The opening day was a tough one in the end. The NAP didn't get the best of runs at a crucial stage but to be honest it would have only been place returns at best anyway. The NB was frustratingly beaten by his stablemate at a huge price, though not unbacked late on course. The IWAC ran a solid race coming from the back to finish a never nearer 3rd, SP 6/1 so there were a few having a few on each way, backed down from 12/1. Day two looks even tougher so I'm betting light.
The opening handicap is a devil to solve, partly because so many runners are unexposed over extreme trips like this one. One such horse is Aramist, who before his never dangerous tenth last time out in the Northumberland, was a model of consistency hitting the frame six starts in a row including a win at Hamilton a few runs back. Elidor gave his run at Newmarket a boost yesterday running a big race in a stronger heat off 106 and while this is a highish mark Aramist runs off today the new trip might be the difference. Ben Curtis also gets on well with the horse, he has won four times on him from the nine spins and he himself is having a good season in the saddle. Course form is important at Goodwood but the two course winners in the race don't make much appeal off their career high marks though last year's winner will probably run his race with James Doyle up. Aramist is one of those that always seems to do his best work late on and hopefully he can be picking them off late on coming from the rear - there are a few front runners in here, and if Boite goes off in front like he did last time this could be run to suit. At 22/1 paying 5 places with Ladbrokes, he is worth an each way tickle.
I'm takng a chance on Sunny Spirit in the maiden. Winter Rose looks the one to beat on the strength of her debut 3rd but not many of the others have the experience that this filly does. She ran a quiet race on debut held up in rear and never asked to close - a typical type from the yard. She improved on that run with the extra furlong no doubt a help when coming home well after missing the break and being short of room inside the final furlong. The winner of that race is a very highly regarded inmate of Hugo Palmer's and the way she stuck to her task was encouraging late on. There is no doubt she needs a bit more but it's eyecatching to see that the yard won this race last year with a very similar type. Worth also noting the trainer has a higher strike rate here than he does at any other course in the country and with all that considered, she looks well worth chancing at a generous each way price, providing she can put her experience to good use.
Serena Grae is certainly a chancey one and fitness is to be taken on trust after a near 300-day absence. She'd had enough of her long season when finishing ninth of nine on her final start of last season but was previously in great nick winning four of her previous six. She is a buzzy filly, the main reason behind her headgear and she usually likes to bowl along out in front. She might get an easy lead as many of her rivals are hold up types though the Godolphin runner has made the running the last twice. She looks the type to do some damage in handicaps off her mark in the next few months and if she's come on for her holiday and is ready to go, she should be therabouts at the business end. Also worth mentioning she is the only course winner in the field and her stable are in great nick with last five runners finishing 33121. At 16/1 paying four places, I'll chance her for a small stake.
I never like to back horses that have a tendency to hang and Saucy Minx is obviously a tricky customer judging by the hood/blinkers combination. That said I can't resist a small each way punt at 18/1 for a horse with a course record of 3/7. She was entered in a more valuable handicap and a Group 3 later in the week and connections have clearly had this festival in mind in her last few runs when she's been ridden fairly quietly out the back and it's interesting to see they've kept her in this rather than taking up her other entries. She's off a mark I think she can win off and a strongly run 7f could be exactly what she needs. The talented Kieran Shoemark claims a valuable 5lbs which can only aid her cause and she looks well worth chancing for a yard that rarely seems out of form.
Selections:
14.00 Aramist 22/1 ew (5 places with Ladbrokes) NAP
16.20 Sunny Spirit 14/1 ew NB
16.55 Serena Grae 16/1 ew (4 places) IWAC
17.30 Saucy Minx 18/1 ew (4 places)
It's not a day to go mad on by any means but a few quid on the each way singles and a little each way yankee will keep me interested. Better opportunites to come in the next few days. Enjoy the racing and best of luck if you follow.
THT
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