Lately I’ve just been putting up snippets of info and haven’t really been investing much time into analysing the races at all and I therefore wanted to put an end to that tonight, hence why I have previewed a few of tomorrows races. All my own thoughts.. all of my own conclusions.. so we’ll see how we go.
What better race to start with than the Charlie Hall Chase @ Wetherby this renewal is a particular humdinger with last year’s winner Nacarat heading the weights due to several creditable performances after his win here particularly when winning the Totesport Bowl at Aintree.
The outsiders Acrai Rua is making up the numbers and can be easily discredited; Chief Dan George is a good horse in his own field but is largely disappointing and will not be winning here today. Chicago Grey & Weird Al are priced similarly and whilst they have some smart form and Weird Al runs well fresh I believe the McCain’s don’t really know where the horse is and therefore this is merely a fact finding mission.
So nothing surprising in my ending here it’s just about a 3 horse race with Nacarat there to pounce on any mistakes but Paul Nicholl’s Poquelin, Nick Williams Diamond Harry and Paul Webbers Time For Rupert are the principle contenders in the race. Poquelin has arguably the most to prove with this 8yr old having never ran or won over 2m 5fl, Diamond Harry who disappointed in the RSA chase certainly made up for this in the Hennessey Gold Cup when an game performance over 2fl further than this trip today.
This leaves me with another horse who disappointed in the RSA chase in the form of
Time For Rupert, It was subsequently found that he suffered a burst blood vessel due to a lung infection. His trainer Paul Webber states that "I'm sure he's done enough work to do himself justice. He's ready for action and ready to win.” This horse has class and in my opinion is still unexposed over fences and can return to winning ways here.
Over at Ascot in the 3:00 we have the William Hill Handicap Hurdle over a trip of 2miles, this competitive listed race includes horses that have won races and have looked promising but have not really progressed from there on, case in type Via Galilei, A Media Luz.
The two horses I am interested in do have similar form ;Third Intention came 2nd earlier this year in a race at Haydock where Kumbeshwar was third 5l behind Third Intention. Paul Nicholls exciting Zarkandar have beaten both Kumbeshwar / Third Intention the latter came 10lengths behind in the Triumph Hurdle whilst Alan Kings horse finished 1 1/2L behind Zarkandar at Aintree. Alan King didn’t have the greatest of years last year and still
Kumbeshwar performed with credit, I believe he’s still well handicapped and gets the vote here.
Now back to where I’ve become more familiar with Newmarket and Flat Racing in a listed race over a mile for 3yr olds and upwards in the 2:05 where we have a short price favourite in the form of Ecliptic from the Mohammed Al Zarooni’s stable where Frankie jumps on board, who returned from a 15month absence to beat Mon Cadeaux over 7fl on this occasion he was slowly away, dwelt towards the rear placed on the rails early on came to take it up on the wide outside and perilously swept the field aside with an impressive turn of foot.
He previously as a 2yr old came 2nd to King Torus in the G2 Superlative Stakes at the predicted odds against there is always the fear of a kickback from returning to soon after a break however this looks a class horse im not going to tip an odds on shot here, however I would advise the
forecast of Ecliptic and Secrecy another Godolphin runner trained by Saaed Bin Suroor ridden by Kieran Fallon who has come close in similar events now tries headgear and can get close.
All the best,
