Racing Chat - Friday 15th April

[The Brigadier]

All weather championship day with 9 races coming at us from Ed and the boys and girls at ITV. I must admit having trawled through all nine races, having found several decent bets this week at Newmarket (and Cheltenham) I found the contests all pretty tricky and I’ll be keeping stakes pretty small today. Good luck anyway but roll on Newbury and Musselburgh Saturday on the turf I say!

 

 

Newcastle 2.00

The one mile all weather mile championships conditions stakes has attracted eleven runners with the William Haggas trained five year old My Oberon officially the best horse in the race. A winner at Southwell on his all weather debut over this trip in February he was subsequently shipped over to Dubai to run in the Group one Dubai Turf where he wasn’t disgraced when 6th beaten 4 1/2L to Lord North. Back in calmer waters and with Tom Marquand in the saddle he looks sure to run a big race. French raider Amilcar is only 6lb behind the selection on official ratings and could hit the frame.

 

MY OBERON 2 points win @ 9/4 William Hill

 

Lingfield 2.20

An open looking 6F class 3 handicap with many chances. Top weight Tommy De Vito for the in form Charlie Hills is on the short list along with Crimson Sand and it’s the latter that’s the pick here. Trained by Richard Hughes and ridden by jockey of the moment William Buick he’s run well in defeat on his last three outings and in the hope that the first time cheek pieces and change of jockey from apprentice to champion elect have an affect he’s the selection.

 

CRIMSON SAND 2 points win @ 9/2 Boylesports

 

Newcastle 2.35

Fifteen go to post for this 6F all weather sprint conditions stakes. The race has a very open look about it with easy last time out winner Ejtilaab the highest rated. He must be on the shortlist along with Karl Burke’s Spycatcher, a winner of a all weather fast track qualifier at Lingfield in February and Keith Dagleish’s Volatile Analyst who won the Cammidge Trophy on the turf at Doncaster last month. Venturous comes here in terrific form chasing a hat trick of course wins and seems to save his best efforts these days for this North Eastern track with course figures of 01211611. He’s only 6lb behind the top rated Ejtilaab and is worth a small each way wager in a tight contest.

 

VENTUROUS 1 point each way @ 12/1 William Hill 1/5^th 12345

 

Lingfield 2.55

A 6F three year old class 4 handicap is up next with the two handicap debutants Vespasian trained by the Crisford’s at Newmarket and Zameka likewise trained at headquarters by Roger Varian the two to concentrate on. Roger Varian has had a quiet time of it recently but banged in the first winner at Newmarket on Wednesday and he may be about to burst into form. Zameka has been gelded since we last saw him when winning a novices stakes at Wolverhampton in mid January and his initial mark of 81 looks workable. 

ZAMEKA 2 points win @ 4/1 Betfred

 

Newcastle 3.10

A three year old only 6F conditions stakes is up next (they keep coming today!) with the Karl Burke trained El Caballo the highest rated. He’s chasing a five timer and has an excellent chance today under stable jockey Clifford Lee. William Haggas saddles the unbeaten Tiber Flow who although having 13lb officially to find with El Caballo is progressive and can take a hand in the finish. I’m going to take a chance though on Richard Spencer’s Space Cowboy, named after the Jamiroquai song. He looked smart when winning over this trip at Wolverhampton and then here last Autumn and at the price can be backed each way with Hollie Doyle in the plate. His official rating is only 4lb behind the top rated here. 

SPACE COWBOY 1 point each way @ 5/1 William Hill 1/5^th 123

 

Newcastle 3.45

A small field of seven go to post for this fillies and mares conditions stakes run over 7F. Best in at the weights is the John Quinn trained Highfield Princess and this looks an ideal spot for her today. She ran well last time when dropped to the minimum trip in finishing runner up to Tone The Barone at Wolverhampton but todays trip is much more to her liking. Only 4lb behind on official ratings is the Jane Chapple-Hyam trained Internationalangel who looks the biggest threat to the favourite. She won six handicaps on the bounce before coming up short when upped to listed class last time at Wolverhampton. The others have a bit to find so again to small stakes it’s Highfield Princess for me. 

HIGHFIELD PRINCESS 1 point @ 9/4 BetVictor

 

Lingfield 4.00

A dozen go to post for this one mile class 3 handicap. Like many of the handicaps today it has a very open look about it. There’s not many in this field that can be totally dismissed and stakes should be kept small. George Boughey is a trainer I have an awful lot of time for and his Ben Curtis ridden Totally Charming holds a good a chance as any. He’s shown plenty of promise in his three starts for Boughey since joining the young Newmarket trainer from Denis Quinn. It certainly wasn’t one of Ryan Moore’s finest rides last time when coming wide and from too far back and he remains on a decent mark. 

TOTALLY CHARMING 1 point each way @ 6/1 BetVictor 1/5^th 1234

 

Newcastle 4.15

The all weather marathon championships conditions stakes is run over two miles and 56 yards and has attracted a dozen runners. Roger and Harry Charlton’s Sleeping Lion is the highest rated here off of 103 and was the winner of a fast track qualifier at Kempton in February with rival Earlofthecotswolds 1 1/2L back in third and Rainbow Dreamer disappointing in last place. He looks the one they all have to beat. The Gosden’s saddle an interesting runner in Marshall Plan who’s stepping up in trip here to two miles for the first time. He has been disappointing overall in his career and the bet here is Sleeping Lion. 

SLEEPING LION 2 points win @ 10/3 William Hill

 

Newcastle 4.45

Only six turn up here for the 10F Easter Classic worth a staggering £200k guaranteed and even the last home will win £3,020. Short priced favourite is the Roger Varian trained Tyrrhenian Sea who although officially rated 7lb inferior to the top rated Living Legend here will be hard to beat. He looked smart when winning his first three starts here over a mile and had a hopeless run when stepped up to this trip at Kempton last time under Jack Mitchell (replaced today by Andrea Atzeni) when near enough finishing on the bridle. He’ll be hard to beat but has been priced accordingly. The aforementioned Living Legend beat rival Al Zaraqaan by a nose in a driving finish in the listed Magnolia Stakes at Kempton last time with Felix a disappointing well beaten 8th. He appears to be the biggest threat here but it’s all about the Varian runner. 

TYRRHENIAN SEA 3 points win @ 4/5 Coral/Ladbrokes

 

[ipswich45]

All weather finals day with the consolation meeting at Lingfield        one pick from each All Weather branded race

Lingfield
1315 - 9 Red Flyer     6/1 William Hill     12th
1345 - 1 Honor And Pleasure    4/1 William Hill    WON
1420 - 5 Whittle Le Woods    7/1 Bet365   6th
1455 - 11 Leap Aboard     10/1 Bet365    2nd
1530 - 6 Sayifyouwill    9/2 William Hill  6th
1600 - 5 Totally Charming   11/2 Bet365  WON
1635 - 10 Enfranchise   13/2 William Hill   6th

Newcastle
1400 - 7 La Tihaty   7/1 William Hill   9th
1435 - 12 Spycatcher  6/1 William Hill  3rd
1510 - 9 Tiber Flow   11/4 Bet365  2nd
1545 - 4 Highfield Princess  2/1 William Hill  WON
1615 - 10 Marshall Plan  13/2 William Hill  2nd
1645 - 4 Living Legend   5/1 Bet365   WON

Edited April 15, 2022 by ipswich45