Peter Naughton adds a few more horses to his Notebook this week while providing a positive word for Orvar who runs this weekend.
Round The Island displayed an ungainly head carriage when beaten at Pontefract on Friday, so with a heavy heart I've dropped him from the Notebook. That action is always difficult, especially one so well handicapped but sometimes you've just got to cut the apron strings. We all know what happens next time!
Fellow Notebook horse Mutamaded deserves a change of luck and should give us a big run at a good price in the 1m4f handicap at Ascot on Saturday.
Ruth Carr's consistent six-year-old first caught the eye when making up plenty of ground against a pace bias in last month's Cumberland Plate. He looks ready to gain a fourth Ripon success on Saturday but the the form book reads, ' persistently short of room on inner in the final two furlongs'. Compensation shouldn't be far away.
I caught up with Andy Taylor after Orvar was recently beaten on fast ground at Newmarket. There were several track records broken and the Leeds-based owner said: "Put a line through the run, it was a waste of a run because he wasn't suited by the very fast ground."
I interviewed trainer Paul Midgley on Racing TV and he confirmed: "Orvar will do best on genuinely good ground, so we head to Chester on Saturday, where a good draw would be just the job."
Recent thunderstorms have increased optimism.
And here's a couple more additions to the Naughton Notebook...
Santiago ran a race brimming with promise when a close second in the 7f median auction maiden at Leopardstown last week.
Very easy to back, the well bred son of Authorized tracked the leaders in fifth and made smooth progress into third over a furlong from home. This strong traveler kept on well but could never quite pass market leader Howling Wolf, who had the benefit of a run.
The runner-up is the first foal of Wadyhatta, who is a winning daughter of Cape Cross and holds a Derby entry. He will surely be winning soon.
Calvados Spirit finished a very unlucky second in the 1m claiming handicap at Pontefract on Friday. Richard Fahey's six-year-old was unable to exploit a favourable draw in stall three when slowly into stride.
Racing keenly, he was held up in rear but didn't gain a clear run over two-out, whilst market rival Star Of Southwold was heading for home.
Switched left inside the final furlong, he stayed on well and gained second near the line.
A dual winner before joining Fahey, this son of Invincible Spirit has been beaten narrowly on his last three starts and goes on most ground. A winner off 81 two years ago, he is very well treated off 72.
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