DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9
1.15 NEWMARKET
A race that should be all about brazen speed and FLANN SUNNA, who has showed he has that trait in abundance, should get the perfect set-up to exhibit his skills.
Impressive in his first two starts, both of them victories, Simon & Ed Crisford’s colt was sent off a very warm order to complete his hat trick in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood but as events panned out, the combination of trying to curb his enthusiasm and being posted out on the wing from stall one ultimately led to his downfall.
Once again pitched out wide at Doncaster last time out, he not only got badly hampered as the gates opened, but he ended up challenging on the wrong side of the track and in the circumstances, it was another performance left connections ruing their luck.
Back over a sharp five-furlongs and drawn right next to the speed ball that is Fast Track, the son of Blue Point can’t have too many excuses if he fails to deliver the goods.
FLANN SUNNA – 1-point win@11-4
1.50 NEWMARKET
The colours of TBT Racing seemed to be in the winner’s enclosure every week of late and there is every chance SIENNA STORM will don the famous, orange, white and blue silks with distinction in this Group 3 prize for juveniles.
Ed Walker’s filly was a strong fancy to land a similar contest at Goodwood last time out, but circumstances rather counted against her, when she received no luck in running at a crucial stage.
Seemingly going well two out, the daughter of Night Of Thunder got virtually slam dunked over towards the far side rail and even though she rallied bravely to the cause thereafter, the dye was cast regards winning the race.
Clearly better than the bare result suggested at the Sussex venue, the form of her previous win on good ground was advertised by the runner-up at Ascot last weekend and hailing from a yard that continues to thrive, she can add further gains to the pot.
SIENNA STORM – 1-point each-way@9-2 (four places)
3.30 NEWMARKET
Many of the field have clashed at some stage this season and despite being one of the more industrious members of today’s party, DEVIL’S PEAK can confirm form with some of his old pals.
John & Thady Gosden’s inmate narrowly got the better of Turty Tree at Newbury earlier in the campaign and he might have taken the scalp of Into The Light at Goodwood next time had he not ended up being too far back.
Not quite seeing out the 1m6f journey of the Melrose at York next time, the Camelot colt got back on track with a smooth victory when a well-supported favourite at Doncaster last time out over two furlongs shorter and with the numbers next to his name to suggest a strongly run affair over today’s trip suits best, another positive result looks on the cards.
DEVIL’S PEAK – ½ point each-way@8-1 (four places)
4.45 NEWMARKET
William Haggas looks to hold a strong hand in this Group 3 for fillies and mares and while Silver Lake is likely to prove the most popular of his pair, SONG OF THE CLOUDS could easily turn out to be the joker in the pack.
If you asked the Newmarket handler at the start of the season who would end up contesting races of this nature, he would have probably suggested the latter would be the most likely and although that viewpoint hasn’t necessarily worked out just yet, it can only be a matter of time before it does.
The daughter of Night Of Thunder was well touted prior to her debut at Newbury back in April and although she came up one short on the day, she ran a race full of promise after being badly hampered at the start.
The lightly raced three-year-old went on to justify short odds at Redcar a month later but she must have endured a setback as she wasn’t seen out until returning to action at Windsor five months later.
However, despite her forced absence, she made light work of the strongly fancied previous winner, Wootz, with a bit to spare and with the runner-up going on to score again since, the form looks way above your usual novice event for the track.
Impressing with the way she quickened at the Berkshire venue, her final three furlongs of 33.4 was better than the five-furlong sprinters on the card and with a stride length max of 8.01 and cadence of 2.09sps suggesting she will be seen to greater advantage beyond a mile, she rates a sporting pick to gain some valuable black type.
SONG OF THE DANCE – ½ point each-way@12-1 (four places)