Racing Chat - Sunday 5th May

[The Brigadier]

Newmarket 1.50

The first of six races covered by the ITV cameras this afternoon is the listed William Hill Pretty Polly Stakes run over a distance of 10F and traditionally used as an Oaks trial. All bar Carolina Reaper hold future Group entries. John & Thady Gosden saddle a brace of interesting fillies in Kempton AW winner Friendly Soul and Wolverhampton AW novice stakes winner Strutting. I wouldn’t be surprised if the latter was to run well even though she has plenty to find on ratings. The one they all have to beat however is surely the Andrew Balding trained Kalpana who blew her rivals away at the Craven meeting in what seemed a competitive class 3 handicap under Ryan Moore, coming home 10L to the good. She created a big impression that day and can take the step up in grade in her stride with Oisin Murphy replacing Ryan Moore.

 

KALPANA 1 point win @ 15/8 bet365

 

Hamilton 2.05

This 1M 5F class 3 handicap has attracted seven runners and the stand out horse to my eyes is the bottom weight Simple Star trained in Cumbria by Diane Sayer. Since joining Sayer from Iain Jardine his form figures on the flat read 112122 rising 13lb. He only went down by a neck at Musselburgh last time and this looks a weak enough handicap that he can get back to winning ways although he is unproven on ground any softer than good to soft. The Charlie Johnston runner Capital Theory and Michael & David Easterby’s top weight Two Brothers look the dangers.

 

SIMPLE STAR 1 point win @ 4/1 bet365

 

Newmarket 2.25

Seven quality fillies and mares square up here in the 9F Group 2 William Hill Dahlia Stakes. John & Thady Gosden’s Running Lion heads the market under Oisin Murphy and looks sure to be involved in the finish. She’s won after a break in the past and her stable are in scintillating form at present. She ran out a very impressive winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes on this card last year and kept top company thereafter. Godolphin filly Silver Lady has claims but is not straight forward and has to shoulder a 3lb penalty. Jack Channon’s Caernarfon has some decent group form and is another with a chance but it’s Running Lion that they all have to beat.

 

RUNNING LION 1 point win @ 15/8 William Hill

 

Salisbury 2.40

The ground will be testing here with the track passing an inspection on Friday and that should not inconvenience Amy Murphy’s Convo who sports a 4lb penalty here for his racecourse debut victory at Saint-Cloud in March on heavy ground. The runner up that day has won since to boost the form and with conditions to suit can beat Eve Johnson-Houghton’s Bath winner (2nd won since) Betty Clover in this eight runner class 3 conditions stakes for two year olds. Ralph Beckett is always a man to be feared at the Wiltshire track and he unleashes his first two year old of the season here in the shape of the King & Queen owned Royal Equerry who must be watched in the market.

 

CONVO 1 point win @ 2/1 William Hill

 

Newmarket 3.00

A dozen handicappers go to post for this valuable 1M 6F class 2 William Hill Heritage Handicap. Last year’s winner HMS President, trained by dual purpose trainer Alan King, comes into the equation and should run well despite being 8lb higher than last year’s victory. For £100,000 guaranteed mind they are mainly horses that are high enough in the weights and surely if the top weight New London is anywhere near his best he can take this despite his hefty weight. He was the winner of the Group 3 Gordon Stakes at Goodwood back in the summer of 2022 prior to a second spot in the St Leger no less. He’s yet to hit those heights again since although he wasn’t disgraced in two starts in Dubai in February and maybe able to outclass his eleven rivals under William Buick for local handler Charlie Appleby.

 

NEW LONDON 1 point win @ 9/2 Unibet

 

Newmarket 3.40

A decent sized field of sixteen line up for the second classic of the season in the 1000 Guineas for the fillies. Unlike the previous day’s equivalent for the boys this has a much more open look about it. The current favourite is the Karl Burke trained Fallen Angel, winner of the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at The Curragh last September and she must go close although seems short enough in a race where there are many promising types. Aidan O’Brien’s representative is Fillies’ Mile winner over course and distance last October Yang Ylang and with Ryan Moore on top is another with decent claims. Charlie Appleby saddles a brace in the unbeaten Cinderellas Dream, ridden by Michael Barzalona and the Nell Gwyn runner up Dance Sequence who looks the pick of the pair under William Buick. An outsider who is likely to benefit considerably from her first run of the season is the John & Thady Gosden trained Regal Jubilee. She was nabbed on the line by the ex Italian Folgaria in the 7F Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury last month at a time when most from the yard was needing the run. She needs all of the mile and looks over priced with an additional place at around the 25/1 for a yard that took this race with Lahan 24 years ago who also prepped by running in the Fred Darling when finishing fourth.

 

REGAL JUBILEE 1 point each way @ 33/1 Coral 1/5th 1234

 

[richard-westwood]

Likewise lots of discussion for 1000 guineas but I think I'm just gonna back ...Porta fortuna ...Ew ...might not be better good enough but if the ground is on the fast side of good she will love it .....and I think she's overpriced