I’ve had jumpers running over the last few days with no luck In truth it’s been a pretty disappointing jumps season – some fairly expensive purchases have run poorly, the only real high point having been Mon Michel winning a few months ago. I’m pretty happy with what I have for the flat this year though – the first big day is Max One Two Three in the 1,000, and that’s only a week away now.
I saw Tom quoted in the Racing Post and I gave him a call. The piece said that Max had never won over more than 5f and that Tom had said that her sire had won over a mile – both incorrect. Tom was indignant – he said a journo rang up and said he had seen Tom had left Max in the 1,000, and asked him what he was “hoping to achieve”. He resisted the temptation to say he was hoping to win the best turned out and pointed out that her dam won over a mile and her sire had been group placed over a mile.
Tom runs Old Father Zieten in the first at Brighton today, and the race has the first piece of collateral form for Skid Solo in Entrancer. I think Tom is happy enough with OFZ, but this looks like a decent maiden – he could run a place and might be worth following if the price is right. There are three in the race who have come fourth in good maidens, and this is a chance to collate the form.
Brenin Taran finished behind Art Connoisseur, and a length ahead of Rayvin Mad of Pete’s. Entrancer was 4th 3 1/2 lengths behind Skid Solo. My mental ratings currently have Brenin Taran and Entrancer pretty close, although the Racing Post disagree. Entrancer is the bet for me, hoping the Newbury form of Skid Solo’s race will hold up.
Lilac Moon will come out soon, and her collateral form has worked out incrediby well. Looking through it I think she has been unlucky in coming up against so many well handicapped horses – she has also been unlucky in that she was drawn 13 in her last four runs. She has wintered very well – I’ll be disappointed if we can’t score with her in the coming months. Shepherd’s Warning‘s form took a boost when Longoria won comfortably yesterday off a mark of 70. She’ll be out soon – she’s on a high mark and we may have to stick with claimers if we’re to win again with her. Effingham should come out tomorrow at Windsor, and his fourth at Haydock worked out well. I haven’t made my mind up what I think of him yet.