Post by Old Timer on Sept 17, 2020 10:50:35 GMT
Nice easy handicap I thought, but with studying there’s a sting in the tail. Hope I’ve got it right!
Ayr 15.00 Cl 2 Handicap 118 (88.7) 10f gd/sf – 12 Run
3yo = 5lbs wfa allowance
Last year – 156 (91.8) gd – 10 ran
Certain Lad 11/4 F 3-9-7 (98) Dr 9 by 0.25l from Nicholas T 15/2 7-9-10 (96) Dr 1
Glasses Up 5-9-0 (87) Dr 4 (13.1) (6.4)
’19 record: 0/4/11 Best: 164.2 off 81 carrying 9-0 (Cl 3 hcap 10f sf Ayr)
’20 record: 3/2/7 Best: 169.3 off 87 carrying 9-9 (Cl 3 hcap 10.5f gd York)
06/09/20 Cl 3 Hcap (78/84.0) 10.5f York 9-9 25/1 4/19 0.85l off 87
towards rear, reached mid-division halfway, pushed along 3f out, headway towards far side of group chasing leaders over 2f out, driven between horses over 1f out, stayed on same pace inside final furlong
Plus: class (F); going (W); distance (W); course (W); form run lto (11 days); down 9lbs (wt);
Minus: up in class;
Verdict: only placed efforts last season had reduced his mark to such a level that he has won 3 times over C&D this season; raised 5lbs for the latest but finished a close 4/19 in his latest start over 0.5f further at York, well clear of the rest of the field; due to go up 1lb in future races and worth a shout here.
Arch Moon 3-8-8 (86) Dr 1 (12.3)
’19 record: 0/2/3
’20 record: 1/0/3 Best: 162.4 off 83 carrying 9-5 (Cl 4 3yo-Hcap 8f gd/sf Hayd)
04/09/20 Cl 3 Hcap (72/84.8) 8f gd/sf 8f Thirsk 9-4 9/2 7/15 6.5l off 87
mid-division on outside, pushed along over 4f out, some late headway, never dangerous
Plus: going (W); course (F); recent run (13 days); down 10lbs (wt); down 1lb (OR);
Minus: class (?); distance; up class;
Verdict: won a Cl4 8f hcap on gd/sf on his return at Haydock; raised 4lbs for that, but failed at 10f in Cl 3 a month later; given a 2-month break and ran with some promise over 8f at Thirsk, making some later headway to finish 7/15; maybe worth consideration at 10f now.
First Impression 3-8-7 (85) Dr 9 (13.1)
’19 record: 1/0/3
‘20 record: 1/1/4 Best: 160.6 off 85 carrying 9-2 (Cl 3 hcap 10f sf Rip)
21/08/20 Cl 3 Hcap (71/81.6) 10f sf Rip 9-2 11/2 2/8 3l off 85
tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, went 2nd over 1f out, no chance with winner, kept on
Plus: distance (W); course (W); form run lto (17 days); down 9lbs (wt);
Minus: class (?); going (?); up in class;
Verdict: won an 8f mdn here on sf on final start as a 2yo and reappeared to take a Cl 4 3yo-hcap on gd at Redcar; upped 7lbs for that but failed in Cl 3 3yo-hcaps at Haydock and then over 11f at Goodwood; dropped 2lbs in weight finished 2nd in all-aged hcap over 10f on sf, although the front runner had spread the field out; up in class today off the same mark and doesn’t look like the winner to me.
Spirit Dancer 3-8-5 (82) Dr 2 (??)
’19 record: 0/0/1
’20 record: 1/1/2
31/08/20 Cl 5 Nov Stks (39/) 10f sf Rip 9-5 3/1 1/7 3.5l off 76
made virtually all, driven over 1f out, soon clear, stayed on well
Plus: distance (W); form run lto (17 days); down 14lbs (wt)
Minus: class (?); going (?); course (?); up 6lbs (OR); hcap debut; up 3 classes;
Verdict: just the 3 starts, 2 on AW and the latest over 10f on sf at Ripon he forged clear and never looked like getting matched; admittedly, that was a Cl 5 novice, but he’s a well-bred colt and hasn’t been overburdened for his hcap debut.
Dubai Icon ran with some credit in the Gulf early on in the year, but is dismissed on his return. Nicholas T opened the season with a win, but hasn’t gone on from that and heads the weights off a mark of 97, 1lb more than he carried into second place last year. Moreover, he’s an 8yo now and getting no younger despite being three times a C&D winner, and it’s 51 days since 13/18 at Goodwood. Not for me. I’m afraid. Another that won’t be on my list is Just Hiss who has never won farther than 9f in his 39 starts.
Onto my shortlist then, and the one that’s a problem is the favourite, Spirit Dancer. He’s well-bred and was impressive winning his maiden, but nothing to go on. Of the other 3yo, I prefer Arch Moon to First Impression as I believe he’ll get the trip now and he’s had his prep run after a layoff. However, the one I like best is the 5yo, Glasses Up, but Spirit Dancer is a question. So Spirit Dancer it is from Glasses Up with Arch Moon in third.
Ayr 15.00 Cl 2 Handicap 118 (88.7) 10f gd/sf – 12 Run
3yo = 5lbs wfa allowance
Last year – 156 (91.8) gd – 10 ran
Certain Lad 11/4 F 3-9-7 (98) Dr 9 by 0.25l from Nicholas T 15/2 7-9-10 (96) Dr 1
Glasses Up 5-9-0 (87) Dr 4 (13.1) (6.4)
’19 record: 0/4/11 Best: 164.2 off 81 carrying 9-0 (Cl 3 hcap 10f sf Ayr)
’20 record: 3/2/7 Best: 169.3 off 87 carrying 9-9 (Cl 3 hcap 10.5f gd York)
06/09/20 Cl 3 Hcap (78/84.0) 10.5f York 9-9 25/1 4/19 0.85l off 87
towards rear, reached mid-division halfway, pushed along 3f out, headway towards far side of group chasing leaders over 2f out, driven between horses over 1f out, stayed on same pace inside final furlong
Plus: class (F); going (W); distance (W); course (W); form run lto (11 days); down 9lbs (wt);
Minus: up in class;
Verdict: only placed efforts last season had reduced his mark to such a level that he has won 3 times over C&D this season; raised 5lbs for the latest but finished a close 4/19 in his latest start over 0.5f further at York, well clear of the rest of the field; due to go up 1lb in future races and worth a shout here.
Arch Moon 3-8-8 (86) Dr 1 (12.3)
’19 record: 0/2/3
’20 record: 1/0/3 Best: 162.4 off 83 carrying 9-5 (Cl 4 3yo-Hcap 8f gd/sf Hayd)
04/09/20 Cl 3 Hcap (72/84.8) 8f gd/sf 8f Thirsk 9-4 9/2 7/15 6.5l off 87
mid-division on outside, pushed along over 4f out, some late headway, never dangerous
Plus: going (W); course (F); recent run (13 days); down 10lbs (wt); down 1lb (OR);
Minus: class (?); distance; up class;
Verdict: won a Cl4 8f hcap on gd/sf on his return at Haydock; raised 4lbs for that, but failed at 10f in Cl 3 a month later; given a 2-month break and ran with some promise over 8f at Thirsk, making some later headway to finish 7/15; maybe worth consideration at 10f now.
First Impression 3-8-7 (85) Dr 9 (13.1)
’19 record: 1/0/3
‘20 record: 1/1/4 Best: 160.6 off 85 carrying 9-2 (Cl 3 hcap 10f sf Rip)
21/08/20 Cl 3 Hcap (71/81.6) 10f sf Rip 9-2 11/2 2/8 3l off 85
tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, went 2nd over 1f out, no chance with winner, kept on
Plus: distance (W); course (W); form run lto (17 days); down 9lbs (wt);
Minus: class (?); going (?); up in class;
Verdict: won an 8f mdn here on sf on final start as a 2yo and reappeared to take a Cl 4 3yo-hcap on gd at Redcar; upped 7lbs for that but failed in Cl 3 3yo-hcaps at Haydock and then over 11f at Goodwood; dropped 2lbs in weight finished 2nd in all-aged hcap over 10f on sf, although the front runner had spread the field out; up in class today off the same mark and doesn’t look like the winner to me.
Spirit Dancer 3-8-5 (82) Dr 2 (??)
’19 record: 0/0/1
’20 record: 1/1/2
31/08/20 Cl 5 Nov Stks (39/) 10f sf Rip 9-5 3/1 1/7 3.5l off 76
made virtually all, driven over 1f out, soon clear, stayed on well
Plus: distance (W); form run lto (17 days); down 14lbs (wt)
Minus: class (?); going (?); course (?); up 6lbs (OR); hcap debut; up 3 classes;
Verdict: just the 3 starts, 2 on AW and the latest over 10f on sf at Ripon he forged clear and never looked like getting matched; admittedly, that was a Cl 5 novice, but he’s a well-bred colt and hasn’t been overburdened for his hcap debut.
Dubai Icon ran with some credit in the Gulf early on in the year, but is dismissed on his return. Nicholas T opened the season with a win, but hasn’t gone on from that and heads the weights off a mark of 97, 1lb more than he carried into second place last year. Moreover, he’s an 8yo now and getting no younger despite being three times a C&D winner, and it’s 51 days since 13/18 at Goodwood. Not for me. I’m afraid. Another that won’t be on my list is Just Hiss who has never won farther than 9f in his 39 starts.
Onto my shortlist then, and the one that’s a problem is the favourite, Spirit Dancer. He’s well-bred and was impressive winning his maiden, but nothing to go on. Of the other 3yo, I prefer Arch Moon to First Impression as I believe he’ll get the trip now and he’s had his prep run after a layoff. However, the one I like best is the 5yo, Glasses Up, but Spirit Dancer is a question. So Spirit Dancer it is from Glasses Up with Arch Moon in third.