Friday, September 02, 2011

Two tentative suggestions for Musselburgh, one for Stratford

Tomorrow two Musselburgh races will be run over one mile five furlongs with several horses boasting some sort of NH form; the Scottish Racing Stayers' Consolation Handicap at 4.45 precedes the Scottish Racing Stayers' Final at 5.15. The going is reported as good, good to soft in places.

In the Consolation Handicap, the following runners have some previous NH form:
Ananda Kanda, Pokfulham, Stags Leap, Amir Pasha, Grand Daimond, Grandad Bill, Dane Cottage, Red Skipper.

Ananda Kanda, rated 67, appears to like cut underfoot and was a staying-on third in a Market Rasen novices' hurdle on her penultimate run. Earlier this year Pokfulham won a Perth intermediate hurdle over two and a half miles before finishing out with the washing in the Swinton at Haydock; the bay gelding disappointed last time but the visor, left off on that occasion, is refitted here so Jim Goldie's charge is of interest. Stags Leap has shown better form on his last two runs for this yard although the fact he was walked to post last time suggests he's not entirely straightforward. Amir Pasha has won a Carlisle intermediate hurdle and has form behind speed merchant Santa's Son but was worn down at Redcar just two days ago. On his penultimate run Grand Diamond, another from the Jim Goldie yard, finished second to Peter Bowen's well regarded mare With Grace who has won six of her thirteen starts. Jim Goldie also trains likely favourite Grandad Bill who won on the Flat at Ayr last month before finishing behind Los Nadis in a class 3 handicap hurdle at Perth. Dane Cottage was beaten on the all-weather last time but Red Skipper bounced back to take a Market Rasen seller at odds of 15/2. Grandad Bill is respected in a competitive affair but the suggestion is Pokfulham each-way at around 8/1.

In the Final the following horses have NH form:
Meetings Man, Jewelled Dagger, The Galloping Shoe, Los Nadis, Mason Hindmarsh, Jonny Delta.

Meetings Man was rated 122 when unseating Graham Lee in the Scottish Triumph Hurdle here in February; he races off a mark of 78 and the jockey can claim another five pounds. Course and distance winner Jewelled Dagger likes to race from the front but disappointed at Doncaster the last time. The Galloping Shoe has better form over shorter trips but Los Nadis is a horse I like - I was annoyed to have missed his last run in a Perth handicap hurdle where he won with Grandad Bill well behind in third. After winning a juvenile hurdle at Aintree Mason Hindmarsh didn't cut the mustard in a Triumph Hurdle trial at Cheltenham won by Sam Winner; he would be of some interest at a price, a comment that also applies to Jonny Delta whose seventh in the Aintree bumper in April reads well - some well-regarded types were behind on that occasion.
Suggestion: Jonny Delta each-way 14/1 or bigger.

A very quick note on Stratford's opening novice hurdle. Course and distance winner Tatispout carries penalties but this filly sets a reasonable standard with a rating of 130. Last year Russian George took this off 117, beating Saltagioo (128) a short-head. Later tonight I'll check ratings for other recent winners but at this stage Tatispout is of interest coming to this fresh; on her last run she finished down the field in the Swinton at Haydock.            

1 comment:

GeeDee said...

Pokfulham third at 6/1.

Jonny Delta may have been 14/1 in Friday's tissue but he opened 5/2 on course, was backed in to 2/1 favourite and won, coming home ahead of Meetings Man (8/1) and Los Nadis (16/1).

Plenty of money for Tatispout (11/8f) in the Stratford opener but the money stayed in the bookies' satchels as World Heritage (9/4) beat the filly easily, coming home 11 lengths ahead. On that performance, World Heritage looks worth an entry in the notebook.