Frost and snow have wiped out today’s turf meetings but Newbury are cautiously optimistic that Saturday’s card can beat the current freeze with temperatures forecast to rise later in the week. The big betting race is the Betfair Hurdle and Calipto currently heads the market at 9/2 with BetVictor with Activial 7s and Sign Of A Victory 12s.
We paid out on Paul Nicholls retaining his Champion trainer crown on Monday and, in hindsight, our opening show of 13/8 for a ninth title in ten years for the Ditcheat handler back in September was a very attractive price.
A couple of all-weather cards this afternoon and we begin at Kempton where in the opener Mossgo (2.05) is well treated on his best form, has the plum draw in stall one and might have been sweetened up after a near seven-week lay-off. Trainer John Best had a welcome winner at Chelmsford over the weekend and can certainly get them ready at home.
The 7f fillies’ maiden sees some exposed but useful sorts taken on some less experienced types including Falconize (3.45) and it is the latter who gets the vote. The selection may get further in time but shaped with promise on her sole start at Leicester over this trip back in the autumn when not given a hard time. The betting should provide valuable clues but Hollie Point and Nancy Astor have been placed second in their last six outings between them and are obviously beatable.
The 12f Handicap sees a couple of well-bred handicap newcomers in Consortium and Galileano (4.15) and the filly gets the vote having finished last on soft ground when last seen back in October. She cost 200,000 Guineas from her native Ireland back in the spring and is certainly bred to be a whole lot better than a 55-rated animal. Connections will be desperately trying to get a win next to her name for breeding purposes and Marco Botti’s yard are in good form.
The finale sees Sir Mark Prescott fit Vejovis with a visor for the first time replacing the blinkers he has worn on his last three starts. This drop back in trip will suit as he was far too free when brushed aside over a mile from a 5lb lower mark last time, but he is not guaranteed an uncontested lead with a couple of other potential front-runners in the field.
What Asham (5.15) had three quick runs for Ralph Beckett without setting the world alight but looks the type that can improve now handicapping. He wouldn’t have to find a great deal to get competitive in this grade although he doesn’t exactly look thrown in off his opening mark.
At Chelmsford the powerful stable of Mark Johnston have yet to have a winner from 8 runners, at the time of writing, in 2015 but it can only be a matter of time before they click into top gear. Joe Fanning rides Duke Street (2.00) in the 10f maiden and if the market spoke in his favour he might be worth supporting. The selection is a half-brother to a number of winners and he and Robert Eddery’s Cornelious wouldn’t have to be anything special for either to make a winning debut.
Mily Naseb rode a winner from only her second ever ride when India’s Song (2.30) won over a mile at Kempton back in December but the mare gets today’s 10f trip well enough and is only 4lbs higher this afternoon.
The feature race is the 5f All-Weather Fast-Track Qualifier for 3-year-olds over the minimum trip of five furlongs. There is plenty of pace in the race and I take a chance on Wentworth Falls (3.40) who has a high cruising speed and can strike fast and late for Godolphin. This is his first start at 5f and he might be taken off his feet, but the hope is the front-runners cut each-others’ throats and William Buick can pick up the pieces.
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