rebelfm

BALLINROBE
SOFT
MILD EVENING

9 Furlong 3yo Maiden
MODISTA
Half brother Handwoven ran well in a juvenile event at Leicester later in the week. Another half brother Elhamri was a moderate grade but consistent sprinter on the all weather in sprints.  Race run at good gallop and M got left a bit as was slow away. This was a very nice debut as got left a bit early but then finished fast behind a very experienced O’ Brien one in King Of The Romans. Think she can win a maiden but I would like to see her step down in rip a bit get covered up and then use the sprint pace her pedigree says is in there somewhere.

9 Furlong Fillies race
SHAHOODA
Looks very high quality and looking at her running in the Cheshire oaks earlier in the month where I am not convinced the track really suited I can see her turning that form around in time. She quickened up nicely when shaken up. Second home has since been beaten so that knocked the form a touch, however that filly is a bit of a mudlark and the prevailing going that night was fast ground. S has won on The Curragh when beating O’Brien’s Hanky Panky (since then was fancied and not disgraced when 7/15 for the Irish 1000 guineas this year) S was slow into stride tonight, not really at home on these tight turns at Chester so was held up till produced just after halfway to get into contention but was eased from the distance when beaten. Has entries in the Ribblesdale and Irish Oaks. I like the former for her.

20 furlong Maiden Hurdle
TOTALLY CENTRE
They were using brush hurdles by the look of them if that is worth noting, not sure myself. He was not always that fluent and hurdled a bit carefully. He was driven up to challenge long time leader going out on the final circuit and quickly assumed dominance looking the winner from before two out. Still green but with plenty of scope looking the sort to be better on good ground. Only his fourth time out over sticks.

BALLINROBE
HEAVY
SUNNY EVENING

2 mile maiden hurdle
SIZING INDIA
Entered here for his first run over the hurdles in a maiden event and jumped fine in the main. Ran well but looked in need of run as has been off the track for some time now. He was  probably inconvenienced y the deep ground.  I had seen him win well on his debut across in England over two years ago in a bumper he looked a very nice sort and I noted that evening as follows  ‘The Nicky Henderson trained debutant Sizing India looked a very useful sort in the paddock, decided to ship The Champ en route to the start, raced a bit greenly but when produced from 3f out he showed smooth acceleration and won in the manner of a very useful recruit. Looks more a hurdler than a chaser, at 6 years old he needs to get going and he could prove very useful in next year’s novice hurdle events. As such I am sure we will see him out again soon, perhaps even the champion bumper at Punchestown where he must have a good chance. Wherever it is he ends up next he is going to follow up in a bumper. The reason for such a delay for his racecourse appearance was that he was never right last year due to worms and casting. ‘ He did go over to Punchestown and led into the straight but couldn’t quicken finishing a not bad fifth. A couple of good novice hurdlers and chasers came out of that bumper so not a bad quality at all.  So this was an encouraging return after two years off, he has plenty of ability but is an 8yo with only two races in the book so must have had training setbacks since 2011.  I think he can win a maiden.

17 furlong Beginners Chase
REBEL FITZ
Very good second race over the larger obstacles tonight after a succeful and high class hurdling campaign marks RF as a positive going forward. A bit early in the season to start thinking about champions but he went like a dream from what I could see, he hammered them into the ground and was eased right down to a walk with Barry Garraghty having either applied superb judgment or he could have been mugged as the result from being 20 lengths clear over the last to holding on by half a length. Exaggerated tactics, but you ask yourself did Gerraghty think his horse had gone a bit? He did suffered cut to off hind which looked only superficial plus he didn’t look lame after the race. He was very good as a hurdler and in fact won last year’s Galway Hurdle which makes you think a bit chase there in the late summer might end up being on the agenda. The trainer was bullish after the event marking out the festival as a probable but another step up in chasing class was the next step planned sometime in late June / early July.

19 Furlong Handicap Hurdle 0-116
GOOD DECISION
Top weight and went for much of the race but when looking likely to take a hand approaching two out went out quite tamely to finish fourth. In truth his best runs have all come with ground good or on the fast side so he clearly looks like he is not at home in the mud. I thought he looked capable of doing OK off this 116 mark but has not won off more than 90. General goes better fresh and has had two quick runs now. Expect to see him in the late summer and hopefully off a lower mark, he has run very well off 113.

EPSOM
GOOD TO SOFT
VERY SUNNY AND WARM
Mile and half a furlong group 3 Princess Elizabeth race for fillies and mares
IGHRAE
Out of Frond. Started life in 2yo maidens in GB with little success. Switched to France and has wintered wellwinning listed Longchamp mile event with a bit of cut. Then beaten in a group 3. Missed kick and tracked in on rails in rear and was a bit off the pace at the top iof the hill. In a strong run race looked to have little chance as still not produced coming into tattenham corner when he looked a bit green coming down the straight and not totally at ease with the camber. But was quickening without getting to challenge the elader. This was a very encouraging run for a 3yo and looks likely to stay further or run better on a less undulating course and/or better ground. His half brother although no more than fair did stay 10f indicating that a run over that trip might be optimal.

10F HANDICAP class 2
TRES CORONAS
Missed the kick and settled at the back in a strongly paced handicap. He quickened up best of field being switched wider to get some room and stayed on well. Has had a 6 pound hike for recent good runs and has been in very good form recently going up the handicap as a consequence from 76 to 89. Best form with some cut in the ground.

8F Group 3 Diamed Stakes
PENITANT
Bit careful arounf tattenham corner but when shaken up got going showed very good pace. Ahead of him Producer and Gregorian were mucking about boring into each other and at least one of this appeared a bit doggish. As Producer weakened P had to thread through gaps and did so readily. Beaten in Dubai on seasonal reappearance and was beaten after being prominent for much of the way in Lockinge. Clearly retains plenty of ability and is a genuine sort always worth considering in Group 2 / 3 company over a mile where there is a bit of cut.

12 Furlong Group1 Oaks for fillies
LIBER NAUTICUS
Having won the Musidora this very inexperienced filly was expected to run close in the Oaks. Way hard driven from 3 out and responded but weakened from a quarter of a mile out and was eased down a touch to finish 5th. Looked to be better suited by 10f. However damline contains Conduit and Hard Top plus Oaks winner so it would be a surprise is she doesn’t stay a mile and a half. There is still strong pace in the line with guineas winner. So I would be much more disposed to back her ovedfr 10f and not sure if the going didn’t contribute a little to her run. The Musidora form was franked when third home Woodland Aria went on to comfortably land a Leicester Conditions race a few days after the Oaks which I saw when I went to Leicester.

7 Furlong Listed Surrey Stakes for Three Year OIds
WELL ACQUAINTED
Not totally at home on these undulations as is a long striding filly but still managed to get up in this listed event. Out of Stunning Rose. This was her second win at Epsom but her secong in Group 3 Sommerville at Newmarket as a 2yo stands out as her best run. I think she is ideally suited by a galloping track sure as Newmarket and good ground would be to her advantage.

LEICESTER
GOOD
SUNNY AND WARM

10 Furlong three year old handicap class 4
RUNDELL
decent effort off OR 80 stayed on well. Won Bath maiden at seond time of asking as a 2yo and his first run as a 3YO was a good runner up in a warm event at York over similar trip. Bit unluck at York and this again looked a good event for its class. Fair prospect.
2 yo Maiden Stakes over 6 Furlongs
WALEWEIGH STATION
Nice debut looking a tidy sort quite forward and would expect him to win possibly at a slightly less demanding track

Mile Maiden for three year olds
ARCHIVE
Very decent first effort and would expect more from her particularly against her own sex.

7 Furlong class 5 handicap
BAJAN BEAR
Been off for eight months and this was a likeable run in third which augers well. Can win off this mark of 68.