RACING CHAT FRIDAY 13th OCTOBER

[black rabbit]

Satin                                                                     3 35 New/                                     1/40th of a pt ew    18/1          - 3rd

Caught U Looking                                              4 10 New/                                     1/40th of a pt ew     16/1

Nordic Empire                                                    5 00 Yrk/                                       1/40th of a pt ew     14/1          - 2nd

 

 

 

P/L   + 173.60 pts

Edited October 13, 2023 by black rabbit
selections

[The Brigadier]

Chepstow 1.35

This 2M 7F 131 yards veterans handicap chase has attracted ten old chasers but I think there’s a good bet here. Nigel Twiston-Davies has his team in terrific form winning with a staggering 13 of his last 29 runners (up to start of play Wednesday) and saddles his ten year old Good Boy Bobby here. He is , like several here, on a winning mark (14lb lower than his last win) and has an excellent record fresh with figures of 1112117 when racing following a break of 100 days or more. Everything looks right for a big run and he holds a good chance under trainer’s son Sam.

 

GOOD BOY BOBBY 2 points win @ 9/2 bet365

 

Newmarket 1.50

A good sized field of fifteen have declared for this Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes for two year olds. Gina Mangan appeared to go too fast on Heather Main’s Zoulu Chief in the big sales race at Newmarket last weekend clocking a couple of sub standard 11 second furlongs and paid for the fast fractions when weakening quickly close home over 6F. Back at the minimum trip of 5f and with James Doyle taking over in the saddle he’s worth an each way wager here with an additional place for the Oxford based trainer who’s also a fully trained opera singer.

 

ZOULU CHIEF 1 point each way @ 20/1 bet365 1/5th 1234

 

Chepstow 2.10

The Grade 2 Persian War Novices’ Hurdle, run over 2M 3F 100 yards heralds the start of the NH season for some and in Captain Teague we have a warm favourite who will be hard to beat if able to translate his decent bumper form to hurdles on his timber debut today. Already an Irish point winner he made a winning UK debut when winning a bumper at Plumpton last December prior to running a stormer in third as a 40/1 chance in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in March, the only British based runner in the first eleven home. He’ll be hard to beat.

 

CAPTAIN TEAGUE 2 points win @ 10/11 BetVictor

 

Newmarket 2.25

Ralph Beckett’s two year old filly Skellet was so impressive at Salisbury 36 days ago that Juddmonte Stud stepped in to buy the filly which isn’t something they do that often. That was only a maiden but the form can’t have worked out any better with the runner up and fifth both winning since. Ryan Moore takes the reins and can take this Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes which has attracted a smallish field of seven. She may have most to worry from the Charlie Appleby Newmarket maiden winner Dance Sequence although questions can be asked over what she beat that day as the third has been beaten six times since and is now rated only 68.

 

SKELLET 2 points win @ 9/4 Coral

 

York 2.40

A class 2 1M 6F Heritage Handicap has attracted a decent sized field of fourteen and with the rain forecast at the track may fall to one of the three Charlie Johnston runners in Joe Fanning’s mount Dreams Adozen who appears to relish testing conditions so the more rain that rains the better. She sluiced up in the mud at Chester last time coming home 15L to the good and was only raised 6lb for that romp. In the hope that the track is hit by plenty of rain she’s the selection each way in an open contest.

 

DREAMS ADOZEN 1 point each way @ 12/1 William Hill 1/5th 12345

 

Newmarket 3.00

Only six turn up for the Group 2 Challenge Stakes run over 7F for three year olds and upwards. The best in on official ratings is the John & Thady Gosden trained Audience who arrives in decent form having finished runner up in similar company on his last two starts at York and Doncaster. His main challenger may be the Hannon’s Chindit, who leaves for India to begin his new career at stud after this race. He maybe better at a mile and it’s Rab Havlin’s mount who is the pick here.

 

AUDIENCE 1 point win @ 5/2 William Hill

 

York 3.15

Eighteen go to post for this two year old sales contest for colts and geldings. On ratings there’s not much between the whole field with just 12lb covering the field. The one who is very hard to get a handle on is the Ben Brookhouse trained African Spirit who impressed when winning a eight runner 7F maiden at Newcastle 17 days ago, coming home 5L to the good from the favourite who’s got an official rating of 70. Brookhouse is only in his second season as a trainer for his father and has been amongst the winners recently. If a bigger trainer trained this gelded son of Showcasing he would surely be a shorter price and he’s worth a each way bet with the additional place.

 

AFRICAN SPIRIT 1 point each way @ 7/1 William Hill 1/5th 1234

 

Newmarket 3.35

A dozen three year old handicappers line up for this 1M class 2 Heritage Handicap, The Old Rowley Cup and we have a warm favourite in the shape of the John & Thady Gosden trained Humanity who is officially 8lb well in here and will be hard to beat. Qatar Racing’s Roaring Lion colt carries a 6lb penalty for his very easy victory on the all-weather at Kempton a fortnight ago but goes up 14lb in future handicaps. Oisin Murphy was on board last time and retains the ride here for his employers. He will be hard to beat and I can see him being very well backed.

 

HUMANITY 2 points win @ 3/1 BetVictor

 

York 3.50

A field of thirteen attend this 1M class 2 handicap which has a very open look about it. One horse who could still be well handicapped, especially if he gets his favoured soft ground is David O’Mera’s bottom weight Autumn Festival. He appeared to improve for the fitting of cheek pieces winning at Beverley and going down by a short head at Ayr on soft ground on his last two starts and can actually race off of a handicap mark 2lb lower than that last effort going up 5lb in future races. Harry Davies takes over from Jason Watson and can be competitive in this open looking handicap.

 

AUTUMN FESTIVAL 1 point each way @ 15/2 bet365 1/5th 1234

 

Newmarket 4.10

The Group One Fillies’ Mile has attracted a field of just eight with the Rockfel Stakes 2nd and 3rd Shuwari and Ylang Ylang renewing their rivalry with the former highly likely to confirm the form having finished 2 1/2L ahead even allowing for a very poor ride that day from Oisin Murphy. Tom Marquand replaces Murphy here and with the extra furlong likely to benefit this daughter of New Bay can give her trainer Ollie Sangster a Group One victory in his first full season. Her biggest threat may come from the Sandown maiden winner Classical Song.

 

SHUWARI 2 points win @ 7/4 William Hill