DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
WEDNESDAY JULY 30
1.20 GOODWOOD
Sing Us A Song’s rough passage throughout the King George Handicap was well documented and it’s easy to see why he has been a popular choice with many in the lead up to this contest but he does face an opponent in the shape of SUDU (NAP) (best price 9-2) who appears to have just as much upside and at double the price, Roger Varian’s gelding receives the nod.
In-keeping with his sire, the son of Teofilo has been a bit of a slow burn and it’s only been his last two runs when his stock has begun to rise.
A big eye-catcher on his first handicap outing at Newbury, when he was repeatedly stopped in his run, he was well backed to make amends at Epsom last time out and as the market suggested, he duly made no mistake.
However, the way he travelled and quickened to put the race to bed, backed up by the speed figure, was no ordinary victory and even a drastic adjustment by the assessor might not be nearly enough to stop him.
Moreover, the fact he handled the undulations of the unique Surrey circuit offers up plenty of hope he will cope with today’s venue in a similar fashion, and he rates a confident choice to follow in the footsteps of French Duke and Nagano, two recent winners of this race for the same stable.
SUDU – 2-point win@9-2
4.55 GOODWOOD
The July course at Newmarket often favours those on the speed, even more so in modestly run races, so the fact LEADMAN (best price 13-2) managed to come from last to first in such a contest last time out is testimony to his ability and with a clear run from stall 3 he looks destined to be a big player despite the competitive nature of the field.
As mentioned, they didn’t go overly quick at HQ 19 days go and David O’Meara’s gelding was made to sit and bide his time in the rear but when asked to run down his 10 opponents – of which two have won since- inside the final two furlongs, he did so with devastating effect and in the end, he ran out a comfortable winner.
Running the last three furlongs quicker than the likes of Venetian Sun and Cinderella’s Dream puts into context the speed he was operating at and hailing from a stable that often improve these kinds of cast offs, there could well be more to come.
LEADMAN – 1-point each-way@13-2 (five places)
5.35 GALWAY
MISS FOURIE (best price 14-1) shaped better than the bare result suggested at Bellewstown last time out and now returning to the scene of one of her most notable career performances, Peter Fahey’s mare has a decent chance of outrunning her odds if putting her best foot forward.
The eight-year-old mare has looked a bit tricky in the past (she almost ran off the track at Tramore last season) but as she proved in this race last year, she is very useful when on-song and a repeat of a similar level of form would put her right in the mix.
Held up right out the back at the Meath venue after a ragged start, the eight-year-old was still in the cheap seats with a circuit to run but to her great credit, she worked herself into a reasonable position of strength until the effort in doing so took its toll late on.
Winner of a very competitive handicap at Killarney last season against the boys, once again, the time figure was extremely favourable and now back among her own sex, an amenable Miss Fourie is more than capable of playing a pivotal role.
MISS FOURIE – ½ point each-way@14-1 (six places)
6.40 GALWAY
Playing lightly raced, second-season chasers is often the angle to pursue in this valuable handicap and of those in that category this year, ANYWAY (best price 9-1) makes the most appeal at the morning odds.
Ken Budds’ inmate was useful hurdler, no more than that, but he has looked a totally different proposition since going over fences and if you pull apart his form, it’s as good as anything else in the field.
Sent off 125-1 for the big novices’ handicap at The Cheltenham festival, the seven-year-old defied his position in the market with a run of some magnitude and given what the winner, Caldwell Potter (now rated 155) went on to achieve at Grade 1 level, he appears well treated off his current rating of 141.
Arriving here following a victory that would have done his confidence and fitness levels no harm in equal measures, the son of Jukebox Jury also has course form to call upon thanks to his fine effort on chase debut and with connections no doubt working back from today’s race from that point, he can carry out the long-term plan.
ANYWAY – 1-point each-way@9-1 (five places)