Flat Racing - Wednesday 10th July

[robertob]

20.20 Kempton: Boobyscot @ 14/1 Ladbrokes This is a very interesting horse. Was keen the last time on him already, which turned out to be not the day for letting off the handbrake. Tomorrow could be the day though, with 2lb off the mark and Ryan Moore on board. Wrote the following the last time, which largely applies tomorrow again:

This is a very interesting horse and I waited half a year to see it again on the racetrack, following a hugely impressive display at Kempton in December. It might be the case that tomorrow is not the day to release the handbrake, but this horse is so well handicapped now and a tasty price either so it's worth a chance here. Otherwise, he might be of even greater interest in his following start. The case I want to make for this horse is this one anyway: He is a generally lightly raced horse for a 6yo. He was a promising juvenile as well as through his classic season. His probably best performance ever came in the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh in May 2010 when he finished runners-up to subsequent Derby favourite Jan Vermeer which brought him a career highest rating of 103. He had his problems afterwards, changed yards and appeared on a racetrack more than two years later again, then in the UK. He raced four times since his move to Britain, including this mentioned start at Kempton as the latest one. He worked his mark down to 75 now. I have no doubts that this horse is better than a mark like that. In the race at Kempton he showed clearly signs of retaining some ability, despite not being ridden to finish in the best possible position. He travelled in rear that day over 10f at Kempton, a trip where it's usually way better to be close to the pace due to the short run-in. No surprise to see him having loads to do turning for home. Only a few stayed really on from off the pace in this race, in fact the race was dominated by the pair that lead the field the whole way. Bobbyscot then made his impressive run through the field, running on under a light hands and heels ride, finishing the race really well in a manner of a horse that is actually ahead of its mark. The 2nd in this race won two better races subsequently on the All-Weather. So this form is decent as well. So after all I feel this horse is dangerously well handicapped and will be able to pick up a few wins sooner rather than later. I hope he starts tomorrow to do this, if not, there will be surly another day.

21.20 Kempton: Lisa's Legacy @ 10/1 Bet365 - 1pt win Very interesting runner on his second start this season and his second start for the new yard. I thought he was crying out for a step up in trip last year, particularly in his final start in 2012, when he ran on strongly over 6f at Kempton while finishing widest of all. He made his seasonal debut at Windsor in a competitive 3yo Handicap ten days ago, which looked stronger than this race here tomorrow, where Lisa's Legacy will be racing against older horses, while dropping in class. He encountered a real nightmare run at Windsor, when he got several times hampered pretty much all the way to the finish line from under 3f out. He got hampered, and was short of room on many occasions, with horses in front of his noes, closing gaps again and again as well as shifting horses, he tried to finish widest of all, but even inside the final furlong when he tried to switch as wide as possible he got slightly hampered by a shifting horse. Yet he was galloping all the way to the line to finish 4th. Now back at Kempton, with this run under his belt, in this rather poor class 6 handicap, with many exposed types, of a low mark off 65, with Barzelona booked interestingly, I really feel he can go really close.

[robertob]

Re: Flat Racing - Wednesday 10th July 19.50 Kempton: Robin Hood @ 16/1 Bet365 - 1pt win A couple of weeks ago I was keen on this horse after he showed a fine performance in a competitive Handicap at Newbury over 10f. On that day he was outpaced from 4f out, and looked likely to finish at the back of the field. But he kept going and ran on really well in the final furlong to finish a decent 5th in the end. He followed up with a performance that I'd consider as rather decent in a class 3 Handicap at Ascot then, where he probably just was found out for class but also wasn't in the best position when the pace increased that day. These performances indicated to me that the sparkle is still there, but he didn't run over his best trip subsequently in two handicaps then, when contesting in 10f races, which is too short for him. He got outpaced early on both occasions, while staying on at least in his most recent run. It's very interesting to see him now stepping up to 2m. I think if this horse has a big run still in him, then probably over this sort of long trip. He always looked to me like a real stayer. He's by Galileo, so plenty of stamina on the sire side, but even more so on the dam side, with his dam Banquise being a winner over 2m in France! As Robin Hood slips further down the mark as well, I feel he could really run a big race. It's probably his last chance anyway.