Perth - late July Meeting

PERTH – Tuesday July 27th

Going – Good To Firm (Good in places)

6.40 2m 4f 110yds John Smith’s Extra Smooth (Class 5 Maiden Hurdle

GULF PRESIDENT saw off moderate opposition well enough; will find it tougher in novices under a penalty.
SYMPHONICA was well held; ordinary and exposed.
The rest are moderate.

7.10 2m 4f 110yds Sheep Dip Whisky Novices’ 0-93 Handicap Chase

STROBE needs to dictate and was able to do that in a soft race; had enough determination once headed.
EMOTIVE is capable at this level but soft in a finish and outbattled from the last.
JANAL is slow but just got up for third.
ELLANDSHE regularly completes at his own pace; just pipped for third.
CINMAN is small and struggles over fences, though does seem to try.
GREENGABLES with the pace to four out, but hit that one and quickly faded.

7.40 2m 4f 110yds Bet With The Dewhurst Ring Selling (0-88) Handicap Hurdle

LORDS BRIDGE is better than his 70 mark and cruised home from a desperate bunch for whom immediate prospects are limited.
The second ZELOS DIKTATOR was claimed for £6,000 and as a four-year-old might have more in him than the other beaten horses.

8.10 3m 110yds Orion Group All Stars (0-98) Handicap Hurdle

SUPERCEDE doddled up here and clearly appreciates quick ground more than the mud he encountered in Ireland.
UNCOMMITTED looked awkward on the final bend but kept on for a well held second.
GIFT OF THE GODS and SOLWAY BLUE plugged on but were well outpointed.

8.40 3m John Smith’s (0-125) Handicap Chase

The feature event, but not madly competitive.
SEIZE goes well on quick ground and stayed on well to wrest the race on the flat. He will be on a career high mark after this.
DEAD OR ALIVE looked the likely winner in the straight but was tired after the last. He remains in decent form.
THUNDER HAWK, running better than at Cartmel, struggled from four out.
CHORIZO lost touch from four out.
MIZEN RAVEN raced a bit too keenly and weakened quickly in the straight.

9.10 2m 110yds Daily Record (0-110) Handicap Hurdle

SHOPFRONTSPECIALST took time to get the hang of things, costing a few bob in the process, but is putting together a decent string of races. He stayed on from two out. These events look easier than handicaps in Ireland and Gordon Elliott’s exploitation of the Scone Park venue showed as he landed his 50th Perth winner.
FRONT RANK kept on for second but he looks handicapped to his mark.

PERTH – Wednesday July 28th

Going – Good To Firm

2.25 2m 110yds Glengoyne Single Malt (4) Novices’ Hurdle

This may prove to be fair contest in time.
WIND SHUFFLE, rated 123, made all and had enough to see off the runner up close home.
DUTY FREE ran to form in second, keeping on after the last.
SIR BOSS is trained by Don Cantillon, a trainer I have a lot of time for. He faded from two out on his hurdling debut but wasn’t overpressed once beaten and will produce better. I suspect the same goes for Lucinda Russell VIA ARCHIMEDE who should produce better than a well held fourth.

2.55 2m 110yds Trawler Dark Rum (Class 5) Claiming Hurdle

DREAM RISK led two out and kept on under pressure. He was well beaten in handicap though and a mark of 108 may prove tough to win off.
ANNIBALE CARO kept on for second but has become frustrating of late.
MISTER CASTLEFIELD ran creditably at the weights in third, but APT TO RUN doesn’t look particularly straight-forward. The latter had a tongue tie and blinkers, and didn’t look a comfortable ride from three out.

3.30 2m London Dry Gin (Class 4) Novices’ Chase

RIGHT OR WRONG hasn’t improved 20lbs since last time, so it’s safe to assume PICAROON ran well below form in second. The winner showed commitment after the last to hold off the trial-blazing runner-up who may have raced too freely.
BAAHER was held from two out on chasing debut, finishing just in front of the ordinary and exposed SKIDDAW JONES.
FIGAIRY has made no impact in a bumper, hurdle race and this chase. He looks of little account.

4.05 2m 4f 110yd Bott Limited (0-120) Handicap Chase

SUNDAY CITY is useful on his day but puts in some duff performances as well. He doddled up here, pulling clear in the straight to win very easily.
ORMELLO would probably be suited by two mile cross-country races. In the absence of those he gets a mixed campaign, and is fair on his day if hardly regular win material. He stayed on to take second.
GRAND LAHOU made a few jumping errors which took a bit out of him and he could muster only one pace from three out.
THE DUKE’S SPEECH plugged on through tired horses for fourth.
OHANA kept on in the straight but never got near the leaders. This was only his second race for Alistair Whillans who should be able to coax better out of him while the quick ground remains with us. If the winter is fairly dry he could be worth remembering for Musselburgh chases.
MON OISEAU gave in tamely after leading for two thirds of the race while RUN TO SPACE was never going.
KING ROONAH has ability but his jumping has let him down more than once. He unseated in mid race.

4.40 2m 4f 110yds New Fixture August 21st Conditional Jockeys’ (0-115) Handicap Hurdle

Perth took the chance to advertise the ‘Perth 800’ fixture that they have been awarded for August this year.

WORD OF WARNING just held DANIMIX, the pair clear of habitual ‘win avoider’ TARKANI, with another workshy wonder, STORM PROSPECT, filling fourth.

5.05 3m 110yds Isle Of Skye Blended Malt Whisky Novices’ (0-105) Handicap Hurdle

MAOLISA has run a few decent races of late and finally got off the mark under Rules. She saw off SUPERCEDED, appearing quickly under a penalty, the result suggesting that he may have been feeling the effects of Tuesday’s efforts.
There was very little of promise for the remainder, AUBERGE proving to be Andrew Crow’s last runner before he was banned for seven years following falsification of veterinary information on horses’ passports.