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Timeform Daily View | Tuesday preview and tips
By Andrew Asquith
17:36 · TUE September 17, 2024
Timeform's Andrew Asquith provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Tuesday.
Three points of interest
Note O’Brien’s runner in Punchestown maiden
Joseph O’Brien won this nine-furlong maiden (15:55) three years in a row from 2020 to 2022 and he is looking for more success this time around after only managing fifth in the race 12 months ago.
It is clearly a race he likes to target and his representative in this year’s renewal, Powerful Hook Ahead, showed plenty to work on when finishing fifth on his debut at Gowran last month.
He made appeal on paper and wasn’t beaten too far, the stable second string but leaving the impression he would come on a fair bit for the experience, having nothing left to give in the final furlong but also far from knocked about. This looks an ordinary contest and he seems sure to be more competitive now.
Bernard Spierpoint chasing a four-timer
Bernard Spierpoint isn’t getting any younger, but he has been revitalised since moving back to Darryll Holland’s yard, winning all three of his starts in relatively quick fashion.
He landed back-to-back classified events at Wolverhampton and Chelmsford at the end of August, with the latter race working out particularly well, and he arguably produced a career-best effort back in handicap company when completing a hat-trick at Brighton 16 days ago.
Bernard Spierpoint again responded well to a positive ride, making all of the running and, while he hung a little to his left approaching the final furlong, he found plenty when the runner-up came to challenge.
He’s clearly thriving at present and, though he’s now back up to a mark in the 60s for the first time in a while, he seems sure to launch another bold bid in pursuit of a four-timer in this sprint handicap (17:40).
Two Year Olds: The Next Test | Richard Fahey
No Nay Never progeny go well at Newcastle
No Nay Never has sired 54 individual debut winners on the Flat and, interestingly, his record at Newcastle with debutants is an impressive 25%.
Another one of his progeny, the Roger Varian-trained Trident, is set to make his debut in the seven-furlong maiden (19:30) on Wednesday.
The ones with experience don’t set an exacting standard and Trident has a smart pedigree, a half-brother to several winners, notably very smart Australian Group 1-winner Zoustar.
Trident refused to enter the stalls on his intended debut at Newmarket in October last year when he was a 12/1 chance, and he has been gelded since. He seemingly hasn’t been the easiest to train, but he looked a nice type physically beforehand at Newmarket, and it is interesting that top connections persevere with him.
Tip of the Day
Balqaa – 20:30 Newcastle
Flags: Horse In Focus, Sectional, Top Rated
Balqaa had left the impression she was building up to something on her previous two starts, and she duly put it all together to resume winning ways in a handicap over a mile at Southwell a fortnight ago.
She started favourite that day and was ridden with plenty of confidence, coming from last to first in a race run at a steady gallop to win comfortably, overcoming a considerable pace bias.
Balqaa was the only one to make any ground up from the rear and she can be marked up a fair bit for that success, especially when taking sectionals into account. A subsequent 6 lb rise underestimates her and the booking of Jamie Spencer very much catches the eye.
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