EASTWARD HO 3.05 MUSSELBURGH
Eastward Ho needed his run last week at Pontefract as he did last season. He then went on to finish second and win two off marks of 62 and 67. The handicapper had his say after that and he is back off 67 today with a very good 3lbs claimer aboard. He has conditions to suit and doesn’t have any alarming negatives in his profile. Three of his four wins have come when returning to the track inside a fortnight.
Copperwood is the main danger and he is well handicapped, 5lbs lower than his win at Chester last year. However, he has a couple of negatives in his profile that mean he can be taken on. He is 1-15 when returning to the track inside 7 days and this is his fifteenth run as a 8yo and he is yet to trouble the judge. I don’t think he can improve and though Franny Norton is 2-4 on him, he has to be passed over.
Rex Romanorum is 0-3, never placed. When returning after a break of 90 days or more and hasn’t placed in two races going right handed. This horse was Patrick Holmes last winner on the flat back in July of last year and 32 have lost since. He won his sole race on soft ground and is 0-3 on good to firm. He is 0-4, never placed, on flat tracks.
Edas is 0-7 when returning to the track after a break of 120 days or more. He is 0-10 in fields of 7 or less runners. The yard doesn’t have many runners and only 5 have won out of their last 100 runners and 1-15 at Musselburgh.
Staff Sergeant has had a couple of runs for Iain Jardine over hurdles without doing anything. He has a good record when returning to the track after a break of 120 days or more, 2-4. Graham Lee is booked, he’s won on the horse before. A year ago he made all over 9 furlongs here off 77 and off 70 today he should be on the premises. He is 1-15 on good or slower ground but 0-7 when carrying 9-6 or more.
Linda Perratt saddles two, Silver Rime and Royal Straight. Silver Rime has never placed in five races here and is 1-20 over 8 furlongs. He is 0-5, never placed in fields of 7 or less. Royal Straight won a handicap at Ayr off 4lbs higher last summer but four of his six wins have come over 10 furlongs and he is 0-9 over 8 furlongs though he has won over a half a furlong further. Linda Perratt is 3-62 in 8f handicaps at Musselburgh with her last winner in 2010.
Conclusion: In effect this is a two horse race. Copperwood will be very popular after his run at Newcastle the other day. He is on a losing run of 18 at present and at the likely odds he does not represent a good bet. Staff Sergeant may well run well off this mark but is likely to find the weight a bit taxing. There is little or no pace in the race and it will pay to be on the front end. Eastward Ho likes to stalk and he beat Anderiego in a class 4 last July off this mark. Third that day was Lockantanks. That is very strong form and Eastward Ho should be spot on after his last run at Pontefract and should take this off this mark.
APACHE GLORY 5.00 DONCASTER
Apache Glory has been transformed by the cheekpieces. She is improving at a rate of knots and the handicapper may well have not caught up with her yet. She 3-4 since she started wearing the pieces and has won her last three. Her last win looks strong form with the second winning a class 4 off 2lbs higher the sixth winning a class 5 off the same mark. Andre Atzeni is 3-5 on her and she is 4-7 over 10 furlongs and 4-8 in single figure fields. Apache Glory produced a speed figure of 76 last time which suggests she still has 6lbs in hand of her mark. She won a handicap for Richard Hannon in 2011 off 78.
Bobs Her Uncle is a 6 race maiden though she has run some decent races. Her second to Good Speech last time has been franked with that horse placing off 3lbs higher. Hanagan keeps the ride but he is 4-48 for James Bethell. Bethell is 6-77 in handicaps at Doncaster and in the last two years just two have passed the post first from 36 runners.
Dazzling Valentine has a good record racing against her own sex, 3-12. However, they were all on an artificial surface. Her overall record on turf of 1-22 isn’t inspiring though the win was at Brighton just last September. She will probably pick up a race off this mark but she is 0-9 when returning to the track inside seven days.
Curley Come Home looked a tad recalcitrant last time. She made smooth headway but didn’t go through with her effort. She is lightly raced so there should be some sort of improvement. However, she is 0-7 in class 5 her sole win coming off 63 in a class 6. Off 70 today in a better race she may well struggle. Chris Wall has had 20 runners in 2013 without tasting success though he was 2-9 in handicaps here last season.
Cosmic Halo is 0-3 when returning to the track after a break of 60 days or more and is 0-6 going left handed. Her maiden win doesn’t appear to amount to much and she is 0-3 over distances 9-11 furlongs. Cosmic Halo has a speed figure of 70 to her name from a race at Wolverhampton in December which would put her on the premises here.
Cheers For Thea is fully exposed and has conditions to suit. However, she is 1-19 when competing against her own sex. She is 2lbs better off for a length when behind Bobs Her Uncle last time and it could be argued she was given far too much to do. Tim Easterby is 20-345 in handicaps at Doncaster and is 2-60 in the last 12 months.
White Diamond is 1-23 in all flat races, the win coming in October 2010 at Navan. She is 0-7 on good to firm, 0-5 at Doncaster, 0-11 in class 5 and 0-6 in single figure fields on the flat.
Chella Thriller looks a much better horse on the sand, 3-8, as opposed to turf, 0-3 never placed. All her three wins came in class 6 and she is 0-4 in class 5. She is 0-3 off marks above 60.
Conclusion: Apache Glory appears to be to be able to multitask. She can sit way off the pace when there’s plenty and sit close to it whens there not. It has took John Stimpson a year to find the key to this filly and she must take a deal of beating today.