John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Thursday.
Three points of interest
Prolific Crowd Quake still ahead of the handicapper
Stuart Williams managed to win seven handicaps with Quinault a couple of seasons back and he has pulled off the same feat this year with Crowd Quake who is proving just as tough and reliable and equally hard for the handicapper to get to grips with.
The four-year-old began his winning spree from a basement BHA mark of 45 at Windsor at the beginning of May and hasn’t looked back, going on to follow up at the same track before further wins at Yarmouth, Newmarket (twice), Chepstow and Southwell, with his last couple of wins coming in the Racing League. Those wins have come at distances from a mile to a mile and a half, while he has also finished runner-up in his three other starts since he got off the mark.
Crowd Quake ran a cracker in defeat at Doncaster a week ago, shooting clear two furlongs out only to be worn down late by progressive three-year-old Munsif who beat him a head. That was from a BHA mark of 81 but the handicapper clearly hasn’t caught up with him yet. He’s 3 lb clear in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings for the Kilkerran Handicap (14:45), the most valuable event on the first day of Ayr’s big Flat meeting of the year, and it’s hard to side against him in his bid for win number eight.
Captain Potter one to note back at Pontefract
Brian Ellison’s stayer Captain Potter was a dual winner at Pontefract over the summer and looks very much the one to beat off top weight in another stamina test at the track (16:55) where there are question marks about most of his rivals.
While Captain Potter was himself beaten a long way in a Racing League contest at Newcastle last time, too much use was made of him there and he can be expected to fare much better back down in grade at a track that clearly suits. After finishing runner-up at Pontefract in June, he went one better later in the month when pulling six lengths clear and was a five-length winner when recording a career-best effort on his latest visit in August, typically finding generously for pressure.
Besides the ‘Horses For Courses’ flag, Captain Potter, who also heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, has the ‘Jockey Uplift’ flag with 7 lb claimer Shay Farmer back on board for the first time since partnering him successfully in June.
Good book of rides for P. J. McDonald at Chelmsford
P. J. McDonald has six rides on Chelmsford’s evening card and looks to have a good chance on at least three of those mounts. ‘Hot Trainer’ Andrew Balding has supplied twenty of the jockey’s winners this year and McDonald has a 25% strike rate when teaming up with the Kingsclere yard. Those with experience don’t set the bar too high in the second division of the two-year-old novice (18:30), so Athena’s War, a half-sister to winners in the States, looks an appealing newcomer for McDonald and Balding.
The same combination can also strike in the handicap over thirteen furlongs (19:30) with three-year-old Kingmaker who has every chance in an open race. He’s still a maiden but was a good second under McDonald at Southwell last time and is unexposed stepping back up in trip.
McDonald also has a good chance in the concluding mile handicap (20:30) where he rides Dandy G Boy who heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings for Warren Greatrex. He did a bit too much in the early stages at Brighton last time, but prior to that had shown improved form to win at Wolverhampton where he was well backed for his stable debut.
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