It’s been a good couple days at Perth with a two nice winners and some competitive racing. Some of the top yards are starting to get runs into their winter horses and it’s been good to see a good mix of runners, though I think the ground has been a bit quick for a few of them. Calliope won well on the Wednesday and just goes to show how well Dianne’s [Sayer] horses are running at the moment. I also had You Name Him on Thursday. He’s been so consistent for Rebecca Menzies and it was good to get his head in front again. He’s a grand horse who only cost £6,000.
Worcester, Friday
I’ve got three nice chances kicking off with a horse of Charlie Longsdon’s called Everyonesgame (3:05pm). He’s been working well at home and I know the yard quite like him so fingers crossed. Presentandcounting (3:40pm) remains off a good mark, is in good form and this race has been his main target all summer so we’re hoping for a big run. And I’ve also got Finisk River (4:15pm) whose form has been rock solid. Sedgefield might have been a bit sharp for him last time and a track like Worcester should suit him a bit better, so I’d give him a fair chance too.
Market Rasen, Saturday
Some of the big yards, like Dan Skelton, Jonjo O’Neill and Nigel Twiston Davies all have runners there this weekend, so it’s sure to be a competitive card, but I’ve got a good book of rides. Autumn Return (1:43pm) is a nice filly that won a good point-to-point as well as the only bumper up at the Scottish National meeting earlier this year. Whatever she does here she’ll improve for, but I fully expect her to run a big race and I wouldn’t swap her for anything else.
Cape Helles (2:18pm) is a nice Australia filly off the Flat and she’s been jumping well at home. This is her first start over hurdles in public and I’m sure she’ll improve for the experience, but she’s a winner on the Flat and looks a handy type. She gets plenty of weight off the top three as well so that will help. She’ll get a bit further in time and we’re hoping she turns out to be a nice filly.
Jet Fighter (2:53pm) has just joined the Brian Ellison team from Ireland so we don’t know too much about him, but he ran well in a few point-to-points so hopefully jumps and stays well. Mr Coldstone (4:05pm) came out of Willie Mullins’ yard and has a mixture of experience on the Flat and over obstacles. He ran okay over 1m5f at Down Royal a couple of weeks ago and does have pieces of form further back, but we don’t know quite what to expect so it’s a bit of a watching brief.
Leopolds Rock (4:40pm) is a raw sort of horse who could have a bit more to work with despite going up 6lbs for winning last time out. I don’t think that extra weight will stop him if he takes another step forward and he could be my best chance of a winner on the card. This looks the right sort of race for him, he’s fit and I think he’s got every chance.
Newmarket, Saturday
There’s a great card on the Flat at Newmarket with the likes of Blackbeard and Meditate very interesting runners. Kyle Burke’s horse, Marshman, is vying for favouritism in the Middle Park Stakes, but I can’t understand how his second in the Gimcrack is as a good a piece of form as Blackbeard winning the Prix Morny. Obviously these two-year-olds can improve a lot from race to race, but on what we’ve seen I’d be in the Blackbeard camp.
In the Cheveley Park I can see Meditate going well stepping back to a stiff 6f like Newmarket. She looked good at the furlong pole over 7f last time out at the Curragh but then ran out of steam, so I think she could bounce back over this sharper trip.
