Follow The Ayr Maiden Form to Ascot

AYR – Monday 9^th June

Going – Soft

Testing conditions after a wet weekend in Scotland.

The most significant result here was DOC CHARM winning the opening two-year-old maiden very comfortably. He was beaten nine lengths by THE WOW SIGNAL at the last meeting here and the latter now looks a live chance at Royal Ascot. Even the well beaten third on that occasion, JUNGLE CAT, won a maiden at Goodwood last Friday. Might be worth keeping an eye out for the fourth and fifth on that occasion, AL RAYYAN and POOLSTOCK should they appear in run of the mill maidens.

BLACKFOOT BRAVE was behind early but stayed on to good effect in the final two furlongs and should step up on this effort with the experience.

LYSINO was an easy winner of the Betfair Stayers Series Qualifier. He had some fair form on the flat in Germany and France in 2012, winning his maiden at Munich, and this was his first flat race in the UK. He strolled away with this and he looks a fair bit better than the handicapper rated him here.

THECORNISHCOWBOY won with a bit in hand over ten furlongs here though will move out of the basement grade after this. That said he is a bit better than Class 6 at his best and is in good heart.

GONINODAETHAT showed plenty of determination to win his leg of the Class 6 Handicap, having set a searching early pace. He has recorded all his wins at Ayr, but given that he’s only once raced away from the three Scottish flat courses that isn’t an earth shattering fact.

SAN CASSIANO won the Class 3 ten furlong event, but it was soft contest run three second slower than the time set by TheCornishCowboy’s. PULPITARIAN disappointed, but he hasn’t looked happy with cut in the ground on the flat or over hurdles here, and all his US winning form was on firm ground. He may be worth bearing in mind if the ground dries

Perth Gold Cup Day

PERTH – Sunday June 8^th

Going – Soft (Heavy in places)

2.10 2m 4f 110yds Land Rover Discovery Maiden Hurdle (Class 5) (for Provost’s Plate)

A successful debut for Stuart Crawford’s ROYAL DJANGO, a Kayf Tara gelding who is likely best suited by these conditions. Racing handily he challenged two out and having been led into the last he railed to good effect under driving to lead close home.

Favourite NINGBO EXPRESS looked the likely winner at the last only to be run out of it close home. She should be placed to win a race over hurdles before long.

TARLAN was coming back off a new three year lay-off having fractured his pelvis. This comeback was very promising since he came with every chance two out and was only outpaced from the last.

BADGED ran up to his form in fourth.

AMILLIONTIMES set the pace until two out but found the opposition too strong after that.

2.45 2m 4f 110yds Jaguar F-Type Handicap Chase (109-132)

The favourite here Gordon’s Elliott trained KILLEENMORE was walked up for the vet before the race. There was clearly some problem as he raced in rear, was under pressure with a mile to go and pulled up before four out. The horse was reported as lame behind.

CREEVYTENNANT was a useful hunter chaser two seasons ago, winning the hunter event at the 2013 Musselburgh Cheltenham Trials Meeting. Having missed last season he came back successfully here, making all the running and sticking on despite an unusual distraction on the run-in. The race was run during a thunderstorm and Creevytennant veered on the run-in as there was a flash of lightning. Nevertheless he had enough in hand to hold on.

CALL BOX travelled well, came to challenge at the last and kept on under driving if a clear second best. He goes well here and can find another opportunity.

SCOTCH WARRIOR may well have found these conditions a little testing. He chased the leaders from three out but couldn’t make an impression. A fair enough effort off a 5lbs higher mark than his recent win.

ALLOW ME was beaten two out, while veteran GARLETON is struggling now, was on and off the bridle, and beaten from three out.

STONETHROWER was beaten turning for home.

3.20 2m 110yds Stewart Milne Hunters Meadow Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (65-105)

 SNOQUALMIE CHIEF saw off a moderate field in comfortable style to land Gordon Elliott’s 100^th winner at Perth. Held up, he came through the field from three out and won going away.

DISCOVERIE set the pace and kept on for second. Dianne Sayer should place this one to win a race this summer.

DEFINITELY BETTER travelled strongly but didn’t find a huge amount from two out.

There wasn’t an awful lot of encouragement from the remainder who were beaten off before the last.

3.50 2m Fugro Subsea Novices’ Chase (Class 4)

Not a bad novices’ chase for this time of year won by FALCARRAGH, a decent novice hurdle last season and bouncing back from a disappointing chase debut at Worcester. He joined issue with the leaders three out and stayed on to win by a couple of lengths.

MIDNIGHT GAME chased the leaders from three out but was never quite near enough to get in a serious challenge though finishing best of all into second from the last. This looks a step up on his chasing debut at Killarney and there may be better to come in time over fences.

HOWWOULDUNO set the pace or disputed most of the way and stuck to his task once passed at the last.

ORSIPPUS, rather small for chasing, disputed the lead for much of the way, but was outpaced from three out only to run on again under pressure on the flat. He wasn’t going anywhere in particular over hurdles last term and my feeling is that his trainer maybe felt it was time to try something different. He might be worth a try over a longer distance.

AGRICULTURAL had much to find here and was left behind from four out.

4.25 3m Range Rover City Of Perth Gold Cup Handicap chase (139-119)

It was chucking it down with rain for one of Perth’s feature events of the season.

A battle of attrition won in brave style by GUESS AGAIN who pretty much made all. He was maybe briefly headed two out but dug deep and was asserting in the final furlong. A good effort, but he doesn’t get to the track that often and is likely to need a bit of a rest after these exertions.

LAMBORO LAD came there looking the likely winner two out but was outpointed from the last. A fair enough effort and Peter Bowen will presumably look to place him in similar events this summer.

RAAJIH travelled well into contention three out but couldn’t get to the leaders down the straight. He zoomed up the weights after doddling home at Kilbeggan and that may have stymied him here.

HOLD EM COWBOY was held up as usual but couldn’t get in a blow and probably found the class a bit beyond him.

FIDDLERS REEL raced prominently early but gradually lost touch from the fourteenth.

FIREBIRD FLYER chased the leaders for much of the way but was getting the worst of the argument when falling heavily three out. He did walk away looking a bit shaken but OK.

FENTARA was in rear when belting the thirteenth and was pulled up soon after.

WICKLOW LAD was outpaced after the twelfth and not good enough in this company. There may be a soft race or two for him however at some of Perth’s meetings this summer.

4.55 2m 4f 110yds Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer Handicap Hurdle (90-118)

A decimated by non-runners with only seven of the 16 declared turning up for the race.

VASCO DU MEE registered a win for Gordon Elliott, cruising to the front three out and basically allowing AP McCoy to take the mickey out of the others from before the last. Not sure what she achieved here and Elliott may well try to pull the mare out before being re-assessed.

COOL BARANCA generally thrives at this time of the year and tried to throw down a challenge but simply wasn’t good enough.

MOLLY MILAN flattered three out but never got in a serious blow.

INDEPUB set the pace but couldn’t match the first two from two out. I remember seeing him race over 5 and 6 furlongs at the start of his career and it didn’t occur to that he would end up ploughing round Perth in the mud!

5.25 2m 110yds Range Rover Evoque Standard Open NH Flat (Class 6)

The hurdles weren’t removed due to the chewed up state of the course, so this was a bit of a slalom event around the hurdles.

GHOST RIVER pulled clear impressively in the final two furlongs was well held from then.

U NAME IT kept on promisingly for third, but the rest were well beaten.

THEREVEREND CLOVER took a false step and came down five furlongs out. Horse and rider got up OK.

Edinburgh Cup Day at Musselburgh

MUSSELBURGH – Saturday June 7^th

Going – Good, Good to Soft in places (Soft by Race 6)

1.50 7f Bet toteplacepot Handicap (49-73)

It pays to be prominent in races around Musselburgh and free-going sort CARA’S REQUEST led from the start, was clear entering the straight and kept up the gallop under encouragement. He’s an honest who goes well around here, but was able to dictate and will go up a significant amount for this.

HELLBENDER was the main chaser from two out but is 0 from 36 on turf and never threatened the winner.

MOWHOOB was bumped up 10lbs for winning a soft maiden here last time which suggests the handicapper works strictly to figures rather than character analysis! Mowhoob is beatable in this sort of company, though chased the winner and did keep on for third.

Nothing else got anywhere the front three, despite the race having a competitive look to it on paper.

2.20 5f totepool EBF Edinburgh Castle Stakes (2yo) (Class 2)

This race throws up possibles for Royal Ascot but KO CACHE significantly reversed form with the second on York form. She went right out of the gate but was always in touch and showed good resolution to assert in the final half furlong. On the face of it a decent effort as the other four were well beaten and it could be there were excuses at York.

DON’T TELL ANNIE, fifth in that listed event at York, disputed early and took a clear advantage two out only to be worn down in the closing stages. A sound enough effort.

VIMY RIDGE made progress over one out but was aimed towards a gap which was necessarily completely there for him. He was stopped  and couldn’t recover after that though held third place.

PRINCE BONAIRE was well backed but put in his place in the latter stages of the contest.

2.55 1m Bet totequadpot 3yo Handicap (66-82)

Another race on the round course where a prominent position was everything.

IFWECAN has done most of his racing at sprint trips but made the early pace, looking a trifle keen, and responded well to pressure from two out. His sixth over this trip at Newmarket in early May reads quite well and it could be that seven furlongs or a sharp mile are right for him.

KING OF MACEDON kept on for second but didn’t threaten the winner.

 TWIN APPEAL had every chance off his new mark and, though not disgraced, could not offer extra from over a furlong out.

FINN CLASS came with a promising run from three out but was held at the furlong pole.

3.30 1m 4f 100yds Totescoop6 Edinburgh Cup 3yo Handicap (70-90)

A contest that is always full of progressive three-year-olds and generally throws up a good number of future winners, and has yielded Group winners in the recent past.

The rain had set in by this point of the meeting.

Once again being up with the pace was key. HESKETH BANK raced up with the pace, was driven to challenge and got his head in front close home. Promising in maidens before this, he was dropped into a competitive race on handicap debut and did very well, the first pair pulling clear. He’s going the right way and can take another handicap.

Mark Johnston entered this contest mob-handed and MASTER OF FINANCE made a bold bid to make all, staying on determinedly but was worn down in the closing stages. A good effort nevertheless and he saw out this trip well enough.

INNOCENT TOUCH stayed on to finish a clear third without ever getting to the first two. This was a good effort from off the pace and he can win a handicap in slightly easier company. A step up in trip would do no harm.

FULL DAY ran a sound enough race but was held from two out. The effort augurs well if dropped back down a grade, his last time out win coming in a closely matched 68-69 Class 5 race.

BLUE ATLANTIC was a bit keen in behind the leaders. He was found wanting from over a furlong out but ran a fair enough race and a drop down a grade will do no harm.

I intimated that ALEX MY BOY might pitch up for this event after he won a maiden here in April. He ran into significant trouble on more than one occasion, and given that he raced in rear he did very well to finish in seventh place. Though not completely straight-forward, he’s much better than this form suggests and can leave this effort behind. He might be worth noting if aimed at Royal Ascot.

COLLABORATION ran well for a long way but weakened approaching the final furlong and may well benefit from being dropped back in trip.

4.30 1m 4f 100yds Bet toteexacta Handicap (59-79)

This race was billed the Tradesman’s Derby last year, but reverted to one of Fred’s oh so imaginative race titles this year.

Another race that proved that if you can work out who is going to lead on the round course at Musselburgh then you pretty much have it cracked. David Allan got DANCE KING to the front, dictated as he wished and his mount found plenty once asked from two out. He was held up when well beaten at Ripon last time. The tactics worked and he doesn’t have too many miles on the clock.

NORTHSIDE PRINCE was held up in rear and stayed on to snatch second on the line. He’s proved adept at avoiding winning in recent seasons and may be worth opposing if short odds next time.

CORTON LAD tried to match the winner until his resolution came to an end over a furlong out.

EVER FORTUNE flattered briefly over one out but didn’t get to the leaders.

ARYAL was keen early and that cost him his chance, eventually fading to fifth.

5.05 1m 1f Totepool Supporting The Sport You Love Handicap (60-80)

Ah, thanks Fred!

Murky conditions for this race and going was now officially Soft.

BARTACK got the lead soon after the start and guess who won? He was headed after three furlongs but stayed chasing the leader and had more than enough from two furlongs out. Theoretically he doesn’t handle this ground, but ‘Musselburgh soft’ is seldom as testing as at other northern courses and he handled it well enough on this occasion. David O’ Meara is doing really well this term and has this one going in the right direction.

EUTROPIUS led briefly but was then at a distance from the leading pair. He stayed on from two out and the bare form is maybe a little better than the figures suggest.

STAFFHOSS was never in a position to challenge and his best form has been on all-weather. May be worth noting if he pitches up on Polytrack after his unsuccessful run on turf.

HARD CORE DEBT led after three furlongs but threw in the towel once taken on again three furlongs out.

5.40 5f Bet totetrifecta Handicap (65-85)

Not much between these and there a real barging match in the closing stages. ROTHESAY CHANCER got the better run of the first three and just held on. He’s decent here, recording a fifth course and distance win, but needs things to fall right for him though having the assistance of Graham Lee does no harm.

GOWANHARRY suffered in the scrimmaging but was only just held in the lunge for the line. She’s done less racing than some at this level, might still have a little more to come and may be favoured by a stiffer five.

LEXINGTON PLACE has every chance and was just held. This was a fine effort given that she is better on faster ground.

GO GO GREEN was held in the final furlong.

JOFRANKA was badly squeezed in the final furlong and was eased close home, just losing fourth. Graham Gibbons explanation that she lost her action when suffering interference seemed quite red baron and creasonable under the circumstances.

RED BARON and CAPTAIN DUNNE blitzed off in front but paid for their efforts in the closing stages. The latter could have picked these up and carried them a few years back and is on the downgrade, though might be worth an interest if racing on fast ground as he still retains some speed.