Relatively short-priced double today

4.50 Sandown

FARHH was notably impressive on his debut at Newmarket, and was entered to run against Frankel as a 2yo before becoming agitated and being withdrawn at the start.  He was then entered in a very hot handicap, again at Newmarket, but in the following season, and he made a complete mockery of his handicap mark of 90.  He was slowly away, but after recovering, he was travelling smartly after being niggled into position, and after being let into the clear he shot past the 92-rated Roayh in a matter of strides, and put the race to bed impressively.  With another winter on his back and after only two runs he is open to the most improvement in the race.

Saeed Bin Surror has him entered in some very smart group one races later in this season, and along with other horses in his yard that are rated 110+.  He was also entered in a listed race that seemed to be his potential alternative race to today's, and he would have to run up to a mark higher than 100 to be competitive in that.  I think he is going to be a lot better than his mark of 100, and I think the yard feel that too.  There is a report mentioning his work on Godolphin's website, and he looks to have been put through his paces at home, and the Godolphin horses are rarely short of fitness.

The ground is going to be very soft today, but FARHH'S breeding offers a lot of hope that he will love the ground.  Pivotal is 27-106 (25.5%) on heavy ground with his offspring, and 93-563 (16.5%) on soft ground.  FARHH'S full brother, Welcome Gift, won easy by ten lengths on soft ground on his second start after coming second to Most Improved on his debut.  FARHH'S dam, Gonbarda had a record of 121441 on soft ground including a group one win, and she herself was related to five other winners, three of which have won on soft or heavy. If you note his action during his last run you will also notice a high knee action, almost stomping-like, and this is usually an indication of when a horse will handle lots of give underfoot. Race fitness would be a plus in this ground, but he has proved his record when fresh is definitely not a worry.

I would like to see Saeed having a few more winners than he has, and that point is really worrying me, but there is no doubting his potential in this company, let alone above this.  I have the Andrew Balding horse as a threat given his breeding indicate that he will like the ground too, but his usually come on for the run, and his record with horses running first time for him since a yard switch indicate this too.

7.40 Doncaster

Another good race here, this time a maiden with many top yards and owners represented.  The Sir Michael Stoute horse is an interesting newcomer, but most of his horses have been proving to need the run this year so it is probably worth taking him on.  The Sir Henry Cecil horse is interesting given his trainer's recent comments, but his form last year is going to have to be left behind in no uncertain terms for him to be involved here.

SURAJ made his debut for Michael Bell at Newmarket in what I think will prove to be a very hot maiden.  The top two that pulled a few lenthgs clear both look very smart, and hold top entries this season.  SURAJ was held up out the back under Jamie Spencer, and after travelling nearly best of all for most of the way, he stayed on really nicely under a very gentle and educational ride.

Again, the ground looks to be testing, but Galileo is 5-34 (14.7%) on heavy and 23-178 (12.9%) on soft ground which is still fairly strong.  SURAJ'S dam managed to get placed on soft ground, and he is a sibling to Indian Ink who had form figures that included soft in the going description of 2111 including a group one.

He will have learnt a lot from that first run and can go close here under Hayley Turner.  Michael Bell has a stronger record with his horses second time out (16.2%) than first time out (5.8%), and a strike rate of 21.7% with horses second time out on turf that ran their debuts at Newmarket.

For the above reasons and they're individually small prices I am going to double them together.


Double on FARHH at 5-4 (after Diverting has been withdrawn so no R4) and SURAJ at 6-4 with William Hill which totals 4.62-1 and taking BOGs.