22nd September 2016

Hugo Palmer

14:55, Pontefract - Kind Of Beauty

I think this stiff 1m should suit her and hopefully she will make up into a lovely middle-distance filly next season. I am not sure how strong the form is but she did well to win on her debut at Yarmouth and has definitely come forward since then. This looks an obvious target for her, though I wouldn't want any rain.
★★★★☆
15:10, Newmarket - Unforgetable Filly
The most pleasing aspect of her win at Lingfield last time was how much she had learned from her first to second to start. On her debut on the July course, she never really travelled and stayed on well. But she cruised throughout the race last time, and never came out of second gear. The form of that debut second has clearly worked out very well, too, and hopefully she can win this race and we can put her away and start dreaming about the Nell Gwyn. Urban Fox has been placed in Group 2 and 3 company, though, and clearly sets a stiff form standard, but if we can beat her then we will have a very exciting filly for the future.
★★★★☆
15:40, Newmarket - Escobar
The opposition is very difficult to assess, but we are the only unbeaten colt in the line-up, the only stakes winner, and I imagine everyone will be looking at us as the horse to beat. I'm sure he has improved since winning at Newbury last time - his work has been good - and he is a very exciting prospect. He will need to raise the bar higher to win here, but hopefully he can.
★★★★★
18:15, Chelmsford - Evergate/Bee Case
I hate racing my horses against each other, but options are limited when it comes to nurseries. I have never seen a trainer have a dead-heat with his own horses yet, but hopefully one set of my owners will be happy afterwards.

I thought Evergate would go well at Newbury last week but we pulled him out after the rain on Thursday. He is a top-of-the-ground horse, as he showed when winning well over this trip at Windsor last time, so hopefully this surface will suit. I think a mark of 85 is fair, and that enables him to get into this nursery off the ceiling mark.

I think Bee Case is better than she has shown so far, but every time we run her on turf her progress halts, as was the case at Goodwood last time. We know that she goes well here, having won her maiden over course and distance last month, and Josephine (Gordon) takes 3lb off, too.
★★★☆☆
21:15, Chelmsford - Sacred Trust

He has had the odd niggle and we gelded him after he ran disappointingly at Sandown in June. He ran much better in first-time cheekpieces on his first start back over a mile here last time, and hopefully he can finally get his head in front here.

★★★★☆

Ryan Moore

14:00 Newmarket - Taj Mahal

He is a very big horse so it is taking him a while to get the hang of things. He is obviously a very well-bred colt, being a brother to Gleneagles among others, and he has performed to a fair level when placed in 7f/1m maidens on his last three starts.

A first-time visor replaces the cheek pieces today, and hopefully that will sharpen him up further, but it's a decent-looking race, and Okool was a big eye-catcher at Doncaster first time up and he could be hard to beat.

★★★☆☆

15:40 Newmarket - Whitecliffsofdover

I haven't ridden him yet but, like all of these, he looks a very promising colt. As you'd expect of one of Aidan's juveniles, he learned a lot from his debut when winning a 7f Naas maiden by 3 lengths last time and hopefully there is a lot more to come from this War Front colt.

I am not sure how strong that Naas form is - the second was well-beaten next time - but he could only beat what was in front of him in the style he did, and this race is all about lightly-raced colts and who has stepped forward the most from their last outing.

Escobar has impressed me in both of his Newbury wins and he probably just about sets the standard going into the race, though.

★★★★☆

16:15 Newmarket - Forever Popular

William's horses continue in unbelievable form, and here is hoping this is another winner for him. She has found life tough on her last two starts in Group 2 company but she returns to Listed level here, the grade in which she beat the reliable yardstick Twitch on the July course over 1m4f a couple of months ago.

She meets some hardened and in-form staying handicappers in here though, and a relative unknown in Godolphin's Sir Fever, as well as having her first start over 2m, so she faces a pretty tough task, in truth. And she has a 3lb penalty for that Newmarket win, too, which makes that tough task all the more harder.

★★☆☆☆

16:50 Newmarket - Zamperini

I don't know a great deal about him to be honest, other than what the form books tells me. And that tells me that he has a break since winning narrowly over 1m2f at Sandown at the start of July, is 5lb higher here and has never raced over this 1m4f trip. And he meets some in-form horses, as well.

But Sandown looked a career-best for him, and hopefully the step up in trip will suit. His best form has come with some in the dig in the ground, so he certainly wouldn't mind any rain.

★★★☆☆

17:20 Newmarket - War Glory

Again, I have never sat on him before. But he is a lightly-raced, consistent and in-form handicapper who ran well after a break when third at Doncaster a fortnight ago. He races off the same mark here, so hopefully can be competitive again, but the progressive Great Order could be the one we all have to beat.

★★★★☆

Nick Alexander

2:10 Perth – Jet Master 5/1

He won this race last year and goes into it today off a 7lb lower mark, this looks like a better renewal though with the top two in the weights looking progressive however the rain should help us more than them

★★★☆☆

Richard Hannon

2:35 Newmarket - Whip Nae Nae

He keeps running well in Maidens but there is always one better, however the step across to Nurseries is to suit and I think he is in there off a very lean mark

★★★☆☆

3:40 Newmarket – Larchmont Lad

He has always shown plenty at home and the other day his fitness just gave out up towards the line having had a bit of time between runs. He is in great order and I can see him running a big race.

★★★★☆

5:20 Newmarket – War Glory

He is potentially still very well handicapped and I can see him running well again today. The conditions look ideal and with Ryan Moore on board it could be a winning partnership.

★★★★☆

Alan King

4:50 Newmarket – William Hunter

William Hunter travelled so sweetly at Ascot last time in making it three wins from his last four races that we hope he’ll again be competitive even though he has gone up another 5lb.
His one defeat during that period came when we tried a mile and six at Sandown and, though he did win in the soft at Windsor, he is definitely more effective on faster ground, so we hope the good weather will last a bit longer.
Willie (Twiston-Davies) suggested the November Handicap might be the perfect race for William Hunter after Ascot, but who knows what the ground will be like at Doncaster come November 5, so it makes sense to strike again while underfoot conditions are favourable

★★★☆☆

David Pipe (Chester Barnes)

3:20 Perth – Moon Racer

 Moon Racer makes his much anticipated hurdles debut in the novices' contest at 3.20pm where he takes on Ballyandy, who like Moon Racer, won the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.  These are probably the two best novices' ever to run at Perth and I reckon it is going to put a few people on the door.  It should be an exciting race, but hopefully Moon Racer will be able to come out on top on his way to better things.

★★★★☆

4:25 Perth – Impulsive American

What an amazing horse he is, with our four year old winning three times on the flat, three times over hurdles and twice over fences since joining the stable.  He looks to have Flying Angel to beat today.

★★★★☆

5:00 Perth – What A Moment

What A Moment is yet to fulfill the promise of that initial success despite running with promise, but this three miles looks likely to suit

★★★☆☆

Nigel Twiston Davies

2.10 - Moonday Sun
Seeking a hattrick under a 6lb penalty. Clearly improving, he looks the one to beat and another good run expected. Sam Twiston-Davies aboard.
★★★★★
2.45 - Foxtail Hill hasn't been out since October 15 but has come on a lot since then. Could surprise on his third chase over this trip. Sam aboard.
★★★★☆
3.20 - Ballyandy won the champion bumper and makes his hurdles debut. A good prospect and should go very well. Sam aboard.
★★★☆☆
3.50 - Double Court took some time to come to hand, but won last time. Up 11lbs but should be on the premises again. Jamie's 5lbs could prove valuable.
★★★☆☆
4.25 - Flying Angel was consistent at a good level over hurdles but will improve for fences on his chasing debut. A strong chance, Sam rides.
★★★★★
5.00 - Ballymalin is another who can show improvement for obstacles following a consistent bumper campaign, should also go close. Sam aboard.
★★★★☆
5.30 - Woodfort makes his debut in the bumper. Looks a promising sort and a good run expected, Sam in the saddle. Hopefully a good day ahead !
★★★☆☆