Racing Chat - Friday April 22nd

[The Brigadier]

Sandown 1.20

Ten runners go to post for this class 2 5F handicap for three year olds. A close eye on the market is recommended with seven of the ten making their seasonal re-appearances. Top weight Korker has been gelded since we last saw him when runner up in a soft ground York nursery in October. Martyn Meade’s Auditor is making his handicap debut having bolted up in a Windsor maiden last July. Off since, he’s a player if straight enough today. Shanko is making his turf debut but arrives in good form having finished a close second at Kempton in February. This is wide open and slight preference is for the Stuart Williams trained Shanko who has fitness on his side. 

SHANKO 1 point each way @ 9/2 William Hill 1/5^th 1234

 

Sandown 1.50

The Esher Cup, a handicap run over a mile, has thrown up some smart winners over the years and has attracted ten runners this season. The way the Charlie Appleby Godolphin three year olds have been performing this season you have to have a very close look at their representative Blue Trail here. A Dante entry he’s making his handicap debut here although he was disappointing last time out when only 4th at Chelmsford with one of todays rivals, the John and Thady Gosden trained Find 4 1/4L ahead of him and only a pound better off now. Top weight is the Richard Hughes trained Ring Of Beara who’s also making his handicap debut having last been seen running 5th of 6 in a Group 3 last Autumn. Wanees is another making his handicap debut having won at Ascot and Salisbury last September over 7F. He’s an interesting runner for the in form Charlie Hills team. With half of the field making their seasonal re-appearance a close eye on the market exchanges is recommended and in a tight contest the selection is the all conquering Appleby runner Blue Trail. 

BLUE TRAIL 2 points win @ 7/2 Coral

 

Perth 2.05

Only 5 go to post (possibly 4 if Malangen who ran at Perth on Thursday doesn’t go) for this class 3 two mile handicap hurdle where the hot favourite Platinumcard looks a solid bet especially at evens or bigger. A smart flat horse for Keith Dagleish who won four times last season and is currently rated 99 was subsequently sold to Gordon Elliott who exploited his low handicap mark over hurdles when winning cosily at Ayr in April when Elliott’s horses were out of form. He’s been raised 7lb for that victory to 111 but if he’s to mirror his flat ratings he could be miles ahead still of the handicapper and is the days best bet with Sean Bowen, who rode a double for Elliott on day one of the Perth Festival on board. Elliott also saddles top weight Eclair De Beaufeu who although keeping good company hasn’t shown anything of note since last August. Parisencore is in good form and can chase the selection home but this is all about Platinumcard and he’s a strong fancy. 

PLATINUMCARD 4 points win @ 10/11 Coral

 

Sandown 2.25

A disappointing turnout for the bet365 group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes with last October’s Group 3 Darley Stakes winner Mostahdaf the one to beat. He has won five of his six career starts including first time out for the past two seasons so fitness shouldn’t really be an issue here. It has to be said though that the Gosden bandwagon is not in full swing as yet but they have been having winners and he’ll be hard to beat although has been priced accordingly. On official ratings mind there’s only a pound between the three runners with Kevin Ryan’s Juan Elcano the highest rated at today’s weights. He has a head second in a Group 2 to his name at York last July and like his two rivals has an absence to overcome. The third member of the field is Andrew Balding’s Foxes Tales who was a Group 3 winner last August missing out on a penalty here by a few weeks. It may not be the cakewalk that the market suggests but I do expect Mostahdaf to oblige with Jim Crowley riding for the Shadwell Stud.

 

Perth 2.40

The William Hill Highland National Handicap Chase is run over 3m 6 1/2F with stamina obviously at the premium. Many hold chances in this fifteen strong field. Top weight Poppa Poutine is the youngest in the field at six and Nigel Twiston-Davies’s geldings form ties in closely with Tom George’s Oscar Robertson and Seamus Mullins’s I See You Will. Ireland send over a trio of challengers with the most interesting being the Paul Stafford trained eleven year old Dubai Devils who will have no problem with today’s trip having won at Hexham last time out over four miles from a subsequent winner. The one that takes my eye though is the Tjade Collier trained Ladronne who is trying this long trip for the first time. He certainly wasn’t stopping when a comfortable winner at Newcastle over three miles last time and has had a his wind tinkered with since and wears a first time tongue tie today. Sean Quinlan rides again and in a race that looks wide open he’s worth a small each way interest. 

LADRONNE 1 point each way @ 9/1 William Hill 1/5^th 12345

 

Sandown 3.00

The one mile bet365 Mile is a Group 2 contest and features a short priced favourite in the Andrew Balding filly Alcohol Free who is making her seasonal re-appearance here. She has won first time out the last two seasons so hopefully fitness won’t be an excuse and as a dual Group 1 winner last Summer is officially 12lb and upwards ahead of her rivals today. As her Group success’s were earlier in last season’s campaign she escapes any penalty here and it’s hard to look beyond her here if she’s straight enough. Lincoln winner Johan and recent Thirsk winner Mutasaabeq (Rhoscolyn held) have fitness on their side but hardly look good enough whilst the Gosden runner Sunray Major is taking a hike up in class to tackle these today. She’s no sort of price but I fully expect Alcohol Free to win and from a punting view is worth doubling up with Platinumcard in the 2.05 Perth contest. 

ALCOHOL FREE & PLATINUMCARD 2 points win double 5/6 & 4/5 William Hill

 

Sandown 3.35

Six go to post for this year’s renewal of the bet365 Classic Trial, a Group 3 contest run over 10F and a race which can thrown up a classic winner. Warm favourite, not surprisingly, is the Charlie Appleby trained Goldpur who is the form horse here on his third in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud last October on very soft ground. Conditions will be very different today but with Appleby winning all the 3 year old trials so far ( bar the Greenham) must go well although he is priced accordingly. John and Thady Gosden saddle an interesting pair in Crackman’s full brother Frantaatic, a winner of a Newcastle novice stakes contest last October that hasn’t worked out and Franz Strauss, owned by Godolphin and winner of a similar contest which has worked out much better than his stablemate and was run in a faster time. Preference of the pair is for the latter. David Simcock’s Cash looked a decent prospect when winning a Newmarket maiden last October and is another with a chance. The most interesting runner however is maybe the Aidan O’Brien runner River Thames, a winner of a Punchestown maiden last September and who was spoken highly of in a recent Racing Post trainer file. He missed the Ballysax with a bruised foot and should be competitive here today. A tough race where the market will be very informative. I want to take on the favourite and with Betfred and Skybet paying three places will go with Franz Strauss each way. 

FRANZ STRAUSS 1 point each way @ 11/1 Betfred 1/5^th 123

 

 

[kensland]

Sandown. 

Double. 

3.35.Goldspur.         10/11... 2nd 

4.10.Darmoiselle.               11/2.... unpl 

singles & double. 

Good luck all. 

Edited April 22, 2022 by kensland