All Weather round-up: Eyecatchers, Wolverhampton reflections and Lingfield tips
Richard Mann's latest All Weather column looks ahead to a strong card at Lingfield on New Year's Eve, as well as adding a few more horses to his My Stable tracker.
I’ll be glad to see the back of Christmas. I love a good pork pie but they don’t love me, and the sooner that fudge has gone the better.
As for the racing, the jumps action has provided plenty of interest with Willie Mullins winning just about every big race in Ireland, and Paul Nicholls landing his 12th King George on Boxing Day courtesy of golden couple Frodon and Bryony Frost.
While not attracting anything like the same headlines, there has been some decent All Weather fare over the same period, too, with some smart winners worth reflecting upon.
It has been interesting to see recently-crowned champion trainer John Gosden keep Moonlight In Paris on the go this winter and this daughter of Camelot is really making up for lost time, winning her last two at Wolverhampton, including on Sunday when she went in again with another smart performance.
Ryan Moore has ridden the improving three-year-old on both of those occasions – which might also be of significance looking towards next summer if Colin Keane does become first jockey at Ballydoyle – and like so many of Camelot’s offspring, this filly should continue to improve with time and racing.
Whether Gosden opts to keep her going now, or to give her a break before the spring, remains to be seen, but I think she’s capable of mixing it in Group races and getting black type with her will be the priority.
At a lower level, I’ve added Solent Gateway to My Stable following his runner-up finish at Dunstall Park on Boxing Day.
That was the third time Tom Dascombe’s charge has finished second, but on his first try beyond six furlongs, I’d argue he produced his best effort yet and I’ll be staggered if he can’t win races.
Many of Awtaad’s progeny have taken time to come to themselves as the first-season sire bids to establish himself as a major breeding force, and Solent Gateway is another who might just be seen to better effect as a three-year-old.
Having kept long-time leader Sweet Bertie company for much of the way, Solent Gateway kept finding for pressure when the former dropped away in the straight and though Final Voyage came from off the pace to pick up the pieces, the runner-up ran all the way to the line and is surely capable of going one better when the cards fall in his favour.
Duel In The Sun strikes at Newcastle
On Monday – assuming anyone actually knows what day it is now – Duel In The Sun broke his maiden at the second time of asking when winning narrowly at Newcastle.
Trainer Charlie Fellowes has made no secret of the esteem in which he holds this son of Sea The Stars and having made a promising debut at Newmarket back in the summer, he just did enough to prevail having travelled sweetly throughout.
He was hanging on at the finish, but Newcastle can take some getting and for a horse who hadn’t run for such a long time, I’m sure connections will have been thrilled with him. He’ll need to improve as he steps up in class, but Fellowes knows the time of day and I’ll be following his career with interest.
Lingfield provides strong card on New Year's Eve
Looking ahead, Lingfield stages a good card on New Year’s Eve and Thapa VC will be carrying my money in the mile nursery having come good at the third time of asking over seven furlongs at Wolverhampton last time.
He’s up 4lb for that success, but the step up to a mile should prove absolutely ideal for this one, and Sir Mark Prescott can usually be relied upon to eke out improvement from his inmates.
A couple of good-quality handicaps split that nursery, the first of which sees Midnights Legacy return to the Flat following an unsuccessful spin over hurdles. He could still have more to offer in this code while course specialist Furzig is always to be feared at the Surrey venue.
An hour later, Fox Duty Free will bid to complete his hat-trick in the mile handicap and this three-year-old still looks to be on the right side of the handicapper despite incurring a 6lb hike in the weights for his latest success.
Nevertheless, this will be the toughest test yet for Ralph Beckett's gelded son of Kingman with main rival Via Serendipity having placed in Listed company last time and War Glory still capable of packing a punch at the age of seven.
Southwell race on New Year’s Day and January promises plenty for Flat fans, not least the start of the Dubai Carnival at the end of the month.
Here’s hoping we can find a few winners along the way.