PADDOCK PICKS
Andrew Ayres likes the look of this little lot
Andrew Ayres with his latest crop of eye-catchers
LINGFIELD SEPTEMBER 26 (STANDARD) 1m2f Handicap (Class 6) Impressive winner
SCOONES (James Fanshawe) was as fit as a flea and looked potentially well treated on his decent fourth in a hot 1m handicap at Kempton 41 days earlier. Confidently ridden by Daniel Muscutt, he was never in any danger after swooping down the outside early in the straight and was value for more than the winning margin (a length and a quarter) suggests. Scoones is a young horse with a bright future and remains attractively weighted from a revised mark of 71.
NEWMARKET SEPTEMBER 29 (GOOD-SOFT) 7f two-year-old maiden (Class 4) Smart form
ELWAZIR (Owen Burrows) cost 500,000gns and certainly looks the part. Tall, rangy but still mentally immature – two handlers and green in the prelims - he travelled strongly throughout but was clueless under pressure and had to settle for an honourable second behind a racesharp rival. He’s a half-brother to the top filly Speedy Boarding and rates a smart prospect.
RECOLLECT (Luca Cumani) is a halfbrother to some useful winners and impressed in the paddock despite looking in need of the run. He shaped with plenty of promise in fifth and, like most newcomers from this yard, will strip much sharper for his initial outing. He should go close next time.
TAHREEK (Sir Michael Stoute) has a smart pedigree but looked raw and burly in the prelims. Bearing that in mind he shaped well to finish just behind the placed horses after running green and struggling to handle the dip. He’s got plenty of scope and can leave this form behind.
NEWMARKET SEPTEMBER 30 (GOOD-SOFT) 6f Group 1 two-year-old fillies (Class 1) Impressive winner
CLEMMIE (Aidan O’Brien) is a wonderfully straightforward filly with a no-nonsense approach to racing. She looked in good order after a 78-day break, moved well to post and ran out a ready winner after being momentarily threatened by the smart French raider Different League. Everything about Clemmie suggests she’ll be better over a mile and she already looks tailor-made for the 1000 Guineas. In the meantime, connections are eyeing a tilt at the Breeders Cup Fillies Turf where she would give the home team plenty to think about.
KEMPTON OCTOBER 4 (STANDARD-SLOW) 6f two-year-old fillies maiden (Class 5) Competitive race
LEFT ALONE (Hugo Palmer) looked in great shape but drifted worryingly near the off (the 15-8 SP returned was significantly and shamefully shorter than that returned by Betfair). She faced mission impossible after being held-up in rear - her main rivals were ridden prominently – but still travelled best when meeting traffic trouble at the cutaway. She didn’t have the gas or time to grab front-running Tivoli from that point, but ran a cracker in second. Left Alone would have won this under a better tactical ride and is useful.
1m two-year-old novice (Class 4) Above average event
BOW STREET (Charlie Appleby) is related to several decent winners and was a paddock positive on this debut. He was pushed along through the early stages and basically looked too green to figure. His one-paced third finish was respectable and if looks are any guide there will be much better to follow.
1m handicap (Class 3) Useful race
EAGLE CREEK (Simon Crisford) looked
properly fit and showed his appreciation for the return to an AW surface by finishing best of all into third. He would have won with a tad more luck in running – or a positive ride from Andrea Atzeni – and is fairly treated at present. There’s a big AW handicap in this lightly raced gelding.
ASCOT OCTOBER 5( GOOD-SOFT) 7f three-year-old handicap (Class 3) Race run at a decent gallop
TRIBUTE ACT (James Fanshawe) is starting to fill her big frame and will develop into an imposing filly if kept in training through 2018.She still looked a shade raw here – this was only her sixth start – and went down narrowly to the front-running Muklal in a desperate finish. It will be a big surprise if Tribute Act fails to improve and she must be followed.
FONTWELL OCTOBER 6 (GOOD) 2m3f49y handicap hurdle (Class 2) Competitive event
LOVERBOY (Dan Skelton) looks a chaser and took the eye in a decent paddock.He made ground threateningly turning for home and wasn’t knocked about in third behind a couple of useful rivals. This was an encouraging return from a long break and he can bag a handicap hurdle before going on to better things over fences.
2m3f49y novice hurdle (Class 4) Reasonable form
GUNFLEET ( Emma Lavelle) looked straight enough but, judged by the way he ran out of gas after a sloppy jump at the last, just needed the outing.He’s got the scope to improve and will surely win a similar event in the near future.
2m1f162y national hunt flat (Class 6) Fair race for the track
BADDESLEY KNIGHT (Chris Gordon) attracted some support despite looking green.The big bay was clueless throughout but clearly has plenty of natural ability as he finished a close third despite spending most of the final furlong star-gazing. He’ll appreciate a more galloping track and will win races.
WINDSOR OCTOBER 9 (GOOD-SOFT) 1m two-year-old novice (Class 5) Modest event
CANDIDATE (Hughie Morrison) looked fitter than on his debut and caught the eye moving smoothly to post. He was never seriously placed to challenge, but stayed on under a considerate ride to finish fourth (jockey Robert Winston reported he hung right-handed). He’s capable of better and should make a mark in nurseries/handicaps.
KEMPTON OCTOBER 9 (STANDARD-SLOW) 6f two-year-old novice (Class 5) Impressive winner
BUFFER ZONE (Roger Charlton) looked in a different league to these physically and won as he liked after travelling strongly behind a hectic early pace.He’s a sprinter with gears and is nailed on to win again granted a decent gallop to aim at.
1m4f handicap (Class 6) Modest form
MALT TEASER (John Best) looked in rude health and would have gone close but for being repeatedly denied a clear run in the straight.He’s on a decent mark at pres-
ent and, while not entirely straightforward, should pay his away on the AW this winter.
1m4f handicap (Class 4) Ordinary race for the grade
GOLDEN BRITHDAY (Harry Fry) was heavily backed after winning his sole outing on the Flat (a heavy ground maiden at Leicester) and looked in tremendous shape in the prelims.He produced a telling burst of speed to win readily and has a bright future if kept to racing on the level. However, he already boasts smart form over hurdles and could bag a valuable early season prize before the big boys come out to play.
ST MALO (Roger Varian) is a strapping individual who looked primed to go close. He did exactly that, finishing best of all in second after having a messy run up the straight.His AW form figures - 52122 – are streets ahead of his limp efforts on turf and this handsome Street Cry gelding will win soon.
7f handicap (Class 5) Fair form
BALGAIR (Tom Clover) looked in good shape but faced a tough task from stall 12, particularly as he was back in trip after going close on his stable debut over 1m here 26-days previously.He was held-up in rear and had plenty to do turning for home, but picked up strongly inside the final furlong to finish a close third. This lightly raced gelding will appreciate returning to 1m and should win a similar contest.
6f handicap (Class 5) Competitive low grade affair
DEBONAIRE DAVID (Richard Hughes) was produced in good order after a 66day break and ran a blinder to come home a fast-finishing third. Granted the strong pace he craves, this hard-pulling colt will pick up race in the near future.
NEWMARKET OCTOBER 13 (GOOD) 7f two-year-old fillies Group 3 (Class 1) Hot race
I CAN FLY (Aidan O’Brien) was the clear paddock pick and moved smoothly to post.She looked to be going best entering the dip but couldn’t quite finish her race off and weakened into third. This was a decent effort from a once raced filly and she’s one to follow in Group races next term.
1m two-year-old fillies Group 1 (Class 1) Top class form
MAGIC LILY (Charlie Appleby) is an attractive, rangy filly who had bolted-up in a novice event over C&D three weeks earlier. She handled the rise in class admirably, travelling strongly throughout and battling on for third after being short of room at the furlong pole. Her dam Dancing Rain won the Oaks and this scopey chestnut could develop into a leading contender for that race in 2018.
7f two-year-old fillies (Class 4) Above average race
WINTER LIGHTNING (Saeed Bin Suroor) oozed class in the prelims and attracted plenty of support despite tackling three useful race-sharp rivals. She proceeded to run a debut full of promise, making the running and sticking on for second after running green under pressure. She’s useful and should be followed.
GOODWOOD OCTOBER 15 (SOFT, GOOD-SOFT IN PLACES) 1m1f two-year-old novice (Class 4) Useful contest
LOXLEY (Charlie Appleby) has a smart pedigree (dam was a Group 1 winner) and was the subject of a strong racecourse whisper before this debut. A tall, rangy individual, he was notably green in the paddock and looked raw through much of the race. However, he grabbed hold of the bit in the straight and was moving best when hemmed-in at the twofurlong pole. He picked up strongly once in the open and managed to force a deadheat with the more experienced Istanbul Sultan. Loxley would have been a ready winner with a clear passage and could develop into a decent middle-distance performer.