To be honest, it hasn’t really gone to plan so far. We’ve had a few winners and a few placed but a number have either run in races that they just had no chance of winning and the Craven was a perfect example, with four horses to follow running. So basically if even one of them won, it was a £30 loss. Sadly all of them lost. Anyway it will improve very soon with a number of horses on the list showing significant promise. The figure though doesn’t do the list justice as like i’ve said a number had little chance of winning but were placed at good prices while the winners were all backed right down and so the s/p profit was far less than what it could have been
Flat Horses To Follow 2012 List
Creme Anglaise
Ran in a Goodwood listed race on saturday after being pulled out the week before due to ground. It was soft there but she ran a great race I thought. They went an absolute crawl and she was stone last but made some good ground only to tire into 3rd in the final furlong. She rewarded e/w support at 33/1 though and in Vita Nova was facing a filly that is better than her. Back on better ground at 1m2f i’d expect a big run though.
Goodwood 3rd @33/1 -£10
Total -£10
Edinburgh Knight
Ran a great race in the Lincoln when travelling really well on the far side and at one point looking like winning, but he faded back into 4th, again rewarding e/w support. He has been raised 1lb for that so handicaps will be tough but i’ll be surprised if he couldn’t get a bit more black type this season when the ground improves.
Doncaster 4th @11/1 -£10
Total -£10
Eshtibaak
Ran once when a strong favourite of a good race at Kempton but got hampered badly and was given an easy time of it in the end. Not seen since but a line can be put through that run. Seems to be waiting for better ground, like many others.
Kempton 12th @11/4 -£10
Total -£10
Gulf Of Naples
Already started the season well. Just couldn’t get past Thimaar in the Queen’s Prize at Kempton when still running green slightly. They were miles ahead of the rest though and he duly hacked up at odds-on last time at Ripon in a trial for the Chester Cup. Goes for that this week but the outside draw makes it tough. Due to run off 108 in the future so is 7lb well in technically and far more could be to come.
Kempton 2nd @10/3 -£10
Ripon 1st @8/11 +£7.27
Total -£2.73
Old Hundred
Made a great start to the year with victory at Kempton, travelling extremely well and then holding off a late challenge of a well handicapped horse. Gone up 6lb for that which seems very fair but the penny may have dropped and i’ll be very surprised if there is not far more to come.
Kempton 1st @10/3 +£33.33
Total: +£33.33
Qaraaba on the way to her highly impressive success at Doncaster on Lincoln day
Qaraaba
Impressive at Kempton before the list and duly hacked up over 1m2f at the Doncaster Lincoln meeting, travelling the best all the way and showing a devastating turn of foot. Was 9/1 in the morning but backed into 4/1 which significantly put a dampener on the profit. Now up 7lb and but more is to come and black type looks a likely option.
Doncaster 1st 4/1 +£40
Total: +£40
Slumber
Found out after the list that he has been sent to the USA and won’t be seen here again. Very sad as I was very much looking forward to seeing him
Forgotten Hero
Pulled far too hard in the Craven and in the end was eased right down when his challenge started to fade. That wasn’t his running and there is far more to come this season.
Newmarket 12th 10/1 -£10
Total -£10
Beaufort Twelve
Ran up well for a decent amount of time in the Craven but ultimately wasn’t good enough. Not to give up yet.
Newmarket 9th 14/1 -£10
Total -£10
Minstrels Gallery
Ran a good race in the Craven when plugging on well on his first turf start. The bad thing is the trainer has completely ruined his handicap mark and he’s now rated 88…
Newmarket 7th 20/1 -£10
Total -£10
Mighty Ambition
The final Craven runner and he finished closest of them all. Made some good headway for a time but faded in the final furlong. His trainer felt he would come on for the run and that seemed so. More is to come and he remains a good prospect, especially over further and on good ground.
Newmarket 5th 7/2 -£10
Total -£10
Rewarded did just that when beating the well regarded Archbishop at Newmarket
Rewarded
Lined up at Sandown last week but nobody else turned up and it ended up being a walkover. But he won well at the weekend at the Guineas meeting, taking advantage of the long time leader edging left and he got up on the line. They were ahead of the rest and the 2nd is smart and well regarded. James Tollar will now send him over 1m2f and his pedigree suggests that will suit. Very smart proposition. Also was backed down from 6/1 into 100/30.
Newmarket 1st 100/30 +£33.33
Total: +£33.33
Shantaram
Slightly unlucky in a maiden at Newmarket but did the best he could and travelled and quickened well, only to be collared in a close finish by the potentially very smart Model Pupil. The 3rd has gone in by 7 lengths since and the 5th has gone in by 11 so the form looks rock solid. Both he and Model Pupil look very smart. Shantaram is entered to run at Chester in the week but has a wide draw. That should not stop a bold bid though. John Gosden won the same maiden with the smart Colombian last year.
Newmarket 2nd 5/4 -£10
Total -£10
Switzerland
Really disappointed by his two runs. Didn’t seem to stay the mile properly at Musselburgh and then was really poor at Newmarket over 6f. Looks an unsure type and I really don’t know what you can do with him now.
Musselburgh 5th 100/30 -£10
Newmarket 15th 8/1 -£10
Total: -£20
Artistic Jewel and Assizes have not run yet.
Total of horses in loss: -£102.73
Total of horses in profit +£106.66
Total profit for 2012 is: +£3.93
