It was a poor day for the blog on Wednesday with two non-runners
and two losers from four selections. Thorntoun Lady was backed off the boards,
but she showed the pitfalls involved in following market movers by never
getting out of last place. Our Charlie Brown drifted like an absolute barge out
to 33/1 and ran accordingly. He was too free and it looks as though he will be
suited by a stronger pace. He is not one to write off just yet.
Having looked
through the cards tomorrow I have decided against previewing the entire
Doncaster card. In fact, my eye is drawn to a horse on the other side of the
Irish Sea, and Hatton Cross has shaped like he is ready to return to the winner’s
enclosure on his last couple of runs. This 7yo son of Moss Vale has been expensive to follow since his
last win at Dundalk back in October last year, and this year he has produced
more moderate runs than good ones.
His best run came
this season at Tipperary on yielding ground (7.5f) when he just failed to beat
Jembatt by a short head off 63. His next two runs were less than impressive at
Galway (7f yielding) and Killarney (8f) but he ran much better than his finishing
position of 11th suggests on his penultimate run at the Curragh off a mark of
66 (6f gd). He was just over 5L behind the winner Ducky Mallon, and he stayed
on really nicely in the closing stages.
He closed the gap
to that rival to just over 2L off a pound lower at Navan last time out (6f sft)
and this time he stayed on even more eye-catchingly at the end of the race.
That was a much stronger heat than today's race, and though he is off top
weight here he is off a mark of 65, a pound lower than at Navan last time. That
is still a couple of pounds above his highest winning mark, but the drop in
class looks sure to suit and he was only just beaten by Jembatt his last try in
this grade.
Wayne Lordan takes
the ride and he knows this gelding inside out. With a strike rate of just 2
turf wins from 35 starts he is obviously not the easiest horse to win with, but
in fairness he has been placed on 11 other occasions on turf so he is probably
more consistent than he is given credit for. He will be held up, so luck in
running is a must, but I think his odds of 12/1 look over inflated and he is
the each way selection in what looks a wide open handicap.
STEVOS'
SELECTION: 6.05 DOWN ROYAL: HATTON CROSS E/W 12/1
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