Wednesday Talking Points: Ben Linfoot looks ahead to the day's racing
Ben Linfoot picks out four things to look out for on Wednesday, from another Phoenix Thoroughbred Scat Daddy to a veteran sprinter dropping into a 0-60 for the first time at Newcastle.
1. !! Phoenix Thoroughbred Scat Daddy klaxon !!
Phoenix Thoroughbred Ltd have ploughed some money into their newfangled ‘racing investment fund’ since their formation and their interest in the stock of the late Scat Daddy is a fascinating chapter to follow.
Their three runners by Scat Daddy to have raced in the UK so far; Magic J, Kadar and Mistress Of Love, cost almost $3,000,000 between them, so it will be with some relief that all three have won, the first two mentioned both being one from one following victories last month.
KING ADEMAR’S purchase price of ‘only’ €320,000 makes him the cheapest Scat Daddy of the quartet, but given what the others have achieved on their few forays he’s obviously going to be under the spotlight in the PKF Francis Clark EBF Novice Stakes at Salisbury on Wednesday (1.40).
Trained by Martyn Meade, who also inherited the same organisation’s Walk In The Sun from Jeremy Noseda, he makes his debut over a mile as he bids to keep the Phoenix Throughbred-Scat Daddy run going on debut.
He’s not the only interesting newcomer in the field – there’s a Bjorn Nielsen-owned son of Frankel in there, too, and he cost nearly 500,000gns as a yearling – but given the impact his owners have made recently, especially with their Scat Daddys, it’s King Ademar that will garner plenty of the attention come the first at Salisbury.
2. Get ready to party with Fancy Dress
The clocks will be going back soon and Hallowe’en gear is already in the shops but, fear not, the depths of autumn also mean we should be looking out for unraced Ralph Beckett-trained juveniles at Nottingham; specifically fillies.
Beckett is four from 11 at over 36 per cent when he runs unraced two-year-old fillies over a mile at Nottingham in maidens in the months between September and November – and the winners have tended to be well backed, as well.
Kayah (subsequently won the Lingfield Oaks Trial) went off at 11/2 when winning on debut back in 2006, Ceilidh House went off at 11/4 when winning by four lengths in 2009, Andastra went off at 5/2 when winning in 2015 and Kinaesthesia was 4/1 when holding on by a short head in November last year.
So it’ll be interesting to see what price FANCY DRESS is ahead of her debut in the EBF Batter Boys Mile Oh So Sharp Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (Div 1) at 2.00 on Wednesday, the same race Andastra won three years ago.
By Mastercraftsman out of a Teofilo mare, she has a lovely pedigree and the Beckett yard is in great form, too, thanks to 10 winners at 29 per cent in the last fortnight. It’s hard to see this newcomer not being well fancied in the market. Party on. Excellent.
3. Pearl goes for Series Final hat-trick
It’s the Jockey Club Grassroots Sprint Distance Series Final at Nottingham on Wednesday, as well, and that means SYRIAN PEARL is likely to be in top form for Chris Wall.
The seven-year-old grey Clodovil mare comes alive every time the JCGSDF comes around and she’s unbeaten in the race since going down by a neck in 2015, winning the 2016 renewal off a mark of 82 and last year’s race off 79.
She hasn’t done much in the intervening 12 months, but there was plenty of promise in her back-to-form Yarmouth third last time when staying on for third, and she comes in here with a rating of 77 to give her a well-handicapped look considering her previous efforts in the race.
The opposition is arguably tougher this year, with the hat-trick seeking bargain buy of The Horse Watchers’, Saaheq, a potentially formidable opponent, but with such undeniable race form in the bag, it would be a brave punter to bet against the Syrian Pearl shining in the JCGSDF once again.
4. Duke Cosimo could Catapult back to form at Newcastle
The day’s action is wrapped up by a seven-race card at Newcastle and a horse of particular interest is Michael Herrington’s DUKE COSIMO in division two of the Digital Catapult Handicap (8.00).
‘Why is an eight-year-old sprinter who hasn’t won in 10 starts of interest?” I hear you ask. And it’s a valid question. But this is a grade-dropper that could take advantage as he falls into a 0-60 for the first time in his career.
Rated 86 at his best, Duke Cosimo is unlikely to reach that standard again, but he’s still competitive in a lower grade and he goes well at Newcastle, winning once on the Tapeta off a mark of 66 and finishing in the first three on four other occasions, including off marks of 70 and 80.
He’s in fair form judging by his last three runs, so it’s reasonable to think he could have a class edge on his Wednesday evening rivals off the ceiling rating, especially with Phil Dennis (second and third on his last two goes on the horse) taking another 3lb off.
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