam'.
Britain & Ireland strike at Breeders Cup
It was a ‘Super Saturday’ at the Breeders Cup for British and Irish trained runners, as the raiders won all four turf races with the help of a French jockey.
Glass Slippers became the first European trained winner of the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint. Any doubts about her ability to handle the bend were dispelled as she zipped around it.
It was a great training performance from Kevin Ryan. It was also good to see connections keep faith with jockey Tom Eaves when it would have been easy to have gone for a top local jockey. There were no crowds but I doubt Eaves will ever forget Saturday.
James Fanshawe and French jockey Pierre Charles Boudot combined to win the Filly and Mares Turf with Audarya. The 4-year-old last seen finishing third to Tarnawa in the Group 1 Prix de l'Opera, battled on bravely to head favourite Rushing Fall in the final few yards.
Boudot was also seen to great effect on the Aidan O’Brien trained Order Of Australia who got the better of stablemates Circus Maximus and Lope Y Fernandez in a driving finish to the Turf Mile. The winner was one of outsiders of the field at 40/1 and provided a 1-2-3 for Aidan O’Brien.
Tarnawa completed a great night for the raiders from across the Atlantic when winning the Breeders Cup Turf. She was given a fine ride by substitute jockey Colin Keane to get the better of 15/8 favourite Magical. Despite the slow early pace, the filly showed her trademark turn of foot to win inside the final furlong.
It was a frustrating meeting for Ryan Moore who finished runner-up three times over the two days. Twice on Saturday and on Battleground in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf on Friday.
You know what I mean Harry
It’s been tough on the punting front since racing returned from lockdown with more ‘downs than ups'. Thankfully, things have started to turn around and Saturday provided two nice priced winners in Unowhatimeanharry (advised 16/1) & Modus (advised 7/1) for Victor Value subscribers.
Unowhatimeanharry might be 12-years-old but he rolled back the years to win the Pertemps Series Qualifier at Aintree. The four-time winning Grade 1 Hurdler had a good record fresh and looked a very well handicapped horse, especially with up and coming conditional jockey Kevin Brogan taking off a valuable 7lb. He travelled easily into the lead coming to the last and although he didn’t find much when hitting the front, he was always doing enough to hold on. All credit to his young Brogan who's a jockey to note this winter.
Bailey’s back in the big time
Recent seasons have not been kind to trainer Kim Bailey. However, with the likes of Vinndication and Imperial Aura he’s got a good bunch of chasers in his yard. The trainer added one of the autumns big handicap chases on Saturday. With El Presente landing the Badger Beers Silver Trophy at Wincanton.
Stablemates My Way and Present Man had duelled for the early lead. The latter began to feel the pinch coming to four out. Sizing At Midnight came to challenge but fell three out when still going well.
It looked like the long-time leader My Way had the race in the bag but he was headed by El Presente and Potterman in the final half furlong. That pair went head to head all the way to the line but it was the Kim Bailey horse who had his head in front when it mattered.
Both the winner and runner-up loved the drying ground unlike the well fancied Danny Wizzbang, Just A Sting and Champagne Court.
Potterman came within a short head of giving trainer Alan King Saturday's big race double but El Presente and Kim Bailey just weren’t to be denied.
Monday racing
Not the worst card you will see on a winter Monday at Kempton this afternoon. The going at the Surrey track is being described as good, good to firm in places although some showers are forecast. I have a couple that interest me at Kempton.
Kempton
2:15 – Boagrius won twice of fences in early 2019 on good to firm and good to soft. In a short campaign last season, he pulled up on his first two starts but ended it with a good second at Newbury in March. First start since but he’s gone well off a layoff in the past and looks on a workable mark.
Movie Legend has won four times on good ground and is 2lb below his last winning mark. The 10-year-old finished 4th of 13 in this race 12 months ago but comes into this year’s renewal with a benefit of a recent run at Cheltenham 17-days ago. Trainer among the winners and I’m expecting Movie Legend to go close.
2:48 – Younevercall returns from 506-day layoff in this Pertemps Series Qualifier. The 9-year-old won this race in 2016 and 2018 and ended that latter season winning a Grade 2 Hurdle at Sandown in April. He’s gone very well on a sound surface in the past – 5 wins from 7 runs +17.50 7 placed on good ground – and has won off a long absence.
Storm Goddess is another who will like the quick ground and comes into the reckoning after a strong finishing 4th of 19 at Cheltenham 17-days ago.
Monday selection:
Kempton
2:15 – Movie Legend – 6/1 @ Bet365.
Good luck with your Monday bets.
John