John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front this Wednesday.
Three points of interest
Haggas pair out to maintain stable’s excellent Catterick strike rate
Catterick is one of William Haggas’ least visited tracks, with the stable having had just 15 runners there in the last five years, but eight have been successful resulting in a better than 50% strike rate. Haggas’ only runner at the North Yorkshire track this year, Monfrid, was successful under Cieren Fallon in May, and the jockey has good prospects of completing a double on the stable’s two runners on Wednesday.
After just two runs, three-year-old Altmore is much the least exposed in the seven-furlong handicap (15:55) and made a good impression when returning from a break to win a maiden at Chepstow last month. He showed plenty of improvement from his first start, edging ahead late on over six furlongs and shaping as though he’ll do better again over a bit further. His opening mark looks lenient and he has obvious claims if handling the softer conditions.
Stablemate Bittalemon, on the other hand, is proven on soft ground, having run a good second in first-time blinkers under those conditions at Epsom last time. Whilst never a serious threat to winner Small Fry, who’s been successful again since, she pulled a long way clear of the remainder. Still lightly raced, Bittalemon heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 1 lb and has strong claims of getting off the mark in the mile and a half handicap (17.05).
Well-bred Gosden fillies catch the eye at Kempton
John & Thady Gosden run two fillies with leading claims in the opening maiden over 11 furlongs (16:00). There’s little to choose between the pair who head the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, both having the ‘p’ on their ratings indicating further improvement is expected.
Kieran Shoemark’s mount is the George Strawbridge-owned Sea Journey who’s by Sea The Stars out of connections’ Fillies & Mares Stakes winner Journey. After finishing an encouraging fourth on her debut at Newmarket late last year, she showed the expected improvement stepped up to a mile and a quarter when going down by a neck to Winston’s Tipple in a novice at Lingfield on her return early last month. She’ll improve again for that run, with the extra furlong helping here.
But, 1 lb ahead of her in the ratings, slight preference is for stablemate Faifa, ridden by Oisin Murphy in the Prince Faisal colours. Another who takes the eye on breeding – by Galileo and a sister to smart winners Line of Duty and Jackie Oh – Faifa ran her best race last time when beaten just over two lengths into third in a valuable novice over a mile and a half at Doncaster behind the useful fillies Cabrera and Miss Cynthia.
JP McManus filly interesting at Musselburgh
JP McManus enjoyed some big wins over hurdles with his useful mare Jer’s Girl, including Grade 1 contests at Fairyhouse and the Punchestown Festival. As well as four wins over jumps for Gavin Cromwell’s stable, Jer’s Girl also won a maiden at Roscommon on the Flat. In her first year at stud, she was sent to high-class middle-distance performer Highland Reel, with the result being a filly named Reel Her In.
She too began her career with Cromwell but has been much more of a backward type than her dam and still looked green when having her fifth start over hurdles in July, showing just poor form. She had fared no better when tried in three maidens on the Flat in Ireland last autumn.
But as a result, Reel Her In has got into Flat handicaps at a basement level and shaped more encouragingly on her first start for Ben Haslam at Newcastle last month. She caught the eye when staying on into fifth behind Doublethetrouble on that occasion, beaten less than two lengths, finishing with running left and not given an unduly hard race. Found another low-grade staying handicap here (17:15), Reel Her In could be ready to get off the mark and heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 2 lb.
Tip of the Day
Willem Twee – 17:45 Kempton
Flags: Hot Trainer, Top-Rated
Kempton’s six-furlong conditions race looks a really competitive event with eight smart or useful sprinters in opposition. James Fanshawe’s runner William Twee has to give weight all round but still looks the best of them on these terms – he heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 1 lb – and boasts a particularly good all-weather record.
That includes Kempton, where he finished a good second in this same race two years ago and where he has been first past the post in a couple of handicaps, though disqualified on the first occasion. Elsewhere, Willem Twee won a listed race at Lingfield late last year and has looked better than ever of late, finishing third behind the very smart pair Montassib and Kinross in the Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle before narrowly winning a valuable handicap in the Racing League series at Wolverhampton in August. With his stable in good form and Oisin Murphy, who rode him for his two wins last year, back on board he’s the one to beat.
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