Nic Doggett provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Tuesday.
Three points of interest
Big day (and night) for the Crisfords
The weekend’s big talking point – the frenetic Cesarewitch finish and the subsequent debate over the whip rules for disqualification – reaches its (apparent) conclusion on Tuesday as the BHA's whip review committee convenes to determine whether Cesarewitch winner Alphonse Le Grande will be disqualified.
Simon and Ed Crisford, the joint trainers of original runner-up Manxman, will have a close eye on those proceedings, but the show goes on elsewhere, too, with the yard sending three horses up the A1 to Newcastle.
It’s been a successful journey in the past, with 72 runners yielding 17 winners at a strike rate of nearly 24% and a further 28 places.
The well-handicapped Liseo has a fine all-weather record and, though not at all consistent, he is due a big run in the Download The Raceday Ready App Handicap at 16.58, while Cavalry Call is capable of better in division one of the Download The Racecourse App Raceday Ready Handicap at 19.00 as he was forced to race wide throughout when down the field at Wolverhampton last time out.
The most apt winner – perhaps depending which way the earlier decision falls – would be newcomer War Hawk in the Download The Raceday Ready App Novice Stakes at 18.00.
Owned, like Manxman, by Rabbah Racing, the Mehmas colt cost 180,000 guineas as a yearling and is a brother to the US Grade 1 winner Going Global.
Should he follow in the footsteps of his dam, who was an all-weather winner (albeit on her third start), then he will pick up prize money of £3,402. Connections will be hoping it's not needed.
Another Middleham jockey to follow
From Kevin Darley to Joe Fanning, and many alongside, the Middleham yard of Mark Johnston and family has always been associated with riders adept at front-running, and the latest jockey off the rank – Archie Young – is following in their footsteps.
As the image above - taken from Timeform’s jockey dashboard - shows, the yard’s apprentice rider is outperforming when riding horses from the front/prominently.
It’s also notable that Young, who like Greg Fairley and Jason Hart started out in Hawick in the Scottish Borders, is above average in terms of run to form % when riding horses on soft or heavy ground.
His mount in the opening race at Leicester on Tuesday, the Visit racingtv.com Apprentice Training Series Handicap at 14:28, fits the bill in several ways, for all Red Derek represents the yard of Lisa Williamson rather than Charlie Johnston.
The horse has form figures of 2-4-6-1-3-2-7-2-1-2 on ground described by Timeform as slower than good-to-soft and this habitual front-runner has conditions to suit here.
Likely to get his own way out in front, the well-handicapped bottom-weight is fancied to surprise a few after 343 days off; could he record his first win since October 2022?
Edmunds to call the tune at Market Rasen again?
With the exception of October 2022, which yielded four wins from 20 runs, October has often been a lean month for the Stuart Edmunds team, and it’s been no different so far this month with just one runner-up finish – Kosasiempire at Southwell - a meagre return from 10 horses saddled at the time of writing.
However, Market Rasen has been a happy hunting ground over the years for the Buckinghamshire-based yard, with 19 winners from 80 producing a 24% strike-rate, with another 26 horses placed to boot.
Those sort of numbers will give Edmunds plenty of hope on Tuesday as he sends just one horse on the 250-mile round trip: Bluegrass in the Stuart Burton 60th Birthday Handicap Hurdle at 15.05.
A winner at Fakenham (by seven lengths from Rumoursareflying) on his penultimate start in 2023/24, Bluegrass was disappointing when only eleventh to Primoz in a handicap at Ayr on his final outing, however he’s had a breathing operation over the summer.
Likely to only have Court In The Act as a rival for front-running duties, which should help with his jumping which went to pieces when last seen, he looks capable of bouncing back.
Tip of the Day
Spirit Genie - 17:03 Leicester
Flags: Horses For Courses, Top-Rated
With conditions again in his favour, the mudlark Spirit Genie is taken to supplement his recent success at Haydock where he displayed a willing attitude. He landed the C&D seller on this card last year, which was his sole previous visit to Leicester, and has an excellent record on testing ground. He needs a strong tempo to be seen at his best but the likes of It Just Takes Time, Transitioning and Zip should ensure that the race is run to suit.
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