Richard Mann previews the all-weather action on Tuesday with interesting cards at Chelmsford and Newcastle offering a few betting opportunities.
Storm Ciara continues to do her best to disrupt most of the UK and the racing calendar hasn’t escaped her wrath either with Sunday’s fixtures all abandoned and Catterick forced to postpone on Monday.
Lingfield and Ayr have already gone on Tuesday but a couple of decent all-weather cards at Chelmsford and Newcastle remain with a number of horses particularly interesting for different reasons.
Chelmsford saw Silvestre De Sousa make a winning return to race riding on these shores on Friday night and the former champion jockey takes two rides at the same track on Tuesday with Night Voyager probably the pick as he tries to build on an encouraging debut at Lingfield last month.
Elsewhere on the card, penalised pair Tone The Barone and Elusif look to hold obvious claims again as they bid to follow up recent victories but both will be short enough and perhaps the Ministry Of Sound And Light Extravaganza Handicap offers the best chance of finding a little bit of value on a tricky card.
Prince Of Eagles is likely to go off a warm favourite having won in decent style over a mile at Lingfield last time, David Lanigan’s Free Eagle colt scoring at the third time of asking following encouraging efforts previously.
He might well improve again now going up to 1m2f for the first time and I won’t be the only one monitoring the progress of this fledgling stallion now his three-year-olds are beginning to surface.
Nevertheless, I’m not sure that an opening handicap mark of 77 is the gift Lanigan would have been hoping for, particularly when you consider that the third home at Lingfield is only rated 62, and I’m happy to take Prince Of Eagles on with Cottonopolis.
Mark Johnston string have started to fire again in recent weeks and this son of Ruler Of World looks to be steadily getting the hang of things having finished second over this trip at Lingfield last time.
Like his father, he looks set to come into his own as a three-year-old – just the type Johnston excels with - and the fact he was sent off at 11/8 for his debut last summer suggests he has shown plenty at home.
1m4f might well be his bag in time but expect him to step forward again and if Joe Fanning can ensure this turns into a good test, he could be the one to have on side.
Over at Newcastle, the most interesting race of the day comes in the shape of the Betway Handicap, a six-furlong sprint which sees Reckless Endeavour returned to a straight track having struggled around Lingfield last time.
He was a cosy winner here two starts back but does need things to fall right while Glenamoy Lad had built such a strong record on this surface a couple of years back that his subsequent demise is hard to fathom.
Kempton runner-up Lady Of Aran should run well back at this trip but she isn’t as interesting as Mia Mento, an Irish import who lost her way following her debut success at Leopardstown in July 2018.
The fact she was subsequently purchased by Phoenix Thoroughbreds illustrates what a big impression she made that day and it will be interesting to see if the switch to Peter Chapple-Hyam can work the oracle.
Chapple-Hyam appears to be entering the twilight of a distinguished training career but continued support from owners as powerful and cash rich as Phoenix should ensure he stays relevant in an increasingly cramped market place, and his training abilities remain unquestioned.
All that said, I'm in no rush to make backing progeny of Casamento a habit and instead, my second bet of the day comes in the Bombardier British Hopped Amber Beer Novice Stakes.
Attention is sure to centre around 88-rated Godolphin runner Discovery Island, who suffered a couple of narrow reversals last summer.
He sets a solid standard but John Gosden’s Cemhaan is a likely improver following his luckless debut run at Kempton while Blow Your Horn ran a cracking race when second to Union on his racecourse bow at this venue.
Should, as expected, the market favour the aforementioned pair, I think Blow Your Own could be a bet.
Comfortable winner - the well-supported Union lengthens clear of his rivals to get off the mark in great style under @Mitchelljack77 for the in-form @varianstable and @HighclereRacing at @NewcastleRaces pic.twitter.com/IAUXl1eGVW
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) January 8, 2020
This year could be a big one for Golden Horn as a stallion and his strong stamina reserves look sure pass on to his progeny, something that Blow Your Horn hinted at when running-on strongly for second over 7f at this venue last month.
It was a highly promising opening effort that will have no doubt pleased trainer Charlie Fellowes and given the yard already have smart three-year-olds London Arch and King Carney in their ranks, they ought to have a fair idea where they stand with this expensive purchase.
Finally, I can't resist a small play on Blitzle in the Ladbrokes Where The Nation Plays Handicap.
Ollie Pears' charge does have a few questions to answer having backed out of things on her final start of last season at Catterick, but prior to that she had looked a sprinter on the upgrade when winning at the North Yorkshire track and then again at Wolverhampton.
A nice, scopey sort, she certainly ought to train on and with her prominent racing style promising to be suited by this track, she is worth chancing at something close to double-figure odds.
Preview posted 1625 GMT on 10/02/2020
