Forget the jumps, forget the sand, the real racing has begun!

[Martin]

Tuesday 5th April 2005 3.20 Folkestone A typically poor days racing early in the season with a lot of horses coming from the all weather onto turf for the first time in a good while. Todays solitary selection however is one who has yet to experience the sand and Kingscross is taken to put a frustrating spell behind him and return to winning ways. After an exceptionally poor last outing in 2004, Kingscross returns to the 6f trip today in a bid to win again for the first time since May last year. He has struggled in his last few races in bigger fields and has not been able to find the gap he needed but a favourable draw in stall 12 will aid him here, as well as having to beat only 13 other horses. The soft ground is another factor firmly in his favour as he has won 18% of races run with a fair bit of give in the ground compared to just 5% of races which were run on firmer conditions. This should therefore give him the edge he needs to start 2005 with a win. Although the race seems fairly open, the presence of a draw advantage rules out several runners while only a few have a distinct advantage and conditions would appear to be set to suit, as they need to be, for Kingscross to take all the beating. 2pts staked @ 8.8

[bowles10]

Re: Forget the jumps, forget the sand, the real racing has begun! great title Martin! but tuesday at Folkstone compared with the 3 days ahead at Aintree is no comparison. I love the flat too on turf & have more fun backing flat handicappers than those old sloggers over the jumps. I'm a fan of Kingscross also, & followed it much over the last 2 years. Reckoned it had a big handicap prize in it but never fulfilled it's promise. Should run well today & i wish you luck. i am on Viennas Boy which is an interesting runner coming out of hannons stable last year & now with Willie Musson.