| |
Analysis & Selections by
.t.h.e. .r.o.o.k.
Whether it be
"the race of the day" or a small prize round the gaffs, we will attempt to use our knowledge of the formbook to highlight the fancied horses participating each day and their characteristics and requirements. Hopefully this 'second opinion' provides you with a winner or two each day, or even reinforces your own view on a particular may even convince you to back some of those horses which we feel are the "ones to fear", or have decent eachway claims. whichever is the case, we hope the information is of use to you.
SELECTIONS - For each race, we have given you who, in our view, are the likeliest winners;
(1er CHOICE), as well as
the next best runners (in our view, this can include any horses who could run well at eachway
odds). Any runner from our features are shown before each race's analysis.
SANDOWN PARK
Saturday, July 6th 2002
¦ 1er. SANDOWN PARK ¦¬:> Porcelanosa Sprint Stakes (Listed Race) £30000 added, 3yo plus, 5f 6yds, penalty £19500, 8 runners.
|¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯|™AT THE POST|¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯|
¦ .t.h.e. .r.o.o.k. ¦:¬>INDIAN PRINCE; [A staying on fifth to Dominica in the King Stands Stakes at
Royal Ascot {Gr. 2}], BOLEYN CASTLE; [who beat Bishops Court by ¾length over course and distance last time out, with FROMSONG, another 2
½lengths behind in third, CARSON COUNTRY, a length back in fifth and KIER PARK another 2lengths back in sixth (who all reoppose here) ], PALACE AFFAIR; [who stayed on gamely to beat Grey Eminence on his
last start at Salisbury], and MIZILLABLACK, [who could go close in she recaptured her best two-year-old form, though has
a bit to find on current evidence] appeal most in the opener. Although there is no getting away from how good Indian Prince's effort was, Boleyn Castle's run here last
time out is probably the formline to concentrate on. He got the run of that affair, and given luck in running I'd be prepared to give Kier Park the benefit of the doubt (particularly if previous form is
taken into account) .... therefore he is just preferred to Indian Prince and Palace Affair..
¦ 1er CHOICE¹ ¦:¬>Kier Park
¦ 2nd Choice² ¦:¬>Indian Prince
¦ 3rd Choice³ ¦:¬>Palace Affair (e/w)
¦ 2e. SANDOWN PARK ¦¬:> Tote Scoop6 Handicap £100000 added, 3yo plus, 1m 14yds, penalty £58000, 17 runners.
|¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯|™AT THE POST|¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯|
¦ .t.h.e. .r.o.o.k. ¦:¬>The most competitive race on the card comes next. ZUCCHERO, who
hasn't raced since winning the Lincoln at Doncaster, by a head from Adiemus, is entitled to go well despite top weight, however he faces stern opposition from MISTER COSMI; [unlucky in running behind Atavus at Newmarket last week], MAN OF DISTINCTION, [a talented "unknown
quantity" who hard to evaluate, but is probably capable of better than he showed when winning a 0-90 handicap at Lingfield on his
reappearance], CALCUTTA; [a difficult ride, but capable of going well if he puts his best foot
forward, as he did at Salisbury last time out when just catching FINISHED ARTICLE on the line, with MUCHEA back in fifth (both of whom reopposes today)], HERETIC; [second on both his starts this term, most recently when
finishing behind Polar Ben at Haydock], DUMARAN; [ the winner of his last two starts,
most recently when winning 0-105 handicap at Epsom at the end of June]. PENTECOST; [who
benefited from being drawn on the stands side when landing the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot, by a neck from Ghannam], SARRAAF; [second to Donna's Double at Newcastle on his last start] and FUNFAIR; [ well regarded by connections, who stayed on strong to land a Carlisle maiden by 7lengths]. It wouldnt surprise me if Funfair improved enough to land this stern test, however Man of
Distinction appeals more.... More importantly he is more certain to handle the hustle-bustle of this affair.
Sarraaf and Culcutta make plenty of appeal at eachway odds.
¦ 1er CHOICE¹ ¦:¬>Man of Distinction
¦ 2nd Choice² ¦:¬>Funfair
¦ 3rd Choice³ ¦:¬>Sarraaf, (e/w)
¦ 3e. SANDOWN PARK ¦¬:> The Eclipse Stakes {Gr. 1}, Sponsored by Coral Eurobet. £325000 added, 3yo plus, 1m 2f 7yds, penalty £188500, 7 runners.
|¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯|™AT THE POST|¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯|
¦ .t.h.e. .r.o.o.k. ¦:¬>Depending what paper you read, this is either the
crowning of a Superstar or another test of fallibility of horses sired by Woodman. HAWK WING, has
demonstrated that he possesses blinding pace in both starts this term, however he failed by a
diminishing head to catch Rock of Gibraltar in the 2000 Guineas, and then having lost his
position coming round Tattenham Corner (arguably the turning point of the race), he made smooth headway to get alongside stablemate High Chaparral with two to run in the Derby at Epsom, however, he
wasn't able to sustain that effort and he eventually weekend to finish an honourable second.
Commentators were quick to claim he hadn't stayed (well not as well as High
Chaparral anyway). Now despite this outstanding form, his resolution has suddenly come under close scrutiny - the
argument being that many Woodmans wont go through the pain barrier to win races,
therefore he is worth taking on.... I cant dispute that theory, however whilst you are reminded of this today, bear in mind that Hawk Wing has had two hard races this
season and didn't lose either because he was afraid to tried to win...
If you like him today, these aren't reasons to oppose him. If you do, (in my
humble opinion), it has to be because you could question how good the three-year-old form is ... lets be honest, High
Chaparral is certainly top class, as is Rock of Gibraltar, but we don't know whether they could hold their own with Keltos or Sakhee yet, and some of the Classic form
(particularly the Irish 2000 Guineas and to some extent our Derby) fall well below Group 1
standard.... Its quite possible that Hawk Wing has a far harder task than is
immediately obvious. If that is the case INDIAN CREEK; [an excellent second to Grandera in the Prince of Wales Stakes at
Royal Ascot], NO EXCUSE NEEDED, [who just held Tillerman's late thrust in the Queen Anne Stakes, also at the Royal Meeting] and EQUERRY [ a complete unknown quantity, who revels in the mud. He is still
unbeaten having landed a Group 3 at Longchamp on his only start in June] are the runners with the
necessary armoury to lower his colours. If he is as good as his trainer thought at the
beginning of the season, it is hard to get away from Hawk Wing. However if the heavens opened and the race
becomes a bit of a slog ... I'd side with Equerry.... As I have to make that call now, I'll go with Option 2
¦ 1er CHOICE¹ ¦:¬>Equerry (USA)
¦ 2nd Choice² ¦:¬>Hawk Wing
¦ 3rd Choice³ ¦:¬>Indian Creek
¦ 4e. SANDOWN PARK ¦¬:> Theodore Goddard Handicap £20000 added, 3yo plus, 2m 78yds, penalty £14560, 12 runners.
|¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯|™AT THE POST|¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯|
¦ .t.h.e. .r.o.o.k. ¦:¬>Cupboard Lover, Caqui d'Or, Ranville, Domenico, Coco Loco, Prairie Falcon, and Exclusion Zone make most
appeal in this staying handicap. CUPBOARD LOVER is fairly sure to go off as favourite, having beaten Lady Two K by 5lengths over 1m5f at Newbury on his
most recent start. He has though been beaten since over hurdles, and is vulnerable.
RANVILLE, [well beaten on his reappearance behind Riyadh at Royal Ascot], COCO LOCO and CAQUI D'OR;
[disappointing behind Ocean Tide at Haydock] are capable of better form that they showed on their latest starts. Ranville - is such good form over this
sort of trip last term - is preferred
¦ 1er CHOICE¹ ¦:¬>Ranville
¦ 2nd Choice² ¦:¬>Cupboard Lover,
¦ 3rd Choice³ ¦:¬> Coco Loco, (e/w)
¦ 5e. SANDOWN PARK ¦¬:> Dragon Stakes, (Listed Race) - Sponsored By ABN Amro Futures Ltd. £21750 added, 2yo only, 5f 6yds, penalty £15112.50, 6 runners.
|¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯|™AT THE POST|¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯|
¦ .t.h.e. .r.o.o.k. ¦:¬> Royal Beacon, Hurricane Alan, Tamasuk, Arran Pilot, Bella
Tusa, and Queen's Victory all have chances in the fifth. I was particularly impressed with HURRICANE ALAN last time
out at the Curragh. He made a lot of the running that day and able to clear of a useful field , eventually beating Hazelhatch by 3
½ lengths. He has to concede weight all around here, but looks more than up to the task.
¦ 1er CHOICE¹ ¦:¬>Hurricane Alan,
¦ 2nd Choice² ¦:¬>Tamasuk,
¦ 3rd Choice³ ¦:¬> Arran Pilot,
¦ 6e. SANDOWN PARK ¦¬:> European Breeders Fund Maiden Stakes £10000 added, 2yo only, 7f 16yds, penalty £7020, 4 runners.
|¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯|™AT THE POST|¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯|
¦ .t.h.e. .r.o.o.k. ¦:¬>Despite having only four runners, the sixth race on the card looks to be highly competitive. LAGGAN BAY; [a promising third behind Our Teddy at Newmarket] , and PRINCE NUREYEV [fourth to Helm Bank in the Chesham at Royal Ascot] have the
advantage of racecourse experience, however CALIFORNIAN; [a son of Zafonic, who is a half-brother to a 7f winner] and FOODBROKER FOUNDER [a son of Groom Dancer, who is a brother to the useful miler Lovers Knot] are not without their
chances. I would prefer to see how forward the debutantes were to be honest. I'll chance Foodbroker Founder, and hope that David Elsworth has him forward enough to do himself
justice
¦ 1er CHOICE¹ ¦:¬>Foodbroker Founder,
¦ 2nd Choice² ¦:¬>Prince Nureyev,
¦ 3rd Choice³ ¦:¬>Californian.
¦ 7e. SANDOWN PARK ¦¬:> Guildford Handicap £10000 added, 3yo only, 1m 2f 7yds, penalty £7312.50, 11 runners.
|¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯|™AT THE POST|¯¯¯¯¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯|
¦ .t.h.e. .r.o.o.k. ¦:¬>A competitive handicap ends the card. FOOTBALL CRAZY is certain to be
favourite. he goes for a four-timer here having made all to land his hatrick at Windsor on his last start nineteen days ago. He is a
course and distance winner too, and has plenty going for him despite carrying top weight, howevr he faces stern opposition from SILVER PROPHET; [ who beat Sir Brastias at Goodwood last time out], RING OF DESTINY; [an easy winner at Salisbury, last time out]. JAWWALA [who should
come on for his run Eyecatcher at Warwick], and THE LAST CAST; [who just failed to
catch Waverley here 32 days ago]. Football Crazy wont be far away, however The Last Cast appeals more
(particularly at current odds - he appears to be a solid eachway bet in my view)
¦ 1er CHOICE¹ ¦:¬>The Last Cast,
¦ 2nd Choice² ¦:¬>Football Crazy
¦ 3rd Choice³ ¦:¬>Jawwala (USA)
|
|
