Weekly Eye-Catchers – Horse Racing

Hi all,

A death in the family meant I was unable to do last week’s eyecatcher article.

The abandonment of last week’s Ayr Gold Cup meeting has put a bit of a hole in this weeks look back at the weekend big horse race action. That said it’s that time of the year when the flat eyecatchers are starting to wind down, as we wait for the winter jumps season to move into top gear in just a few weeks time.

Before all that we have a big weekend of flat action to look forward to with Newmarket’s Cambridgeshire meeting starting on Thursday and of course the worlds best middle distance race the Arc at Chantilly on Sunday.

It must be giving concern that there will be a lot more meetings cancelled with the water table at many tracks around the country being on the high side for the time of year.

After losing Ayr last week, we lost Hamilton on Monday and saw Leicester racing on heavy ground, it’s only September but if we don’t get a decent dry spell of weather what are some courses going to be like in a month’s time. I see that Newmarket is describing their ground as good at present. Let’s hope it stays that way for later in the week!

It’s been a tough couple of months for the Eyecatcher pro service but the profits are still rolling in and it was nice to get a 16/1 winner in the shape of Breden at Newbury, on Friday. Those big priced winners are just the cream when it comes to adding to the service’s overall profitability but they are great when they do come along.

At the other end of the price scale another recent eyecatcher, Emaraaty made all to win very easily at Newbury on Saturday to build on the promise he had shown on Sandown debut. Sadly he was sent off at odds of 4/9.

This is what I wrote about the colt after that Sandown run:

“The colt will have gone into plenty of notebooks after his 4th placing here. Like History Writer he was slow away but he travelled sweetly through the race but didn’t get the best of runs on two occasions in the closing stages. Wasn’t knocked about and will come on plenty for this run.

The son of Dubawi cost 2.6 million gns at the sales and has the pedigree of a Group 1 horse as a three-year-old. His dam was a Group 1 winner at 1m 2f and his half sister’s Izzi Top was a twice winning Group 1 filly at 1m 2f & Jazzi Top was a Group 2 winner at 1m 2f and was 2nd in a Group 1 at Longchamp as a three-year-old. Both fillies got better with distance and racing. He looks a good three-year-old in the making at 1m 2f+ and given his sire’s stock do better when stepped up to middle distances he could very well prove best at 1m 4f. An expensive price tag at the sales doesn’t mean he will prove to be a success on the track but on the evidence of this run, he should be able to win races. Next year will show whether this 2.6 million investment was a good one or a costly one. I think it could well be the former rather than the latter”.

It will be interesting to see what race connections will head for next with this exciting colt.

This Weeks EyeCatcher’s

Given the period in the flat season, my focus starts to turn to the two-year-old’s, I have three juveniles who should make up into nice horses and provide us with some nice payday’s next year, if not this one.

Wednesday 20th September

Yarmouth

Prime Minister – Ed Vaughan – The first of the juveniles into this week’s list. His trainer Ed Vaughan is not noted for his first time out two-year-old winners just 7 winners from 125 runners 6% in the past 10 years 18 placed 14%. So it was encouraging to see this son of Dream Ahead run so well on his first start. A good run was clearly expected from the colt who was sent off at odds of just 9/2 on what was described as soft ground. His inexperience showed during the race but he was staying on well at the finish to beaten less than length into 2nd. He looked a nice horse before the race and looks have plenty of scope to make a useful three-year-old.

Friday 22nd September

Newbury

Melodies – Ed Dunlop – The trainer knows the family well as he trained the filly’s dam to win two races both on testing ground. She had shaped with promise when 4th on her racecourse debut, and built on that when finishing 2nd in this 7f fillies maiden. She was a little keen in the early stages of the race but was doing her best work at the finish although she was no match for the winner Magnolia Springs who looks a very useful filly in the making. Her dam won over 1m 2f so she should stay at least a mile. Can win a maiden and should start of handicapping off a competitive mark. Probably not a world beater but should pay her way.

Saturday 23rd September

Newbury

Sam Gold – Roger Varian – Made his racecourse debut in the same Sandown race as Emaraaty. The colt was sent of just 7/2 that day so had clearly shown something on the gallops. He ran like he needed the experience and eventually finished 7th of 16. He was sent off favourite at odds of 7/2 in this maiden. The benefit of his introductory run was evident here as he finished his race off strongly to finish a head 2nd. Should make up into a good three-year-old and could even take a maiden before the year is out.

Newmarket

Star Rock – Hughie Morrison – The filly was having only her 5th career start in this 1m 4f handicap and was having her first run since winning a maiden over C&D back in May. Well backed on her return to action, she looked on a handy mark for handicap debut and so it proved despite her pulling hard in the early stages of the race. She was still too strong for her 8 rivals at the finish. A Half-sister to Star Rider, also trained by Hughie Morrison, who stayed 2m+ she can improve for a further step up in distance and she should be fine on softer ground than she faced here. Can win another handicap before the season is out and can improve as a four-year-old.

All that’s left now is to wish you a profitable week’s punting.

John