Flat Racing - Thursday 16th May

[robertob]

14.00 Salisbury: Contradict @ 16/1 Coral - 2pts win Thought this filly ran a huge race lto on handicap debut and seasonal reappearance. She travelled nicely in rear, switched to the inside over 3f out proved fatal though as she didn't get a clear run there and was also bumped on a few occasions. Despite all the trouble she finished a nice 3rd eventually and no doubt she would have gone much closer with clearer run. She is nicely bred by top class US miler and out of a multiple Group winning mare. She's overpriced here I think. 14.45 York: Indian Chief @ 3/1 Betfred - 4pts win Indian Chief cost a good deal of money as a yearling and confirmed the promise with a decent run on his debut last year, finishing 2nd. One month ago he made his seasonal reappearance, which was only his second start then. It was a poor maiden race and the form isn't worth much but the way he won it was encouraging. The race wasn't run really fast and he travelled well off the pace, but he made ground turning for home and quickened nicely at the 2f marker to win easily hands and heels ridden. He's open to loads of improvement and as I don't really like the rest in this field I think he'll be hard to beat.

[chris34]

Re: Flat Racing - Thursday 16th May 3.15 York Sounds Hearts is the interesting one in this listed handicap, it is a tight affair but she is clearly progressing nicely and alsong as fit to do herself justice she is very interesting. Roger Varian yard going really strong at the moment and they know how to ready their runners for their seasonal reappearances. She won 2 handicaps last season over 1m2f on fast ground and good ground latest off 85 before being dropped into the deep end in listed stakes race where she ran a bold front running display on soft ground at Newmarket, finishing just 1 1/2lengths adrift of the winner Polygon. Has to run off 97 today so tough ask but reports are she has strengthened up over the winter and returns over a shorter trip so would be no surprise to see her ridden aggressively with some cut in the ground, Buick also an eye catching booking for yard he is currently 3 from 7 with this yard over past 5 seasons. 1pt e/w Sound Hearts 9/1 coral 5.55 Newmarket Tartan Gigha is a horse that often catches my eye throughout the year. He ran a very good race 2^nd run back last time out, staying on behind 2 dead heating winners, clearly building on reappearance. Gets to run off the same mark tonight which is now 4lb below his last winning mark and has won off a mark of 100 at his very best with Mark Johnston. He clearly goes well around this time of year with all 6 of his 8 wins all coming between May and June. He has also won a handicap over this course so handles what can be a tricky course. Last time out he was involved in a small field which wasn’t really run to suit and this return to a big field should suit him much better given his running style. 2pt win Tartan Gigha 6/1 vc