Timeform Daily View
Timeform Daily View | Wednesday preview and tips
By John Ingles
Horse Racing
Thu October 31, 2024 · 3w ago
John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Wednesday.
Three points of interest
Ralph Beckett has two arrows to fire in Robin Hood
Formerly the Ben Marshall Stakes run at Newmarket, this listed contest over a mile will finally be run for the first time at Nottingham this year as the Robin Hood Stakes (14:08) after this meeting was washed out in the last couple of seasons.
Ralph Beckett won this contest at Newmarket in 2018 with Mitchum Swagger and has two in-form contenders this time in Qirat and Grey’s Monument. Qirat is an altogether speedier type than his Arc-winning half-sister and stablemate Bluestocking, winning a couple of seven-furlong handicaps at Goodwood this season. He ran another very good race in handicap company over the same trip at Ascot last time, though proved no match for fellow three-year-old Volterra, a highly progressive type, in the valuable Challenge Cup. Qirat should prove just as good at a mile and has form in testing conditions too.
However, Hector Crouch’s mount may have to give best to older stablemate Grey’s Monument, ridden by Rossa Ryan, who is seeking a hat-trick after wins in a handicap at Ascot and a listed race at Redcar. He too has been doing his winning over seven furlongs of late, battling to a half-length success over Northern Express last time, but landed a listed contest over a mile at Kempton late last year when one of his rivals here, Al Mubhir, finished behind him. Grey’s Monument heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 2 lb and he can lead home Qirat for a stable one-two.
Instant Gambler on a winning streak
Instant Gambler is proving a hard horse for the handicapper to pin down this autumn and Alexandra Dunn’s thriving novice, who is unbeaten over fences, should be hard to stop in his bid to complete a five-timer at Fakenham (14:20).
Instant Gambler showed little in four runs over hurdles at his local track, Taunton, last season but fences have clearly been the making of him and he’s made the most of starting his chasing career from a BHA mark of just 64. His latest victory at Fontwell last week came off 85 and a 7 lb penalty for that success puts him 5 lb clear in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings. That latest success at Fontwell was his third there in recent months and he barely needed to come off the bridle on the way to beating main market rival Eurkash by seven lengths.
Prior to that, Instant Gambler was sent all the way to Hexham for his third win over fences when seeing off another pair of recent winners in impressive fashion under Richie McLernon who is back in the saddle here. All set to improve further, Instant Gambler should take all the beating again.
Christian Williams raids top track Fakenham
A rather surprising stat for South Wales trainer Christian Williams is that he’s had more success at Fakenham over the last five seasons than at any other course, having eight winners there which is more than at either Ffos Los or Chepstow despite a lot more runners at his local tracks.
Williams is represented in all bar one of the seven races at the Norfolk course with a raiding party totaling eight runners. Brian Hughes is a rare booking for the yard in a couple of those contests, partnering handicap debutant Cave Article who steps up in trip in the opening hurdle (12:50) and Illogical Logic who is creeping down the weights in the novice handicap chase (14:20).
However, the stable might have better chances elsewhere on the card with Nick Schofield’s mounts Fortunefavorsdbold in the mares’ handicap chase (13:20) and Catboy in the novice handicap hurdle (15:50). That pair head the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings in their respective races. The mare was a dual winner last season and is on a good mark, while Catboy has looked a different proposition since being tried in headgear, making all in a similar event at Fontwell last month and improving again when second in an amateur jockeys’ race at Exeter last week. He looks well-in on the same mark here.
Patrick Mullins: Five to Follow
Tip of the Day
Catch Him Derry – 15:30 Newton Abbot
Flags: Horse In Focus, Hot Trainer
Catch Him Derry stands out as the most progressive type in the line-up for this handicap hurdle and he can continue on the up on his reappearance for Dan Skelton’s in-form stable.
The forecast heavy going will suit Catch Him Derry who has done all his racing in the mud and gained both his wins last year over three miles, so those stamina reserves will stand him in good stead in the testing conditions over this shorter trip. He got off the mark at Southwell in January before finding only his fast-improving stablemate Gwennie May Boy too good at Bangor next time. Looking very well handicapped, Catch Him Derry was then sent off at 5/6 in a 16-runner field at Ayr in April and duly ended his season with a ready success once quickening clear at the last.
Top weight Flight Deck heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings here having kept better company last season, but he’s a temperamental sort and largely disappointing of late, whereas Catch Him Derry, with the ‘p’ on his rating indicating further improvement to come, looks very much one to keep onside.
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