Wednesday Talking Points: David Ord looks ahead to the day's racing
David Ord looks ahead to the day's action, and Clive Cox may be back among the winners at Kempton.
Not over yet Clive
1645 Kempton - Just The Man
Clive Cox is already looking forward to next year after posting a career-best number of winners so far this term. But before he reaches for an outstretched arm to welcome in 2019 with a rousing rendition of Auld Lang Syne, there could be another success or two.
Certainly keep an eye on Just The Man in division one of the 32Red Casino/British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes at Kempton.
He was an unconsidered 25/1 chance on debut in a similar heat over course and distance last month but thundered home when the penny dropped, finishing fourth behind Clematis. True, ours wouldn’t be the only notebook he went in, but he’s worth adding to your My Stable tracker for Wednesday and beyond.
There are dangers aplenty – the likely favourite Alhaazm among them. He showed plenty on debut for Sir Michael Stoute and can take a leap forward – but Just The Man screamed future winner in November.
Hopefully we won’t have to wait very long for him to deliver.
Get ready for improved Girl
1540 Kempton - Backstreet Girl
Backstreet Girl failed to live up to expectations on her debut at Newcastle last time but continues to get positive mentions from the Newmarket work watchers.
Of course she was perfectly entitled to need the experience at Gosforth Park and looked green when asked to quicken two out. In the end, Jack Mitchell gave her a sympathetic introduction and she finished third behind Rocket Action.
The opening Talksport Novice Stakes at the Sunbury track is far from a penalty-kick – particularly if Nefarius is fit and firing on all cylinders on his first start since July, but it should also see the real Backstreet Girl emerge.
And if those figures who skulk around in the dark autumn mornings clutching stopwatches are to be believed, then that version of the daughter of Shamardal is more than capable of coming out on top.
Knight returns to battle
1310 Lingfield - Swiss Knight
Swiss Knight is bred to rip, being by Oasis Dream out of Swiss Diva. He looks the part too, persuading Godolphin to hand over 450,000 guineas for him at Tattersalls in 2016.
The progress since then has been slow – but there’s definitely a racehorse in there. He has one win to his name, a confined novice stakes at Haydock back in June.
He did it nicely there and was sent-off at 1/5 returned to that course the following month but on rain-softened turf beat a retreat when the tempo increased and finished tailed off.
It clearly wasn’t a physical issue as he was out again three weeks later – and back on track too – producing a career-best effort to finish a short-head second to Citron Major from 85 in a Newmarket handicap. He looked a little unlucky not to win there – arguably in front too soon having travelled powerfully throughout.
He’s a work in progress but the Charlie Appleby team are getting there and it's interesting he's, a) being kept in training with them and, b) on the go.
For he runs in the sunracing.co.uk Handicap at Lingfield. It might just be the day when Swiss Knight begins to show his true capabilities.
In for the long haul
According to my calculations (well, AA route finder) it’s a 720-mile round trip from Nicholshayne to Hexham. It will take over 12 hours in a car (which Know The Score won’t be in) and takes in two of the country’s finest traffic hotspots, namely the M5 and M6.
He'd better win…and probably will. After all, this 380,000 guineas purchase rates a very exciting prospect.
Winner of his sole Irish point-to-point and a Towcester bumper, he was 14th in the Weatherbys Championship version at Cheltenham in March.
He went into the new campaign as one of the bright hopes for Pond House and ran well on his hurdling debut at Chepstow, finishing third to Deise Aba in what looked a decent heat.
It's still all about potential for the five-year-old but staying is going to be the name of his game and a testing two-and-a-half miles here looks right at this stage of his career.
Pipe operates at a 33% strike-rate at the track, two winners from six runners, so at least the postcode should be in the sat-nav.
It’s not a straightforward task – Baracalu, back with a red-hot Sandy Thompson, rates a danger. But Know The Score is a fascinating runner and hopefully one with a very bright future too.
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