Top broadcaster Mike Cattermole looks ahead to Good Friday's offering and puts up his own Ten To Follow for the Flat season.
Good Friday is good, very good
We have not said this too often in recent years but Flat racing fans are spoiled rotten this Easter weekend! First, all three of the cards this Good Friday look really good and then there’s the World Cup meeting at Meydan, more of which below.
Lingfield’s latest AW Championships Finals Day offers probably the most in-depth quality card of the series so far. There are some mouth-watering clashes and I can’t wait to see Watersmeet and the French-trained Funny Kid locking horns again in the Betway Marathon after their close encounter at Wolverhampton.
Watersmeet is one of my favourite horses – he is so tough and genuine - and will be back at a venue where he has won three times. Funny Kid starts there for the first time and Lingfield takes a bit of knowing. The classy Red Verdon needs to prove he stays.
Zest is not straightforward but may be the one to beat in the 32Red Fillies and Mares although many of them are closely matched and luck in running is essential.
The Betway AW Sprint is another almost too tight to call. There was only a short head in it when Kachy held on from last year’s winner Kimberalla over course and distance last month but Tom Dascombe’s sprinter had the worst of the draw that day and he is just favoured again. Gifted Master makes things interesting.
Second Thought is unbeaten in six starts on the AW but he faces his toughest test yet in the Sunbets AW Mile as Arcanada lies in wait. This is an intriguing match-up as Arcanada goes from the front and Second Thought is held up and don’t rule out Goring either as he too has a fine turn of foot and has won his last four at Lingfield. This is the best race of the day and Second Thought is taken to do it again - just.
Finally, the Betway Easter Classic sees the rematch between Mr Owen and Master The World after that shadow-affected finish between them in the Winter Derby last month. Perhaps Mr Owen can win “properly” this time.
The John Gosden-trained Utmost is in there with a chance as well but what is interesting is that his usual rider Rab Havlin is not there. The shrewd Scot is heading to Newcastle where he partners Purser for his boss in the 32Red Burradon Stakes.
Jeremy Noseda is hopeful that Gronkowski will win it and prove himself capable of going to the Kentucky Derby but the respected Havlin knows the time of day with all of the Gosden horses and his faith in Purser, a smart two-year-old, has to be a hint worth taking.
Meydan mysteries
I am sure, like me, you have been wondering how and why the dirt track at Meydan has been so extraordinarily biased towards front-runners on the inside golden highway for much of this winter.
Nobody could land a blow at the pace-setters on Super Saturday earlier in the month, when the dirt was riding so fast that North America beat California Chrome’s track record. If the track is riding the same, the closers will have their work cut out and North America would have a right shot in the World Cup.
But how will we know? Given the adverse publicity after Super Saturday, I suspect something will be done to slow it down a bit but it is another quandary for punters before stepping in.
The card is top class, without a doubt, featuring some terrific contests on the turf as well, and having been really taken by the way Dal Harraild won at Chelmsford on his first attempt at two miles, I reckon he is a great each-way bet at around 10/1 for the Dubai Gold Cup. Fast ground suits him well.
Ten To Follow
Now that the Flat turf season is under way, I have picked out a double handful of horses that I am hopeful of making their mark over the next few months in various races.
ADDEYB 4-y-o gelding, W Haggas
Click here to add to My Stable
Quite simply the most impressive winner of a Lincoln I have ever seen! Having concluded that last Saturday’s seasonal opening highlight was one of the most competitive renewals for years, the way he travelled through the race and then quickened to settle it showed that he is not far off the highest class. He has to be one to follow this season but handicaps are out now – he has been raised 10lb to 109 – and he looks set to make his mark in Group company. Note that the son of Pivotal has only ever raced on good ground or softer. Given that, how about the Lockinge?
CHOCOLATE BOX 4-y-o gelding, D M Loughnane
Click here to add to My Stable
Here’s an interesting one who should pay his way this season for a smaller yard. Bought by Daniel Mark Loughnane out of Luca Cumani’s for 48,000gns at the Horses-in-Training Sale, Chocolate Box was no bargain basement buy but he got off to a great start for his new connections at Chelmsford City, leaving a well- handicapped horse in Sam Missile standing. Given that he was keen in a slowly run race, it was a good sign to see him hit the line so strongly and it looks as though gelding him has helped him grow up. The handicapper has raised him only 5lb so Loughnane still has a workable mark (85) to play with.
EXPERT EYE 3-y-o colt, Sir M Stoute
Click here to add to My Stable
No juvenile caught the imagination more last season than this son of Acclamation who looked potentially outstanding when winning his first two starts at Newbury and Goodwood (Group 2 Vintage Stakes, form worked out well). He travelled strongly in both races and yet still quickened in style. More of the same was expected when he was sent off the 4-7 favourite for the Dewhurst but he got upset in the stalls and perhaps raced too freely before fading tamely in the closing stages. Some reports say he finished lame but whatever happened to him, it clearly was not a true reflection of his talent. If he makes it to the 2,000 Guineas, a race his trainer has won five times, watch out. He should stay a mile on pedigree.
GHAIYYATH 3-y-o colt, C Appleby
Click here to add to My Stable
I loved the way this rangy colt kept learning every time he appeared in his first season. He wasn’t quite street-wise enough to land a blow when a hot favourite on his debut at Doncaster but, fitted with a hood to help him settle, he then blasted away the opposition next time at Newmarket. And he returned there, again with a hood, to land the Group 3 Autumn Stakes in October, showing a great attitude. He races like a stayer and is bred to be suited by middle distances so look out for him making a name for himself in a Derby trial or two. By the way, he has matured enough at home for the headgear to be dispensed with so that’s a good sign.
HISTORY WRITER 3-y-o colt, D Menuisier
Click here to add to My Stable
This Canford Cliffs colt shaped like a definite future winner at Sandown last September. Starting at 20-1 and drawn on the outside, he took a while to get involved after a slow start but made up his ground on the outside in decent style as the field rounded the turn and caught the eye travelling well up the home straight. Inexperienced under pressure, he kept on well for third place. Entered in the 2,000 Guineas, that might be flying a bit high but he looks sure to win a maiden, at least, for his talented trainer.
HYDRANGEA 4-y-o filly, A O’Brien
Click here to add to My Stable
It was a vintage crop of Classic fillies last season for Ballydoyle and this one spent most if it chasing Winter around in the summer (if you get my meaning), coming off worst four times in a row. However those defeats were sandwiched by two victories against the brilliant grey filly, especially in the Group One Matron Stakes at Leopardstown. Having gone down narrowly to Rhododendron in the 10f Prix de l’Opera at Chantilly, she then found new reserves of stamina - and form - to take the Fillies and Mares over 12f at Ascot. We know she is good but she could be exceptional in all of the top middle-distance races.
JAMES COOK 3-y-o colt, A O’Brien
Click here to add to My Stable
When a yard has so much talent to turn to, it is nigh on impossible trying to work out a pecking order at this stage. However, this full brother to Found is only going to improve massively now that he tackles middle distances and the trials will tells us a lot. He wasn’t that impressive when winning his maiden at Leopardstown last October but he is said to have done well physically and has a bright future.
KENYA 3-y-o colt, A O’Brien
Click here to add to My Stable
Here’s another one from Ballydoyle that could be anything but he has been rather overlooked by most pundits over the winter. He won a Group 3 at Leopardstown at two and has plenty of speed in his pedigree, so the Guineas (for which he is 33/1 with Sky Bet) is not out of the question. A prominent showing in a Guineas trial will see that price tumble. Said to be going well at home.
SURREY HOPE 4-y-o colt, J Tuite
Click here to add to My Stable
Surrey Hope is already a useful mile handicapper who is a model of consistency and yet there is hope, forgive the pun, that there could be even better to come. The American-bred nearly always takes a strong hold in his races and one of the big–field Saturday handicaps could be made for him if he could just switch off a bit more and conserve his energy. Watch out for him this summer as a sound surface suits him best while there is probably more to come on AW tracks, too.
WOOTTON 3-y-o colt, H-A Pantall
Click here to add to My Stable
Snapped up by Godolphin after running away with his maiden at Deauville last August, he would have delighted his new owners with an equally impressive win in Listed company at the same track in October on very soft ground. The son of Wotton Bassett possesses a superb turn of foot and whether he is allowed to show that off at Newmarket, where he has a Guineas entry, or stay at home for the French equivalent at the refurbished and newly-named ParisLongchamp, his campaign is eagerly awaited.