DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
THURSDAY AUGUST 13
5.30 SALISBURY
The apprentice handicap won by Stormy Music at Newmarket recently was noted for a very useful speed figure for a race of its kind and DECALOGUE, who ran his best race so far to date, can build on that promising effort and lay claim to landing his first victory of his career.
Slowly away and towards the rear early at HQ. Jamie Osbourne’s gelding worked himself into a position where he held every chance approaching the furlong pole, but the ground he had to make up on his main rivals proved a bridge too far and he ended up having to settle for a minor role.
Still, his overall performance was easily his best on the data and a repeat of something similar could easily be good enough in a race where there doesn’t appear to be too many jumping off the page.
DECALOGUE – 1-point win@3-1
7.41 WINDSOR
PARLANDO can be a fairly dangerous beast once he is in top form and with the evidence of his latest victory suggesting he is back trending in the right direction, Ian Williams’ gelding can strike again while the iron is hot.
Like his run of results last season, it took a while for the seven-year-old to get himself up a head of steam but he popped up out of the blue following a tumbling mark at Windsor and a similar pattern emerged before he repeated the dose at Chester last time out.
Dropping back in trip on the Roodee, the son of Dubawi came from last time first to score going away and even though he goes back up in grade and is racing off a slightly higher mark, this previous C&D winner can put his track knowledge and current wellbeing to good use.
PARLANDO – ½ point each-way@10-1
NUNTHORPE STAKES PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
YORK, AUGUST 21
As it has been for quite some time now, the sprinting division has been all over the place this season and I’d defy anyone to have a confident view on how the big Group 1 five-furlong affair on the Knavesmire will pan out.
Bacio has been ante-post favourite ever since he blasted his way through the line in the Palace Of Holyrood at Royal Ascot, recording a very fast time, and his trailblazing style will be seen by many as a valuable tool he can utilise over an even sharper track.
That said, this assignment will require more than beating ordinary three-year-old handicappers and whether he deserves to be so short in the betting is seriously open to question.
At least with Asfoora, we know she has proven form over the C&D and her victory in last year’s renewal was one of her highlights of a stellar career. She also arrives here following a more promising effort in the King George Qatar Stakes behind American Affair at Goodwood and she has been the subject of steady support ever since.
American Affair has also been popular since his success at the Sussex venue and he is another who knows how to win on the Knavesmire.
However, he was well beaten by REDORANGE at York and yet Clive Cox’s gelding remains four times the price of his old rival – which is the main angle of approach for this recommendation.
Looking back at his victory last month, it is a performance that needs seriously upgrading, as he was one of three horses marooned away from the bulk of the main pack towards the nearside rail.
Despite this potential impost, the son of Mehmas showed a devastating turn of foot not only to join his rivals over the other side of the track, but to whizz by them and score going away.
Posting a very smart speed figure into the bargain, the form of the race has also been boosted by Nanna’s Shadow (one of the three who raced alone) in the interim and it was interesting to see connections resist the temptation to go to Goodwood in favour of heading back to the scene of that career high display.
It is also worth pointing out he might well be 2-2 over the C&D but for obtaining a miserable passage behind Jakajaro on his previous visit and on all known evidence, there is simply no way he deserves to be chalked up at 25-1 in a race where quite a few ahead of him in the betting currently have either no track form or the run style to cope with a sharp five-furlongs.
Santona Reve (generally 8-1), for instance, would be the number one to fall into the latter category based on all his best form being around six-furlongs, while the likes of Cover Up (16-1) Rumstar (12-1), and Mission Central (12-1), would all prefer a stiffer track
Night Raider arrives here on the back of two depressing efforts and is hard to fancy/fathom why he is as short as 8-1 at present, while Rayevka has yet to step foot on the track.
Additionally, it is also a leap of faith to think Pershaada, top class two-year-old filly that she is, would be quite good enough to turn around the recent trend of juveniles being the answer to this puzzle. Kingsgate Native being the last one to do so back in 2007 (Lyric Fantasy the only other in 1992 since 1954).
All he needs is a decent draw on the day, preferably over towards the far side or at least housed next to Bacio, and there is every chance he will easily outrun his odds.
REDORANGE – 1-point each-way@25-1