1. CITYSCAPE [17]. Just the 5 runs for this 4 - y- o so far . Took on Sea The Stars last autumn as well as some other tough assignments . Could be one of those horses that is hard to place this season and shouldering 9-10 here on first outing of the season is a big ask .
2. WANNABE KING [ 8]. 4 victories from just 11 starts for him . Finished well behind DESERT CREEK back in May but improved throughtout the summer and won 3 on the trot in August . Ended up jt.fav for Cambridgeshire but couldn't land a blow . It's a question of him finding some more improvement this season to defy the handicapper .
3. MANASSAS [ 14 ] . Goes well on fast ground and withdrawn from Lincoln after ground went against him . Drying conditions will help his chances and respected .
4. EXTRATERRESTRIAL [ 13 ] . Took this last year but despite having a fitness advantage over most of the field looks now to be in the grip of the handicapper .
5. DESERT CREEK [ 20 ]. Lightly raced 4 - Y -O kept in training by Stoute who obviously thinks theres a lot more to come from him . If he is fit and raring to go first time up he is a big danger to all . A bit surprised he is not fav .
6. MULL OF KILLOUGH [24 ] . A sound run in the Lincoln when staying on to take 3rd behind the easy winner . Form of that race already been franked twice . Looks to have the best of the draw but jockey a big negative for me .
7. MAKAAMEN [ 23 ] . Steps up to a mile for the first time in his career and trainer respected but well beaten in his last 2 runs and only looks fairly handicapped at best .
8 .IRISH HEARTBEAT [ 6 ] . Connections have been red hot so far this season and this one took the spring mile at Doncaster landing a big gamble in the process . Travelled really well but then didn't find much off the bridle and eventually scrambled home by a head . This race a lot tougher and draw may well count against him . Surprise to me that he heads the market .
9. MAHADEE [ 4 ] . This 5 - y -o looks a better performer on the AW than turf and another whos low draw doesn't look helpful .Seems to be handicapped about right and will need to show big improvement to figure here .
10 .BIG BAY [18 ] . 6 runs so far which have produced 2 wins . This is by far his biggest test so far and whilst there should be plenty of improvement to come this looks a tough task for him .
11. HUZZAH [ 19 ] . Becoming a regular fixture in these big handicaps now . Lost all chance in Lincoln after a very slow start but not shown much for a while now .I would be more interested him if he runs at Chester this season .
12. VIVA VETTORI [8] . Ran a respectable race in the Lincoln to finish 8th but all 3 wins have been at Kempton and i can't see him being good enough to feature here .
13 . CREDIT SWAP [ 16 ] . C & D winner who improved all season and still looks to have plenty more to offer . A hold up performer with a turn of foot - the type the handicapper can struggle to pin down -. A fast run straight mile is right up his street and good jockey booking as well . This is my NO.1 horse to follow this season and if ready to go today must be involved at the business end . As always with these types of horses will need luck in running .
14 . BENADONNER [ 15 ] . Well behind IRISH HEARTBEAT at Doncaster and hard to see him getting involved here . Low grade h'caps and claimers are more his level nowadays .
15 . ORATORY [ 3 ] . 6 runs so far for this 4 -y-o but only 2 last season and evidently as had training problems . Won a maiden at Salisbury but doesn't look up to this especially coupled with a low draw .
16 . LUCKY DANCE [21 ] . Finished 3rd to IRISH HEARTBEAT last time out but 1 win from 28 starts is the real telling stat .May be prominent for a long way from it's draw but can only see him fading away at the business end .
17. MARJAA [ 11 ] . Another to feature in IRISH HEARTBEAT'S race finishing up in 10th place . This 8 -y-o will find easier races later in the eason .
18 . PRAVDA STREET [ 2 ]. Another trainer to respect in these big h'caps . Stepping up from 7f but draw is off putting and maybe one for another day .
19 . BRUNSTON . [ 12 ] . This one steps down in trip having been seen over 10 & 12 furlongs in the past . Hard to get a handle on this one but shouldn't have the pace to trouble the best of this .
20. QALAHARI [ 1 ] . Very well bred filly but only a Bath victory to shout about from 10 starts . Looks to have it all to do .
21. DESERT KISS [ 5 ] . Had a nice pipe opener at Kempton a fortnight ago finishing 3rd . Off a feather weight and would be higher on my list if it wasn't for the low draw .
22 . DALRADIAN [7 ] . All 4 wins have been at Lingfield and turf form is pretty poor overall . Not for me .
23 . HAPPY ANNIVERSARY [ 10 ] . This 4 -y -o seems to be up against it as well .1 victory from 15 starts and i can't see him troubling the judge here .
24 . SOUTH CAPE [ 9 ] . 7 -y - o who wins his fair share but despite carrying bottom weight here will surely find this too tough .
SUMMARY .
The pace in the race seems to be with the high numbers and a high draw is normally whats required in this race . MANASSAS is respected especially if the ground is riding on the fast side and DESERT CREEK is also feared . CREDIT SWAP looks way overpriced to me and is the main selection .
SELECTIONS
CREDIT SWAP 2PTS WIN & PLACE DESERT CREEK 1PT WIN & PLACE
Good work, custard. 3 points i would add, which my or may not be relevant:- *fitness wont be a problem for Desert Creek if this is the plan! *Mull of Killough's trainer not had a winner under either code since Sept (tho it didnt stop horse running well in Lincoln) *wins for Albaqaa and Harrison George suggest high draw prob a disadvantage in Lincoln and that Huzzah had no chance missing the break from stall 20 of 21. 3 lb lower now.
Good luck
Good work, custard. 3 points i would add, which my or may not be relevant:-*fitness wont be a problem for Desert Creek if this is the plan!*Mull of Killough's trainer not had a winner under either code since Sept (tho it didnt stop horse running well
6. MULL OF KILLOUGH [24 ] . A sound run in the Lincoln when staying on to take 3rd behind the easy winner . Form of that race already been franked twice . Looks to have the best of the draw but jockey a big negative for me .
Take Spencer over Kirby any day :D
Nice work CC, one point though:6. MULL OF KILLOUGH [24 ] .A sound run in the Lincoln when staying on to take 3rd behind the easy winner .Form of that race already been franked twice .Looks to have the best of the draw but jockey a big negative for me
Ben - i thought that comment about Spencer might get a reply from someone ! I just have no confidence in him , he's not nicknamed Frank for no reason !
Ben - i thought that comment about Spencer might get a reply from someone !I just have no confidence in him , he's not nicknamedFrank for no reason !
Fair point, but after the Lincoln it's a case of anyone else will do for me :) Drying ground is MOK's only worry imo, I think he's definitely got a race in him off this mark and this race doesn't look amazing, a few who look like they've plateaued with their improvement and MOK certainly is capable of better. Good luck
Fair point, but after the Lincoln it's a case of anyone else will do for me :)Drying ground is MOK's only worry imo, I think he's definitely got a race in him off this mark and this race doesn't look amazing, a few who look like they've plateaued wit
Think that's an understatement VK. Absolute farce of a race imo, with the mid pack coming over to the near side rail. As soon as that happened you could forget any chance of the form ever working out. Remember something similar happening at Ascot last season when Advanced won.
Amazed there hasn't been more comment on here about this mess of a race. Luckily, I kept my money in my pocket despite sepnding several hours looking at the race.
Think that's an understatement VK. Absolute farce of a race imo, with the mid pack coming over to the near side rail. As soon as that happened you could forget any chance of the form ever working out. Remember something similar happening at Ascot las
A very strange race to say the least with at least a half a dozen horses getting badly hampered about 3 fur out and several of these were eased up by their jockeys and coasted home . The 2 most unlucky ones were CITYSCAPE & WANNABE KING . Jimmy Fortune on the top weight was convinced he would have won with a clear passage and it's a viewpoint i agree with . Ted Durcan on WANNABE KING was denied a clear run 2 fur out and would have been in the frame with better luck . CREDIT SWAP was under pressure and being hard ridden at the halfway stage and maybe the ground was too firm for him but i was expecting him to show a lot more . DESERT CREEK failed to settle and was soon beaten and eased by Moore and didn't seem to enjoy the fast ground . All in all i think it's best to put a red line through this race and not trust the form at all and give the beaten horses another chance . It will be interesting to see what the first 3 home go on to achieve .
RESULT1. BRUNSTON 40 - 12. MARAJAA 50 - 13 . ORATORY 40- 14. CITYSCAPE 10 - 1CREDIT SWAP 15THDESERT CREEK 22NDRUN. TOTAL - 8PTSREVIEWA very strange race to say the least with at least a half a dozenhorses getting badly hampered about 3 fur out and se