FLAT RACING - Friday 24th May

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3.10 Goodwood RAFAAF 4pts to win @ 8/1 bog (Boylesports) Rafaaf is a 4yo gelding by Royal Applause trained by Robert Eddery since April 2011. He had been struggling in the first handicaps but ended 2011 on a good note achieving his first ever win (off the mark at the ninth attempt) at Sandown (9 Sep) over 5f (good) in a handicap off 65 (TS 68 and RPR 78). Held up in midfield, progress on outer 2f out, ridden to lead last 150yds, stayed on strongly. Robert Eddery, trainer of Rafaaf, said after the race: "He gallops like a nice horse in the morning but has been very disappointing. We dropped himback to a stiff 5f, as it had looked like he had no trip." The horse kept finally showing big improvements and went very close also on his next start (last of 2011) at Nottingham (12 Oct) again over 5f racing off 72 (TS 66 and RPR 77) when 3rd just 1/2L and a head behind the winner where he was a bit unlucky as Andrea Atzeni dropped his whip in the key moment of the race and that may have well made the difference. Held up, headway halfway, rider dropped whip over 1f out, ran on. After a long winter break (194 days) Rafaaf came back on track at Windsor (23 Apr) over 6f (soft) in a handicap off 73 (8lb higher than his win) and won again in very good style indeed (Andrea Atzeni was back on him but didn't drop the whip this time). Settled in 10th, progress on outer over 1f out, ridden to lead inside final furlong, stayed on well. That was his new career best (RPR 86) and shaped once again (even over 6f) as farther would be not a problem. Next time out (just four days after that nice win at Windsor) he ran again at Doncaster (heavy) back over 5f upped in class 4 and off 79. He was well supported and sent-off as the joint favourite of the race but could beat just two home and finished 12th. That race came probably too soon and the very testing conditions didn't help him. Now he's back to a mark of 78 and upped in distance. Surely this is a better grade (class 4 (0-85) handicap) but he seems to have plenty of room for improvements and the step up in trip and his run-style (hold-up horse which usually is enhanced by a track like this) should be a big plus for him today. It does look a competitive open race but Rafaaf is imho the least exposed of all and at a very decent price I'm in with a confident bet.

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Re: FLAT RACING - Friday 24th May 3.45 Goodwood MICHELANGELO 5pts to win @ 6/4 bog (Betvictor) Michelangelo is a 3yo colt by Galileo trained by John Gosden. He has a very nice pedigree and model (550,000gns purchase as a yearling) and made his belated debut just 20 days ago at Newmarket soon sent in a Listed over 1m2f (good to soft) where he ran a blinder to finish 3rd a neck and 1/2L behind the winner Noble Mission with Godolphin's Mariner's Cross second. For Noble Mission (full brother of Frankel) that was the third career race and the second of the year and he is now rated 112 after a close second in another Listed over the same C&D two weeks after that race (beaten by John Gosden-trained Thought Worthy). Mariner's Cross had made his winning debut at Newmarket over 1m 16 days earlier (19 Apr) and so both horses had more experience and another race in 2012 under their belt. Michelangelo not only came very close but did in style running most of the race on the outer and just missed a bit of acceleration in the final 100 yarads and once again that was his debut. Chased leading pair, ridden well over 1f out, driven and chased leader briefly 1f out, kept on well but unable to quicken final 100yds. He was entered in both the Derby and King Edward VII so he's very well regarded by connections and has a very good chance to win this Listed in what does look a match against the Andrew Balding-trained Expense Claim who was 5th, 7th and 3rd on his three starts at 2 but has won all his 3 starts this year (gelded during the winter) and the best came last time out when winning by 2L a class 2 handicap for 3yo off 85 at Newbury over 1m2f (good to soft). He scored with plenty in hand and connections said that the plan is Ascot's King George V Handicap. So we have two very good and promising 3yos here and of course Expense Claim is the one with way more experience and has already won (thrice) and also over this trip (first win this year at Kempton). This is a quick reappearance for the son of Inktikhab (won at Newbury just 6 days ago) and the third race in 19 days. He surely won with plenty in hand but I guess this is a little risk and anyway he's gonna face the best company ever with a potential champion against him. Charles Hills-trained Perennial and the other Gosden's horse Jungle Beat are two very good horses and especially Jungle Beat looked a little champion in the making when winning on his debut last year but failed to show any improvement first time out this year in a Listed at Newmarket over 1m1f (18 Apr) when 5th of 7.