Another superb day for us yesterday as the NAP landed for the SEVENTH in a row. The racing continues at a frenetic pace and with Britain enjoying some cracking weather this week, if you can get away from work, an evening at the races looks something worth doing.
I'm off to Sandown Park tonight in which the feature race is the G3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes run over 10 furlongs. That looks set to be a cracking card but there is plenty of other racing for punters to get their teeth stuck into. That includes flat racing at Goodwood and Catterick, whilst Chelmsford City stages an evening All-Weather meeting. Warwick hosts an afternoon jumps card, whilst in Ireland, Tipperary holds a mixed card of flat and jumps tonight.
Here are Danny Archer's selections...
Advisor's talent no Secret at Goodwood
2:00: Goodwood - Kick On Kick On 7/1 Each Way.
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Clive Cox's speedster knew his job first time out at Leicester, coming clear of his rivals by four lengths to register a decisive victory. There is a worry about the form of that race which has not worked out very well at all but he remains open to potential after just one race and he looks a massive price bearing in mind he has winning form in the book and some of his rivals are likely to display signs of inexperience.
3:10: Goodwood - October Storm 15/8.
Ran out a decisive winner three lengths winner on good to firm ground at this track last time and the step up in trip could also bring about further improvement.
3:45: Goodwood - Secret Advisor 11/8.
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Charlie Appleby's three-year-old got the job done late on at Thirsk on his racecourse debut and ran very well last time when a second to a very smart rival at Windsor. Whilst the winner that day was heavily eased, this son of Dubawi had a troubled passage through the race having been impeded at key moments before fairly flying home late on. He should have learnt a lot from that event and he looks set to run a massive race here.
4:20: Goodwood - Mori 5/2.
This looked a tough race to call and whilst Icespire will most certainly have her supporters after only just being touched over a mile at Ascot last time, I'm struggling to get away from the potentially top-class Mori. Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, the three-year-old is regally bred out of Frankel and Midday and whilst she disappointed on her debut at Newbury when only fifth, she made amends for that run in no uncertain times next time out at Ascot, pulling clear of her rivals near the line to suggest that she is really well suited to a test of stamina.
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What is even more surprising for me is that Stoute has decided to run the filly just 13 days after that win. Usually, the Newmarket maestro is associated with bringing these type of fillies along slowly so for me that looks a major positive. She relishes this sort of trip and she can win at a track her mother farmed when winning the Nassau.
Time to beat the clock and his rivals at Catterick
1:50: Catterick - Time Trail 15/8.
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Well-backed this morning for a trainer who does very well with speedy fillies. She repelled the challenge of the warm favourite that day and whilst it is worrying that the same horse she beat that day was only sixth in a maiden at Ayr yesterday but that attitude should stand her in good stead for this event which is lacking quality.
4:05: Catterick - Veiled Secret 2/1.
Sir Mark Prescott's charge needs to dramatically leave his pretty ordinary form behind of last term but being by Teofilo, the seven trip looked on the short side for him and he has now been raised dramatically to 12 furlongs which could bring about the required improvement necessary to land this very ordinary event.
5:15: Catterick - Halinka 7/2.
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Roger Varian has a record of one victory from five runners in recent times at this yard and this daughter of Dark Angel ran her best race to date on her last start when second at Wolverhampton in November. Top jockey Paul Mulennan is up and he can take a live hand in this event.
Zip to show Might at Chelmsford
5:50: Chelmsford City - Mighty Zip 7/4.
Lovely to see the big lad running so consistently in recent times which included a shock 50/1 victory on turf at Nottingham earlier this month. Third at Ripon last time out, that was a very good performance and back on the All-Weather over the optimum trip, I expect him to be very hard to beat.
6:55: Chelsmford City - Noble Conquest 6/4.
Sir Michael Stoute's charge was third in Windsor in what looked a very decent maiden. He got very tired in the last furlong but he should have learnt a lot from that run and with Stoute's horses always improving for their first run, he looks well worth backing to get off the mark at the second attempt.
7:25: Chelmsford City - Alfarris 5/4.
William Haggas' charge did the job nicely at this track earlier this month, keeping on resolutely in the closing stages despite missing the break to score by a cosy length. Stepped up in trip, that could be the making of him if breeding on the dam's side is anything to go by and he can make his presence felt in this.
Blair to Labour to victory at Warwick
2:10: Warwick - Blairs Cove evens.
Dan Skelton's charge did everything all very easily when a warm favourite over course and distance last time but it was his excellent second to the talented William Henry at Cheltenham last time which really caught my eye. That was a huge run from a horse having his first run over hurdles and he looks very exciting.
5:35: Warwick - Mon Port 11/10.
Ben De Haan doesn't have many horses in training but he does pretty well with his limited resources. A very narrow second to a horse who finished sixth in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, that is by far the best form on offer and he is taken to score here.
Wisconsin to show American flair at Tipperary
6:40: Tipperary - Wisconsin evs.
Very well punted on his debut, Aidan O'Brien's charge was simply outstayed by a horse who also had experience at the Curragh last time. He only needs to take a slight step forward here you would think to score.
7:15: Tipperary - Sister Blandina 9/4.
A creditable second on both starts this term, this daughter of Mastercraftsman has the services of Pat 'the Sniper' Smullen for today's assignment and that could make the difference. She remains open to improvement and her form does look rock solid.
7:45: Tipperary - Lettre De Cachet 8/11.
Has by the far the best form in the book when second to a decent sort at Galway in October. Whilst she has to overcome an absence, she looks worth supporting.
Orange to put Big squeeze on Sandown rivals
6:00: Sandown - Silver Ghost 5/1 Each Way and Ataman 9/1 Each Way.
Eve Johnson-Houghton's Silver Ghost was fourth on his reappearance and being by Dark Angel, he should handle the ground. Ataman finished in front of the former at Lingfield last time and whilst his form on turf is not remarkable, he does look a massive price to finish in the first three.
6:30: Sandown - Frozen Angel 2/1.
Seriously impressive at Ascot lat time, Tom Dascombe's charge left his debut form well behind. The form of that race looks pretty decent and he absolutely careered away from her rivals that day. He could potentially be very exciting and can take this event before potentially having a tilt at possibly the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.
7:05: Sandown - Big Orange 5/4 NAP.
Tough to look past Michael Bells charge who is the class horse in the race. He has a lovely weight for this event and he finished a cracking fourth on his return to action in the G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan. Track and trip should suit and I expect him to be very hard to beat.
7:35: Sandown - Baydar 12/1 Each Way.
Real shame that So Mi Dar is not lining up but I fancy Hugo Palmer's Baydar to have an each-way squeak here. He rattled up a four-timer in convincing fashion last term with stamina most certainly his forte. This is his first run of the season and the worrying form of Palmer's yard is a negative but I think he could really excel as a four-year-old. He took his racing well last year and he might relish this ground. He has to leave behind a poor run last time out but that might have been one race too many but he can go close in a very open-looking renewal of the G3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes.
8:10: Sandown - Zainhom .
Punted off the proverbial boards this morning, Sir Michael Stoute's charge was a fine third in the G3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury last time and that is by far the best form on offer. He looks a horse on an upward cure and he could be very exciting.
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