rebelfm

PONTEFRACT
22Nd APRIL 2013
FOOD TO FIRM
Sunny with a strong breeze

HESKIN (pos)
They didn’t look a great set of maiden 2yo fillies with only three standing out in the paddock being H, Mops Angel and Lady Liz. There was money for Duffield’s Hello Beautiful  (encouraging first run in second) and  Shellys Choice was not unfancied (tied up late after looking to feature n finish suggesting the stamina sapping hill here had got to her. It is H that I think has the most potential going forward. Looked well but obviously the run would do her good. She went down fine but was slow into stride and took some stoking up to get her running and once she did she showed plenty of resolution and clearly cottoned on to what was expected. I am sure she will come from this and win next time up. Half sister to Tagula Knight who is not a bad sprinter winning winning generally in class 4 off near top weight on undulating tracks probably preferring a bit of cut. She is also half sister to Suited And Booted a class 3 handicap winner who was best on fastish ground over 7f to a mile. Sire speed adds to the conclusion that she will do fine this spring and ids a March foal so no maturity issues in early season to worry about.

GABRIEL THE THUG (watch)
This was a dreadful race really. Dorfman was sweating and nervy in the paddock and was reluctant going down and then was pulled out due to a spread plate! Noble Bull was kicking and bucking in the paddock before hand clearly celebrating the liberty of recently being relieved of his gonads although ran on for second, or was it plodded through the beaten pair in the final furlong? GTT sweated up and looked agitated  and I think ran his race before he was in the stalls to an extent.  He did look like he needed a test when third at Kempton over 10f so a step up to 12f looked in his scope and off 70 looked a more than reasonable mark. However if he has a temperament problem then winning is going to be difficult and so is best watched. 

RIPTIDE (pos over  timber)
Longest race on the flat calendar the Pontefract Marathon over  close on two and three quarter miles trip. This was knicked by a brilliant ride by Freddie Tykicki on Kazbow. However my eyecatcher was Riptide who was well behind at halfway and looking like going nowhere but stayed on very well to pick up into second was eased a bit close home and finished third. He looked very well in the paddock and a return to fastish ground three miles over hurdles can see him back winning again. His last mark of 103 looks very fair indeed. Some commentators believe he has some temperament issues but I didn’t see any of that today. He looks a bit one paced but that doesn’t mean he cannot win again.



WINCANTON
21ST APRIL 2013
Good to Firm
Nice mild spring day

SOUND INVESTMENT (pos)
This was a fair bovice hurdle over 2m4 and SI looks one for the future and will stay further than this trip. He hurdled smoothly and was always in command  pushing on from approaching two out to win as he liked. He had just the one bumper as a 4yo and is progressing nicely over timber. Won on soft ground at Taunton when a bit novicey and then was a shade disappointing in a class 3 event at Fakenham. Today’s win represented progress and clearly is at home on fast ground so perhaps it is the going that is the key to him. Can still win races during the summer despite more weight. 
HATTERS RIVER (leave alone now he’s won)

He was a positive for me to follow when I saw him run well but looked like he needed the run when  a close up 6th in reasonable Doncaster handicap. He then ran well to be 2nd next run at 4/1 just outpaced close home over 20f, then blundered away chance when looking the winner 2 out and finished 3rd at 11/2 at Newbury. Today’s win was a grinder when it looked like he had it in the bag  from 2 out. He hurdled better today and he stayed the 22f OK. It could be that he is a wait with horse in truth as finds little when ahead. He has done well to win as has gone up the weights a bit and probably will go up more after this win. Still a nice SP 5/1 and having got a win out of him I think following up will be hard and he’s style of running doesn’t do my heart much good!

FAIR TRADE (neg)
I thought this was an unsatisfactory race in many ways for future opportunities and the winner  of this maiden I think will struggle to defy a penalty. However he has a lot of decent flat form and was thought highly enough by connections when with David Elseworth to have a crack at the 2000 guineas where he was not disgraced when 10th beaten 9 lengths. Was also fourth in the Group 3 Sovereign Stakes at Salisbury and third in the Group 3 Jim Joel Stakes at Newbury all as a three year old.  Form on the flat deteriorated a bit and was off the track for all his 4yo campaign indicating something amiss and OR went right down. Not fluent in opening two hurdle races but flat pace made sure he was in with a shout finishing placed. Slipped under radar when bumper races opened to allcomers during the freeze meant that he was a group class speedster against genuine NH plodders and he scooted in off levels.  Was then easily beaten returning to timber and with today’s race a bit of a farce I do not think we have learnt much about FT and in fact I think he will be over-rated under priced and therefore a decent lay option.

SOLSTICE SUN (pos)
Yet another slow early paced bumper making it difficult to see future winners in this sphere but acts as an obvious window for future hurdler. I though the second placed SS looks a real good prospect going forward. He’s only a four year old and showed plenty to like about his stamina and pace today coming out the pack and gaining on the winning favourite. He is half brother to the very useful  Karasenir who was rated 137 over hurdles last season and won novice chases at Uttoxeter and  Stratford. Karasenir won a listed novice hurdle at Kempton.  Karazhan is another half brother and his form figures are 2111 with plenty of promise in that 5yo who has won his only start over timber. So clearly plenty of ability in the family. Definitely promise in bumpers but a really nice prospect for the future. His brothers seemed best at 2 miles but one of them stays 2m4. There is a preference for good ground and none of the brother have won on extremes with soft being as bad as they won on.