| |
ASCOT
Sunday 24th September
2:00 European Trainers' Federation Conditions Stakes Class B
"The 4Long Pole" ~ Golan so impressive on his debut will be very hard to beat. Difficult to oppose. Askham appeal most as one to watch for the future
No*1 CHOICE ~ Golan [R*ecommended],
(E/W) Alt. ~ Askham
2:35 Sodexho Diadem Stakes Class A (Group 2)
"The 4Long Pole" ~ Sampower Star, who ran really well behind Pipalong at Haydock last time, deserves to take a decent Sprint this term, and is taken to score here. Wouldnt be surprised if handicappers Tayseer, and Harmonic Way ran 'personal bests' here
No*1 CHOICE ~ Sampower Star
(E/W) Alt. ~ Tayseer
3:10 The Mail On Sunday Mile Final (Handicap) Class B
"The 4Long Pole" ~ Just Nick, Kirovski, Derryquin, Kathir, Honest Borderer, Mayaro Bay, Peartree House, Salty Jack, Silk St John, Style Dancer, Compton Arrow, Elmhurst Boy, Freddy Flintstone, Prince Slayer, and Tornado Prince, have claims in an open affair. Kirovski has been in great heart all season and I'm not convinced that the handicapper has caught up with him, particularly as he on tends to do as much as is required, such is the way with many 'hold up horses'. Its hard to see him not getting place
No*1 CHOICE ~ Kirovski
(E/W) Alt. ~ Intricate Web
3:50 Serpentine Gallery Royal Lodge Stakes Class A (Group 2)
"The 4Long Pole" ~ FURLONG TO GO tipped you No Excuses Needed at Glorious Goodwood (12/1 that day) and don't intend to desert him here. It wont be easy as Prizeman, and Hill Country in particular are improving sort well capable of mixing it with him here. Like him, they will be seen to greater effect next term
No*1 CHOICE ~ No Excuses Needed [R*ecommended],
(E/W) Alt. ~ Hill Country
4:25 Coral Eurobet Stakes Showcase Handicap Class B
"The 4Long Pole" ~ FURLONG TO GO also tipped you Seek when he won last time out at York. I like this horse who has so little mileage on the clock that he must be still open to further improvement. I doubt the incurred penalty accrued there will stop him
No*1 CHOICE ~ Seek [R*ecommended],
(E/W) Alt. ~ Summer Song
ONE TO NOTE ~ I've been waiting for Ligne Gagnante to go hurdling, and since he's now with Ian Williams, its fair to say that we will be seeing him during the winter months
5:00 Singapore Turf Club Rated Stakes Class B (Handicap)
"The 4Long Pole" ~ Sheer Viking has been knocking (violently) on the door in similar types on event recently, and surely the door will open for him this time ?.......... I hope so !!!
No*1 CHOICE ~ Sheer Viking
(E/W) Alt. ~ Hammer And Sickle,
5:35 Riggs Bank Harvest Stakes Class A (Listed Race)
"The 4Long Pole" ~ If Ramruna runs to form she should score,......however, the indifferent form of the Henry Cecil camp, I prefer to take a chance with Film Script (E/W) who maybe didn't stay 1m 7f last time out. She must have place claims if judged on her useful early season form
No*1 CHOICE ~ Film Script (E/W)
Alt. ~ Cephalonia
ASCOT'S FESTIVAL OF RACING
Saturday 23rd September
2:00 Old Vic Cumberland Lodge Stakes Class A (Group 3)
"The 4Long Pole" ~ Lear Spear, Mutamam, and Beat All, look the ones to be on in the opening race of Ascot Autumnal Festival of Racing. Lear Spear won a conditions event at the St Leger meeting comfortably and should go well, but Mutamam was a 'cosy' winner of the September Stakes and may outgun him and Beat All, who doesn't appeared to have progressed as well as expected this summer
No*1 CHOICE ~Mutamam [R*ecommended]
(E/W) Alt. ~ Happy Change
2:35 Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile Class A (Group 1)
"The 4Long Pole" ~ Summer Symphony, Crystal Music, Hotelgenie Dot Com, Velvet Glade, and Shahirah all have chances in a competitive renewal of the fillies mile, the race itself having lost some of the edge it had as a result of Flight Of Fancy's late withdrawal. I expect Summer Symphony, and Hotelgenie Dot Com, to attract strong market support. Neither can be faulted after their good efforts behind Freefouracing, and Sequoyah , respectively, howevr Summer Symphony was probably the more unlucky loser last time where she 'won' her race before being 'robbed' close home..... the classic 'sucker punch'. She will though have learnt a lot from that and looks the better long term prospect. She gets the call, Sharirah, a winner of her only start who will make a middle distance horse next year, and may well advertise that here ....... bear her in mind in you want an eachway punt.
No*1 CHOICE ~ Summer Symphony,
(E/W) Alt. ~ Shahirah
3:20 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Class A (Group 1)
"The 4Long Pole" ~ Giant's Causeway, Indian Lodge, Best Of The Bests, Crimplene, Medicean, Observatory, Diktat, and Valentino, all clash in what will be a very informative renewal of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. At least for punters tactics are obvious. Manhattan/Lermentov will be asked to cut out a decent pace for Giant's Causeway to take on turning for home. Whether he will hold these rivals off this time is another factor. Circumstances are slightly different. The ground may be a little stickier than ideal. Indian Lodge, his chief rival revels on the surface, and being aided by the strong pace. More importantly this is the eight Group 1 Race he's run in since 6 May 2000, you cannot help but think 'The Iron Horse' is going once too often to the well............ how many times though have we said that recently. It may well happen here, but in truth if he performs and acts on the surface he should prevail, and that surely has to therefore be the bet. If he has a weak spot it is his inability to respond to a late attack, if any of this field are capable of producing it, I'd nominate Observatory and Valentino, the latter gets the '(E/W)' tag
No*1 CHOICE ~ Giants Causeway [R*ecommended]
(E/W) Alt. ~ Valentino
3:55 Tote Trifecta Stakes Showcase Handicap Class B
"The 4Long Pole" ~ A bookmakers dream .... a punter's nightmare 26 runners running up the straight 7furlong course. Duke Of Modena, 8/1 Gaelic Storm, Rayyaan, Border Subject, Camberley, Black Silk, Nice One Clare, Strahan, Big Future, I Cried For You, Kinan, Muchea, Peartree House, Premier Baron, Smart Ridge, Al Muallim, Royal Artist, and Showboat, all can be given chances of sorts. There does appear to be pace on both sides of the course, however I'll be hoping that Rayyaan gets a good lead and can be produced late on to score. He was very unlucky to come up against Cantina at Chester last time who is becoming almost 'invincible' around there. He has good form prior to that and must go close. I also expect go efforts from my 'alternatives' Big Future who ran well at Goodwood last time, and Showboat
No*1 CHOICE ~ Rayyaan
(E/W) Alt. ~Big Future
LONG*SHOT ~ Showboat
4:30 Sodexho Rosemary Rated Stakes Class A (Listed Handicap)
"The 4Long Pole" ~ Peacock Alley, Mystify, Dashiba, Granted, Midnight Allure, Riberac, Mossy Moor, Rendition, and Alpenglow, all have claims in the fifth. I have to say that I was impressed by Alpenglow on her reappearance behind Papabile here in September, and a reproduction on that effort should help her see off Peacock Alley, Granted, and Riberac
No*1 CHOICE ~Alpenglow
(E/W) Alt. ~ Riberac
5:00 TSL Blue Seal Conditions Stakes Class B
"The 4Long Pole" ~ A watching race really, as you wouldnt be convinced that the likely favourite Matoaka, (by A. P. Indy) would handle conditions. If I were to have a wager then I'd cast my vote with Small Change, a sister to the very smart miler Zieten and top-class sprinter Blue Duster, making her debut in this event
No*1 CHOICE ~ Small Change
(E/W) Alt. ~ Independence,
5:35 sport4cast.com Gordon Carter Handicap Class C
"The 4Long Pole" ~ Busy Lizzie, is an unoriginal choice for the last, but this late maturing, dual-winning filly is clearly in good heart and therefore may have enough improvement in her to defy another rise in the weights
No*1 CHOICE ~Busy Lizzie,
(E/W) Alt. ~ Mbele
ONE TO NOTE ~ Rivertown, could make a nice novice hurdler this winter, and is under consideration at present for entry onto FURLONG TO GO's List of horses to follow
|
|
