Yesterday was another infuriating day with Rocking Reg
denied a run and Rosadora refusing to enter the stalls after a big gamble. But,
we're still in the game and we go again today.
My best
bet today would have been Involved who I tipped last week at Newmarket and he
finished a good second. He runs off the same mark today at Newbury but no
sooner could I write this first paragraph and he was 11/10 and I just can't get
too excited about those sort of prices in this column.
SECRETARIAL up at Beverley has the
potential to shorten up to that sort of price but at 3/1 at the time of
writing, we should have a bit of time to get on at a decent price. This Kingman
filly took the scalp of Caravan Of Hope last year at Carlisle before being kept
off the track and you can mark that performance up given how we now know just
how strong a stayer COH is. The absence is a worry and you would hold question
marks over this unique track but off a mark of 77 I'd say she is worth taking a
punt on. Her competitors look quite exposed and I'm not sure how many will want
to be winning this this early into the season so I am hopeful of a bold
showing.
The
4.10 at Newbury looks a really interesting fillies maiden and Gold Wand is
likely to be a warm order and John Gosden's newcomer isn't likely to be far
behind. But, Oisin Murphy's presence aboard FLOWER OF SCOTLAND for the James Fanshawe yard has caught my eye.
This daughter of Gleneagles has a lovely middle distance pedigree as she is out
of Seal Of Approval, a Group 1 winning mare and also a sister to Promissory who
is a high class horse herself. The stable sent out a well bred filly to finish
third at Yarmouth yesterday and the fact Fanshawe has Murphy booked tells me he
may just have more than an educational run in mind.
At 16/1 in a race like this, she looks a tasty each way bet.
My dark
horses to follow have made a decent enough start and my handicapper to follow, YOU OWE ME, runs today at Yarmouth. It
is a trappy four runner event and Franny Norton is aboard who has dished out a
couple of stinkers recently on some of my tips but I'm going to give him
another chance. Notably Batalha the other day at Wolverhampton and that race
was eventually one by in form combo Beckett/Hornby who have another in here
today but I stand my comment that this is a horse who will be rated a lot
higher by the end of the year and I'll stick a point on at cramped odds.
Beverley 3.50 Secretarial – 1.5pt win
Newbury 4.10 Flower Of Scotland – 1pt e/w
Yarmouth 5.30 – You Owe Me – 1pt win
