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Tuesday, 6 September 2011

Midweek Sprint Action at Doncaster



The Scarborough Stakes at 3.10 over 5f sees 12 runners line up for this Listed Race at Doncaster. The field is headed by the speedy Captain Dunne who wont have any problem in performing with 9-9 and he is effective on most going apart from heavy. He has certainly stepped up this year and his win in the Epsom Dash off a mark of 105 was backed up by his run in the Nunthorpe were he was only beaten 3 1/4 lengths into 7th behind Margot Did. Next time at Beverley he could only finish 4th 1 1/2 lengths behind Tangerine Trees, but he didnt have a lot of room there and was probably a shade unlucky. He should run his race and he is likely to be thereabouts at the finish.
Group Therapy needs a fast pace and he is likely to get that here so expect to see him come with a wet sail at the end, Whether he gets there is another matter as he has finished behind Masamah on 2 occasions and he is a similar sort to Captain Dunne.
Humidor was entered to run at Leicester yesterday but was pulled out and comes here instead, however in that he would have had the assistance of Fallon but he rides Shoshoni Wind for Kevin Ryan in this. Humidor ran a good race in third behind Night Carnation at Sandown and they had the Nunthorpe winner Margot Did behind in fourth. He finished behind Masamah at Goodwood but if he were to reproduce his Sandown run he wouldnt be too far away.
Medicean Man has won 3 of his 5 races at Ascot and it is a matter of can he perform better somewhere else. His trainer thinks he is open to further improvement and he will need to be as he is 7lb worse off with Duchess Dora for a half length defeat of her in a Class 2 Handicap at Ascot.
DIinkum Diamond was an excellent 3rd in the Abernant only a 1/4 of a length behind Genki, he was a 5 length second to Margot Did at Sandown and was just 1/2 a length behind Tangerine Trees last time when 3rd just in front of Captain Dunne. He has only had 11 starts to date and he may still be open to improvement.
I cant see Stone of Folca being involved whereas Anne of Kiev has done nothing but improve this season and is a credit to connections. She was 4th in the Abernant and also 4th in the Wokingham behind Deacon Blues but her last two runs havent been too good and maybe she is feeling the effects of a long year although she often surprises when you least expect.
Breathless Kiss has been running in similar races to most of the others but whereas they have been finishing in the places she has been finishing mid division and it is unlikely things will be any different here.
Duchess Dora started the season on 87 and is now on 102 but is still at the top of her game and she hasnt been out of the first 3 on her last five runs and the latest of those was at Beverley when she was quarter of a length second to Tangerine Trees with Dinkum Diamond and Captain Dunne behind. It is not out of the question that she can improve again and she is weighted to finish in front of the two behind her at Beverley although Captain Dunne was unlucky and she is also weigthed to get the better of Medicean Man on their Ascot running.
Aneedah runs for John Gosden and although you cant ignore any of his horses at this time of the year she doesnt look like she has the form in the book to win something like this and you will be relying on William Buick to conjure up some magic.
Im not sure why Fallon is on Shoshoni Wind and she doesnt seem to have the form to win this and I think this entry is more about Hambleton racing than the abilty of the horse although I may be made to eat my own words.
Bear Behind is interesting as he has to carry a stone less than everything else in the race and was 2nd in a Listed Race at Deauville last time out after setting a good pace and he could be in the shakeup despite his lack of experience.
In another tricky sprint I will go for Captain Dunne who was unlucky last time out, he has shown consistent form this season and he deserves to get his head in front again as there arent many speedier than him and Dinkum Diamond and Duchess Dora can follow him home.
In the 5.20 a total of 22 runners go to post for the 5f Class 4 Handicap and the race looks like a minefield for punters, although if I had to whittle it down to a few I would be looking at Haajes, whose trainer Paul Midgley is having a fine run of form and Lost in Paris.