I was bitterly disappointed by the run of Georgian Firebird for us at Warwick, but it was apparent from an early stage that it wasn’t going to be her day. She is best when forcing the pace, but Alain Cawley made no attempt to get to the front, instead happy to run wide and prominent.
She lost her place with a slow jump at the third and never recovered, pulling up before the third last. Maybe she will bounce back dropped in trip and ridden more aggressively. Hopefully my selections for All Weather Championships Day at Lingfield perform a bit better!
Race 1
Connections of Spare Parts were fuming that they missed the cut for this 7f Apprentice Handicap, a race he would have had a great chance in. Instead he has to go for the Mile race, and his odds of 80/1 reflect his chance in that. As for this contest, two talented 4yos in Wahash and Silent Echo look to hold solid claims, but the bookies haven’t missed them.
At a much bigger price I think Suzi’s Connoisseur could go well for Lewis Edmunds and Stuart Williams. This 7yo is the very definition of hard to win with, but he is a talented horse when things drop right for him. The draw hasn’t been kind, but this fella is a hold up horse and he likely would have been dropped out anyway.
He should get a strong pace to aim at, he ran a cracker when a close staying on 3rd at Wolverhampton last time and he is undeniably well capable of winning off his current mark of 94. He was forced wide in this contest last year off 99 and was beaten just 2.5L, and off 5lb lower he could outrun his current odds of 25/1.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: SUZI’S CONNOISSEUR E/W @ 25/1
Race 2
This doesn’t look a race that is ripe for an upset and it might pay to side with horses near the head of the market. Red Verdon is currently disputing favouritism with Watersmeet, and of those two I much prefer the chances of the latter. Red Verdon was well beaten on his only start beyond 12f and his best form has come at that trip.
There are no such doubts about Watersmeet’s stamina, and he comes here in search of a four timer. This versatile sort is comfortable setting the pace but he can also drop in, so Fanning will have options from stall 7. He was ultra impressive when winning over course and distance on his penultimate start and at odds of 10/3 he looks the most solid option.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: WATERSMEET @ 10/3
Race 3
This 7f race for fillies and mares looks very open on ratings and perhaps only five or six can be safely discounted. I was very taken with the manner in which Soul Silver won last time at Chelmsford over 8f and she ran well here on her penultimate start over 7f. However, she is drawn in stall 11 and over 7f it could be too much of an obstacle for her to overcome.
Sometimes for a hold up horse an inside draw can be a big negative and Carolinae has been handed the plum draw in stall 1. However, this consistent daughter of Makfi loves it around here, and she had been on the go a long time before her below par effort in this contest last season. Apart from that run her form figures here read 11314 and if she gets luck in running she is well capable of hitting the frame for Charlie Fellowes at odds of 8/1.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: CAROLINAE E/W @ 8/1
Race 4
The speedsters take centre stage in this 6f race and it is a real ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ affair. Eight will go to post and to be honest, you could easily make a case for all of them. I am going to take a chance on one at a huge price for small stakes each way, and I think Gulliver looks way overpriced if his run here behind Kachy back in February is taken at face value.
Gulliver was drawn in stall 10 that day (Kachy stall 11) and Josephine Gordon dropped Gulliver out the back early on. Kachy broke like a scalded cat and was always in the box seat, and he made the most of his prominent position to just about hold on for the win. Gulliver was just a length behind him in 5th and from the plum draw in stall 1 he could turn the form around.
Gulliver is at his best just sitting off a strong pace and if he breaks on level terms Andrea Atzeni should theoretically be able to sit just in behind the leaders. Kachy won’t get an easy lead with Gifted Master and Double Up in the race, and I think this could set up for a closer. There are few better jockeys at delivering one late than Atzeni, and at odds of 28/1 he is the each way pick.
STEVOS’ SELECTIONS: GULLIVER E/W @ 28/1
Race 5
This is all about one horse, and it is hard to see Corinthia Knight losing this on the figures. This son of Society Rock has been a wonderful horse for the Ontoawinner Syndicate, winning three of his first six starts and finishing a cracking 4th on unsuitable ground in a 123k sales race at Newbury. A superb effort in the Breeders Cup followed when beaten just 2L in 4th and on the evidence of his form so far this year he has trained on.
His three runs in 2018 have resulted in three victories and he was very well placed by Archie Watson to pick up a Listed heat at Chantilly earlier this month. He hacked up here on his debut over 5f, Oisin Murphy has form figures of 11121 on him and with a rating of 105 he is in a different league to his rivals. 15/8 could look a big price after the race and he is the NAP of the day.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: CORINTHIA KNIGHT @ 15/8 NAP
Race 6
The penultimate race on the card is the 8f race and a field of eleven will go to post. William Haggas is the trainer of the 11/8 favourite Second Thought and he has been handed a dream draw in stall 1. He is unbeaten in two visits to the track and given he was likely in need of the run when scoring in a Listed heat at Wolverhampton last time he is going to be very hard to beat. He looks a more than worthy favourite and if he runs to form the rest will be playing for place money.
One at a huge price that could go well is French raider King Malpic. This son of King’s Best has finished in the first three on nine of his ten all weather starts, winning five. His form figures over a mile on an artificial surface read 211 and he had a lovely prep run for this at Chantilly when scoring by a neck (7.5f). Olivier Peslier’s form figures on King Malpic read 12221131337 and he rides. At odds of 28/1 he is the each way alternative to the favourite.
STEVOS’ SELECTIONS: SECOND THOUGHT 11/8; KING MALPIC E/W 28/1
Race 7
The concluding race on the card is the 10f middle distance race and ten horses have been declared. One horse that is consistently overlooked by the bookies is Battle Of Marathon and he keeps on proving them wrong. He has been third over course and distance on his last two starts, flying home from an unpromising position in a Listed heat (beaten 1.25L at 66/1) and staying on well late again at 33/1 in a Group 3 a month ago.
This 6yo loves to be delivered fast and late off a strong pace and for this reason he is going to be a hostage to fortune from stall 1. However, Adam Kirby knows him well and if anyone can overcome a poor draw it is him. He has been on board for two of Battle Of Marathon’s best runs and if the gaps come at the right time and he gets a good pace to aim at, it would be no surprise to see Battle Of Marathon reward each way support at odds of 20/1.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: BATTLE OF MARATHON E/W 20/1 NB
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