Go Snail’s pace at Pontefract
BRIAN THE SNAIL can make a winning return to action on his first start for Godolphin in the six-furlong handicap at Pontefract.
Unbeaten in two outings for Richard Fahey last year, it was announced recently that he has been purchased by Sheikh Mohammed’s operation.
A winner on his debut in September at this track, so we know he handles the track as some horses can find it tricky, he looked a smart prospect next time out.
Fahey sent him to Catterick for a little novice stakes but he absolutely bolted up by seven lengths.
Handed a rating of 95 after that, Fahey would have been within his rights to aim at some form of Guineas trial but he sees him purely as a sprinter so he starts off at this level.
He is giving lumps of weight away to all his more experienced rivals but whether they will be able to cope with his class is another matter.
Fahey has obviously spoken highly about the son of Zebedee in Godolphin meetings and you’d have to think a crack at the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot in June is the big target.
After a recent spin on the allweather Cote D’Azur can return to winning ways in the feature #25,000 10-furlong handicap.
Les Eyre’s stable star ran no sort of a race at Wolverhampton but his starting price suggested he would be in need of the run.
Eyre achieved the near impossible last season in improving a horse from Sir Mark Prescott but when he joined his new yard he was rated 79 and he went up to 96.
He won at Ripon and was second in the Silver Cambridgeshire as well as being fourth at York off 96.
With 2lb off his back for this engagement we know he is capable of going close from around this rating and with a run under his belt he has a fitness edge over many of his market rivals.
Daimochi can make a winning return to action in the one-mile maiden at Lingfield.
Only eighth of nine in a Newmarket maiden on his debut in October, he stepped up markedly on that at Lingfield in November.
Beaten into third, just three-quarters of a length behind the winner, he looked to have learned plenty from his initial outing.
Saeed bin Suroor’s Team Meeting, a winner on his sole start to date, begins life handicapping off a feasible mark of 70 and should remain unbeaten in the six-furlong handicap.
Wishfull Dreaming looked like winning at Taunton last time out when he fell and should make amends in the two-mile handicap hurdle at Exeter.
Philip Hobbs will be pleased the handicapper left his mark alone. S bin Suroor 9-5 .............................. K Stott Mrs S Watt 9-5 ........................... P Aspell (20) J Bethell 9-5 (BF) ................................. P McDonald T Easterby 9-5 ................................ B A Curtis (18) M Johnston 9-5 ............................... D O’Neill (18) J Gosden 9-0 ............................... W Buick J Given 9-0 ..................................... T Eaves BETTING: 6-4 Above Normal, 2 Asanta Sana, 13-2 Cray, 8 Marqoom, 10 Full Tilt Lad, 14 Sambuca Nera, 50 Company Trader. (168) R Fahey 9-7 (C) .................... W Buick (244)TEasterby8-12(BF,D) .............. DAllan (300) M Channon 8-11 ................ G Lee (192) J Given 8-11 (D4) ......................... T Eaves (186) T Dascombe 8-11 ..................... R Kingscote (186) W Haggas 8-8 (BF, D) .................... B A Curtis (200) K Burke 8-6 (D) .............................. P McDonald (20) K Ryan 8-6 (C) .................................. S Gray (185) K Burke 8-4 (D) ............................. J Haynes (169) M Dods 8-3 (D) ............................... A Mullen BETTING: 11-4 Brian The Snail, 10-3 Battered, 7 Chipping, 8 Mjjack, 10 Tawny Port, Jule In The Crown, 12 Hemingway, Monks Stand, 14 Others. MEDICINE HAT (18) Mrs M Fife 6 9-12 (CD) ................ P Makin ROCK ON BOLLINSKI (179) B Ellison 7 9-10 ........... B A Curtis UNCLE BERNIE (31) Sarah Hollinshead 7 9-8 ....... J P Sullivan GRAN PARADISO M Hammond 5 9-4 ................ P Mulrennan RIPTIDE (176) M Scudamore 11 9-4 (C2) .................. D Costello OUR FOLLY W Kittow 9 9-1 ...................................... T Queally HARTSIDE P Winks 8 8-13 ............................................. G Lee LA FRITILLAIRE (168) J Given 5 8-12 (CD) ................ A Mullen TUSCAN GOLD M Hammond 10 8-11 (C) ............. P McDonald HIER ENCORE (28) D Menuisier 5 8-7 ................... P Hanagan MADAM LILIBET (190) Mrs S Watt 8 8-7 (CD2) .......... J Haynes DREAM SERENADE (10) M Appleby 4 8-2 .............. R Ffrench