Racing chat - Friday 2nd April

[The Brigadier]

Good Friday used to be a free day for horse racing which always seemed to me to be crazy as most folk are not working so would enjoy some  punting  action. Nowadays it’s a big day in the sun (possibly snow actually if some forecasts are to be believed) for the all-weather brigade with three sand tracks racing at Chelmsford, Newcastle and the all-weather championships at Lingfield. ITV are showcasing 10 races with 6 coming from Lingfield and here’s my thoughts in race card order of those sextet.

 

2.00

The marathon championships conditions stakes is run over just short of 2 miles and the best in at the weights here is Alan King’s Rainbow Dreamer who’s well supported during the week and also since the 48 hour declarations were made and is easy to see why. He looks as good as ever at the age of 8 and has progressed this season with his latest run his best. That day he beat a couple of useful sorts in Ocean Wind (one of my 20 to follow for the flat season) and Prince Of Arran who’s been placed in the last three runnings of the Melbourne Cup. His trainer seemed very upbeat in this week’s column he writes for the Weekender and he’s my fancy here. Ranch Hand has only officially 4lb to find on ratings and stays well so I make him the biggest threat although I do feel Island Brave is overpriced but with only two places here I’ll pass on him.

 

RAINBOW DREAMER 2 points win @ 9/4 Bet365

 

2.35

The 7f Fillies and Mares championships conditions stakes can go the way of John Gosden and his filly Indie Angel. We haven’t seen her since she won a listed fast track qualifier here over a mile in October and has obviously been trained with this race in mind. That form would be good enough to win this with the only nagging doubt the drop down a furlong here from a mile. Owner David Lowe loves this meeting and has three runners (two in the finale) this season with Fizzy Feet his main hope. Kachy was the best horse that Lowe owned and who can forget him scooting around the bends to win here in 2019. Fizzy Feet may not be as good as him but has a excellent record here of 5 wins from 10 runs. She’s yet to race at 7f though and I feel she may just get caught out by that final furlong. Shimmering Dawn is the other horse who a case can be made for but she flopped at Wolverhampton last time and needs to bounce back as well as being 8lb inferior to Indie Angel on official ratings.

 

INDIE ANGEL 2 points win @ 10/11 Bet365

 

3.10

A competitive renewal of the all-weather sprint championships conditions stakes with £75k to be spread around the first six home. Irish raider Harry’s Bar has been popular in ante-post lists and Adrian McGuinness’ charge looks a player although drawn 12 of 12 with plenty of pace inside him may force Hollie Doyle to drop him in and end up a hostage to luck as they spin around the final bend.

Summerghand was a tad disappointing back on the turf in the Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster last week though a slow start didn’t help and he’s tried in a visor here for the first time.

The pace angle appears to be with the three horses drawn 1, 2 and 3 and it’s Archie Watson’s Highland Dress drawn in stall 2 that takes my fancy. On official ratings he’s only a pound behind the top rated Summerghand and has run well here before (two wins from just three starts). He’s been running consistently well over a furlong further recently and I think the drop back to 6f may actually suit this strong travelling 5 year old, who will be ridden by Kieran Shoemark, who’s been on board  for his last 6 outings and knows his mount well. He represents decent each way value.

 

HIGHLAND DRESS 1 point each way @ 10/1 William Hill 1/5 odds 1234

 

3.45

To be run over 6f the 3 year old all weather championships conditions stakes has attracted a classy field of 10. It’s the three at the top end of the market that appeal most with the already well backed Diligent Harry looking a shade under priced now when you consider his official mark of 93 is some 11lb short of the top rated. Adam Kirby rode a rare poor race last time when getting himself in a right muddle and flying home late over course and distance, just failing to catch Rohan. He’ll need to improve again but this big son of Due Dilligence has only raced three times so that is quite plausible.

Archie Watson saddles Mighty Gurkha and he must go well. He holds Zamaani and Bravado on Kempton form when last seen in January and with Hollie Doyle riding looks certain to be thereabouts.

My preference though at the prices is Apollo One. Trained at Newmarket by the capable but unfashionable Peter Charalambous he was a smart two year old winning  twice and being placed in Group 3 company in the Solario Stakes at Sandown Park. He re-appeared in a decent 7f listed contest here last month and showed a great kick off of the final bend to take a couple of lengths out of the field and effectively putting the race to bed. The form stacks up well with the runner up, the 105 rated Megallan , a strong fancy at Newcastle today and the third  El Drama a highly rated Roger Varian colt who goes to Kempton on Monday. He drops a furlong here but his trainer was mooting the Commonwealth Cup for his stable star last season and jockey Martin Harley was quick to point to a drop in trip after riding him last time. If he was trained by a more established trainer I do think that he would be a shorter price and represents excellent each way value.

 

APOLLO ONE 1 point each way @ 9/2 William Hill 1/5th 123

 

4.15

To my eyes the Easter Classic looks a straight shot out between John Gosden’s Forest Of Dean and Andrew Balding’s Bangkok.

Forest Of Dean was given a peach of a ride by Rab Havlin last time when steeling a couple of lengths on the bend over course and distance and holding on well from the late flourish of Felix. He does have a history of breaking blood vessels but it hasn’t seemed to hinder him recently. He is however 0-2 down to his rival Bangkok here and surely if Bangkok brings his A game to the table will beat his old rival.

Bangkok went over to race in the Saudi Cup last month with career earnings of a highly respectable £205k having run in 18 races, he finished a well beaten 20L 8th and more than doubled his earnings receiving £292k ! No wonder he was campaigned to take in that race. He’s tactically astute and if the race did turn tactical that may be in his favour. Silvestre De Sousa is back in the saddle having missed the ride on his last four occasions for one reason or another but knows him well enough having won on him twice in the past. There probably won’t be much between the front two here but preference has to be with King Power Racing’s Bangkok.

 

BANKGKOK (pictured below) 3 points win @ 6/5 Bet365

 

4.45

The final race on terrestrial television is the Bombardier all-weather championships conditions stakes run over 1 mile. Fox Duty Free is unbeaten in three runs here and can run well though this may be fought out by Richard Hannon’s Mums Tipple and Roger Varian’s Khuzaam. The former bounced back to form last time when winning a listed contest at Wolverhampton over 7f. He has to prove his effectiveness at this 1f longer trip as the only time he ran over a mile was when last in last season’s 2000 Guineas though. He wasn’t stopping at the end of the Wolverhampton win mind and I think he should stay.

Preference though is for Varian’s Khuzaam - a lightly raced American bred 5 year old who’s form figures on the all weather read 2112221. He beat a trio of decent yard sticks in Highland Dress (runs earlier in 3.10), Ambassadorial and Ayr Gold Cup winner Nahaarr a month ago at Chelmsford and under Jack Mitchell again can take this valuable race.

 

KHUZAAM 2 points win @ 9/4 Bet365

 

 

[Hotspur88]

2pt win
1400 Lingfield
Rainbow Dreamer 2/1

2pt win double
1435 Lingfield Indie Angel
1450 Newcastle Global Warning
9/2

2.5pt win
1645 Lingfield
Khuzaam 9/4

2pt win

1535 Chelmsford Khatm 

1615 Lingfield Bangkok

9/2

1.8pt win

1350 Chelmsford 

Sky Commander 7/4

10.3pts staked.

Good luck ??

 

*FOOTBALL TREBLE I'VE PLACED TODAY....

2PT WIN

NORWICH

WATFORD

BOLTON

7/2

Edited April 2, 2021 by Barnes1882