I travelled to Salisbury from the south coast town of Fareham. The route was along the M27 and then up the A36 with signs around the south of the town with the course in Netherhampton a couple of miles towards the south-west of Salisbury. The racecourse is well signposted and you should not get too lost if you remember that the course is outside of the town. The countryside of the Wilshire / Hampshire border is soothing and makes the trip easy. The roads themselves are not bad with some decent swadges of dual carriageway, Car parking was free as it usually is at the more modern courses. The entry to the Tattestalls was less than Yarmouth. You could park up and picnic around the furlong pole on the far rails. If you were particularly stumped for money you can watch the racing for free by standing next to the winning post on the far rails. Amazingly there were no freeloaders on the day I was there. The Tattestalls badge gave access to a very large paddock, plenty of bars and a double decker grandstand. The grandstand gives a brilliant view of the racing especially from the top tier.
The double decker stand is the place to watch the races from
From here you can see the spire of Salisbury Cathedral in the distance which amongst the rolling hills provides a brilliant backdrop. However if your view is not perfect the management has secured a giant video screen. The standard of catering under the grandstand was of a high standard and of good value. Outside of the bar there was plenty of space on benches and tables from which to eat. The atmosphere was good and the crowd healthy. Which is little surprise at what is a gem of a course. Looking through the card where the future fixtures are listed it is clear that a high quality of racing is often provided. There are a number of good prize money feature handicaps, a series of listed races and the historic Bibury meeting. Top prize of the year is a Group 3 event. The Bibury is worth discussing because of its tradition. The racecourse is a bit like a squash racquette. Races of a mile and a quarter and beyond race away from the stand until a left hand turn leads them to a fairly circular section which is run right handed. At the top of the straight, which is about seven furlongs from home, there is a steep decent. At the bottom there is a slight dip as runners begin an uphill finish for the majority of the final six furlongs. This is a tricky course because of the tight circular section, a good gallop home from seven out with the final threequarters of a mile being a stiff finish putting the emphasis on stamina. It is this issue of stamina which is a chief aspect of the track. The stalls were placed on the far side and in general the higher numbers had a bit of an advantage in sprints, however this course puts a premium on the jockey’s tactical awareness and there were a number of good rides and also some high profile poor ones. In conclusion I would put Salisbury as an attractive venue in terms of facilities, value and racing during the year in my top six.
The excellent value for money facilities at Salisbury
The Racing
Today was the big race of the year for Salisbury in the form of the Group three Sovereign Stakes. The rest of the card was a highly entertaining mixture of maiden stakes and handicaps and pushes Newmarket on Craven day close.
Race 1; Maiden stakes for two year olds over the seven, which was won by Goodwood Atlantis who benefited from a previous run when green at Sandown. Still running off the pace was produced from about halfway and in a bit of messy race got into some traffic problems. He was driven out to just hold on. Is reasonably well bred and is likely to make a miler next year on breeding with this run showing as being at the end of his tether at this trip this year. Not sure if he has the scope to improve this season as this was a hard fought victory in fairly modest company. The runner up was debutant colt Presburg who missed the kick and ran green but stayed on in good style and very nearly got up. Very encouraging debut but moderately bred. Can improve but not sure of the general level of quality in this race to be honest. Poisson D’Or who finished third ran with good early speed but appeared to lack stamina on her first race as despite leading two out faded a little. However pedigree suggests middle distance and therefore should have been OK. Perhaps needs to learn to settle but showed some potential with a fair bit of speed early on. Takeitfromalady looks a lazy gelding and needed waking up three out to show any level of interest. This was not that good a run and perhaps his future ultimately lies over the sticks as there is a bit of fair evidence in the pedigree that he may thrive better. Beau Duke continues to look paceless as he did on his debut and to be fair looks less like a future winner than most here today. Maccabees was a fairly warm order favourite at 7/4 but continues to flatter to deceive and having a mark of 72 looks a bit highly tried even on that level. Leading three out but weakening once put under pressure quarter of a mile out. Represents a negative. Lone Foot Laddie ran better than finishing position indicated having taken time to come to himself during the early exchanges stayed on in good style to be beaten just over four lengths. I thought this was a very useful debut. If bred for middle distances and a step up to a mile may very well see him going in if left to auction / seller arena. A positive. There was an Authorised clt in the race on his debut. Showed speed to lead up to two out when fell down a hole never to be seen again. Not heard that there has been much in his first crop but maybe they should try him at six as not certain he stayed
Leading pair just enter the final two furlong Poisson Dor (green) and Maccabees
View from behind of the field as they cross the line.
Race 2 was the second division of the two year old maiden auction stakes over the seven which was won in workmanlike style by Frog Hollow. Had to battle a bit but I felt he looked a little reluctant or else lacked a turn of foot. Looks suited by short of a mile at the moment although there is a bit of stamina in the family. I am not sure about him and will not be rushing to back him next run. Second home was the better of the two Hannon entries My Queenie. She has plenty of experience for this level and stayed on in fair style looking to have some battling quality but having led into the final furlong was run out of it inside the distance. Third home was Blue Surf didn’t run badly and improved on his debut at Goodwood. Not much room but staying on strongly and had his run interrupted, once he got going again was plugging on without too much driving giving impression that benefited from run and will stay more than a mile with time. Rates a positive. Tight Lipped is hugely experienced in comparison to most in this field and didn’t really impress despite just failing to hold on to third. Has been handicapping well so far this year but a jack up to 81 has scared connections off as looks at present a 74ish horse. Zamarelle ran moderately again and I do not expect much from her.
Frog Hollow collared My Queenie and gallops on to win
Race 3 there was a three and four year old maiden stakes in memory of Mary Wort. This was the first of three races sponsored by friends and relatives of a deceased racegoer which was very touching really a nice to see. Much better to have a race dedicated to someone like Mary than yet another advert for a bookies website. Still I suppose any harbour in a storm. Three year olds dominated as they often seem to at this time of year with the first four all from the classic generation. It was won in commanding style by the Richard Hughes ridden Orpen Arry who pushed clear two out. Had been improving as shown by fair third in similar Chepstow event recently. Unexposed and I suppose will be reasonably treated by the assessor and if so could well pick up a handicap again some time soon. Second home was Obiter Dicta who has had seven runs without success and is coming down the weights. This wasn’t a bad run and with her 65 rating beaten over two lengths was getting five pounds so the winner is likely to be well in if racing off less than 74.
Orpen Arry forges ahead of Obiter Dicta as the pair finish clear
Race 4 was a fillies handicap class 4 over one mile and a half. As expected the first seven places were filled by the seven three year old fillies. First home in good style was Dubai Glory who was bouncing back to form after a modest summer which itself had followed a hat-trick in the spring. Decent filly, goes well here at Salisbury and could handle a modest rise in the weights. Not a resounding positive but on the basis of having put a run together when on song before hardly one to be negative about. The runner up is the less exposed Sugar Hiccup who was staying on in reasonable fashion inside the final furlong. I would say she may yet stay even further as there is some stamina in the family. A good effort this but may be a bit more use could be made of her such as being ridden handy as she lacks acceleration but has stamina. I would like to see a more aggressive run over this sort of trip as I think she can win in this sort of company. Doesn’t rate as a positive though. Third home was Japanese bred Sunday Bess who was prominent without being a major threat inside the final couple of furlongs. Weakening inside last 200 yards giving the impression that a shift to ten furlongs would be optimal and on the basis of her tumble to 75 in the OR she is on a theoretical winning mark. Lady Gabriella is a one eyed filly as there is no off side eye at all. Bizarre to see but not off putting. Decent run being pulled wide into the straight and staying on well. This meant that her offside was nearest the field and therefore was she ‘blinkered’ in a way? If this is an advantage then perhaps she needs a right hander or does seeing them clearly help keep the herd instinct and therefore lefthanded is an advantage. Interestingly her two wins have come at idiosyncratic tracks. Brighton (where one eyed Belper was a standing dish in the 1970s) and the figure of eight Windsor. Either way on balance she is well handicapped on the AW and has run reasonably well there when she ran her best race as a two year at Lingfield. I have her as a positive coming out of this race. Favourite Amistress looked an absolute pig of a ride was on and off the bridle and I have her down as one to give a wide berth to and she is a negative coming out of this race.
Winner Dubai Glory (far side)
being led form the winners enclosure
Race 5 was the Group 3 Sovereign Stakes for colts and geldings over a mile. No three year olds which was a surprise I would have given the craven winner a shot at this but there you go. Looked a good renewal and several come out as eyecatchers one way or another. One or two may be going off the boil such as Primio Loco (who although on the barebones of finishing distance looks to have run OK is well held in group 3 and listed nowadays plus with a quite high OR does not attract in handicap sphere) or may be viewed as unlucky and therefore lower odds than they deserve and as such rate negative (based on Fanunalter awkwardness when held up pulling to the left as if fighting the bit and looks to need excessive waiting tactics to the extent that is the sort who can be a decent lay opportunity). Others did impressed not least the winner Side Glance who not only showed a decent bit of pace to forge ahead also showed resilience when challenged to stay on and win. This is a decent colt and can step up to higher group level on this basis of this run. Celebration Mile looks right grade and track than QEII. Positive in the right race. Second home was the remarkable Dance and Dance who has slowly but surely gone up through the handicaps winning on Derby Day, second in the Royal Hunt Cup and a decent third in the Hambleton. Now a staying on and eyecatching runner up to a listed winner in a Group race with a Group 3 winner behind him. Certainly up to winning in listed company and may yet make group. Third was The Rectifier who again ran his consistent race he has been doing all season in listed and Group 3 events being close to adding to his listed win last year. Bit outpaced by the first two but was nonetheless plugging on gamely. A good benchmark this which emphasises to me that this is probably a decent Group 3 and its form should stake up as the season progresses. I thought Secrecy was a bit of an eyecatcher in that was not given a hard race when a bit squeezed approaching the furlong stick. Looked a good sort beforehand and is not overly exposed for a five year old. Has some fair form in conditions race and looks the sort to pick up a seven furlong or mile listed at some time. Rates a positive.
Side Glance in yellow going on to do the business
Race 6 was a handicap class 5 for fillies over six furlongs. This was won by a three year old Aristeia who was held up and produced with a reasonable turn off foot. Looks decent in this class. Clobbered when reassessed as is seven pounds up for the win so cannot rate a positive looks a Wsixtimes sort. A negative at the moment until better rated. To be honest nothing positive comes to mind from the rest.
Aristiea is getting up with good turn off foot a classic WSixtimes (waited with will win when wanted) sort
Race 7 was a 1m6 handicap
Flag start was a change so difficult to work out if the draw was respected. I did hear it being belten out but not much lining up and rejigging position occurred. Maybe the jockeys were that disciplined they already knew where to line up. Yet again three year olds dominated and the adage of backing three year olds in August couldn’t have been much better exemplified than today. It was won by Maycontainnuts who stayed on gamely to assert by three lengths with a bunched finish behind him. Not sure of the value of the race and cannot rate him a positive but was certainly a fair bit better in on the weights at the moment than the remainder.
Milling around before the last
At the tapes for the unfamiliar sight of a flat race flag start.
Notebook
Maccabees (N) up £30
0 0 0
still a negative
Lone Foot Laddie (P) down £10
4
Still a bit green but improving and I will stick with him
Blue Surf (P) down £10
2
Good effort when plugging on over a mile. OR of 80 is very fair is entered in the derby and I think he has to be retained as can and is very likley to win as a 3yo
Lady Gabriella (P) down £20
0 0
Not run well at really and will fold on her
Amistress (N) up £30
4 0 0
As expected has been well beaten last three runs and I still doubt she can win next time out as well
Premio Loco (N)
Fanunalter (N) up £10
4
In truth being beaten only 2 lengths by **** Turpin was a much improved showing so I will fold with an edge
Side Glance (P) down £10
4
Great run when beaten around 2 lengths in big mile race worth £350k in Canada. Couldn't get on and thenfinished season off tamely at Ascoy when over tried and not backed
Secrecy (P) up £25
2 2 1 9/2
Ran well at Nmkt and Ham but then forst time in blinkers and up to listed level scooted in. Left alone now
Aristiea (N) up £20
0 0
Hopessly handicapped and continue to lay untill closer to winning mark